Derry City Jamin Kursi Kembali ke Stadion Ryan McBride Brandywell

Derry City bersiap kembali ke Stadion Ryan McBride Brandywell untuk menghadapi Drogheda United pada Jumat, 26 Juni 2026, di tengah kondisi krisis pemain akibat badai cedera yang menimpa skuad. Klub dipastikan tampil tanpa James Clarke, Rob Slevin, dan Jamie Stott, sementara kondisi Kevin Dos Santos, Darragh Markey, serta Carl Winchester masih diragukan untuk laga tersebut. Manajer Derry City, Tiernan Lynch, menilai performa timnya saat menahan imbang pemimpin klasemen Shamrock Rovers pada Senin malam lalu menjadi standar baru bagi tim.

"With the make-up of the squad we had, with the amount of players we had missing and the youngsters we had on the bench, going down there (to Shamrock Rovers) after a really poor defeat at Galway, you probably would have taken a point," ujar Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Lynch menambahkan bahwa situasi ruang ganti justru dipenuhi kekecewaan karena gagal meraih poin penuh akibat beberapa peluang yang terbuang. "But, in the manner of how the game played out, and the chances that we missed, we were actually disappointed that we didn’t take all three points, and I think that’s a really good side that that disappointment was there in the changing room," kata Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Evaluasi pascapertandingan langsung diberikan kepada skuad untuk memastikan poin penuh bisa diamankan saat bermain di kandang sendiri. "As I said to them after the game, we have to go and build on it now, and we have to make sure we come to the Brandywell now and take all three points," tutur Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Meskipun beberapa pemain yang belum fit sepenuhnya terpaksa harus turun bertanding, Lynch melihat hal tersebut dari sudut pandang yang positif. "It is what it is and we’re probably backs to the walls a little bit in terms of people being out on that pitch that maybe shouldn’t be on that pitch," ucap Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City. Komitmen para pemain untuk klub dinilai menjadi modal berharga dalam menghadapi situasi sulit ini.

"A lot of people take that as a negative, I take that as a positive that the players are showing the commitment they have to this team and this club and I hope they get their rewards for it," jelas Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Lynch juga mengungkapkan antusiasme yang tinggi dari para pemain untuk segera mencoba permukaan lapangan hybrid baru di Brandywell. "The players have just talked about the excitement now of getting onto this pitch. Believe it or not, it actually started on Monday night at Tallaght, they came in from the warm-up and there was a buzz about them being able to get onto a good pitch and being able to play football what we want to play, and today (Thursday) just carried that on," ungkap Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City. Kembalinya tim ke fasilitas baru diharapkan mampu memotivasi skuad untuk mengamankan kemenangan atas Drogheda United.

"There’s a real excitement there and a real buzz, to one, get home, and to get home to the new facilities and hopefully we can go on and back that up with a win," kata Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Drogheda United yang dilatih Kevin Doherty tercatat telah mengumpulkan empat poin dari dua pertemuan sebelumnya melawan Derry City musim ini. "They are big, they are strong, they are physical," tambah Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Kewaspadaan tinggi diterapkan karena lawan dinilai sangat berbahaya melalui situasi bola mati dan serangan balik cepat. "I think they have 12 goals in their last 14 have all been from set-pieces, and on the counter-attack they have been direct, they put balls forward, they run forward, which can always be difficult, especially for us because you want to ply, and at times, in possession, it can leave you a little bit open," papar Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Lynch menegaskan pentingnya menjaga keseimbangan permainan baik saat menguasai bola maupun ketika bertahan. "So, there’s always that threat, and we have to make sure that we’re good while we’re in possession as well as out of possession," kata Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City. Pertandingan ini menjadi momen yang sangat dinantikan oleh seluruh elemen tim untuk kembali bermain di hadapan pendukung sendiri.

"It’s a game we’re really looking forward to, we’re looking forward to getting back home and getting on a good pitch and hopefully it goes our way," ujar Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Lynch akan sangat mengandalkan penyerang Liam Boyce, yang baru saja mencetak gol pertamanya musim ini saat melawan Shamrock Rovers, untuk mengarungi paruh kedua musim. "I think someone told me that was his first game since August," jelas Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City. Kerja keras mantan pemain internasional Irlandia Utara tersebut mendapat apresiasi besar dari sang manajer mengingat usianya yang tidak lagi muda.

"Great credit to Boycie for the work he put in. There’s not too many 35-year-olds who keep bouncing back like he bounces back," puji Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Kualitas permainan dan pengalaman Boyce dinilai tetap menjadi aset penting bagi lini serang Derry City. "You don’t need me to tell you about Liam Boyce’s class; the level he’s played at and how good a footballer he is," sebut Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Meskipun kecepatan fisiknya sudah berkurang, pergerakan dan ketajamannya di depan gawang lawan tetap diwaspadai. "He doesn’t have the same legs but he still has that movement and always has an eye for goal and he’s clever and will do things like that," kata Tiernan Lynch, Manajer Derry City.

Pada pertandingan Divisi Utama lainnya, Shamrock Rovers akan menjamu Galway United, sementara Dundalk menghadapi juru kunci Waterford, dan Bohemians bertanding melawan St Patrick’s Athletic yang disiarkan oleh Virgin Media dari Dalymount Park.