DERRY CITY: Injury concern over McBride, Patterson ahead of replay

Captain Ryan McBride is struggling with a groin injury while the club’s leading marksman, Rory Patterson, has a knee problem but Shiels is his keeping his fingers crossed the pair will make it.

“Ryan is a major doubt with a groin injury,” confirmed the City boss. “Rory is also doubt with a knee injury but our physio Michael Hegarty had them in for further treatment last night so, hopefully, they’ll get through.”

Shiels is hoping experienced players like Gerard Doherty, Aaron Barry, Conor McCormack and Barry McNamee will ensure the ‘Candy Stripes’ are in the draw for the next round.

“We have got people in the team who will drive us on and we want to get ourselves back into a situation where we are leading games. That’s where we have to try and get to. Then we’ll be able to control the game better and play with that composure which we lacked in last home game,” he added.

“We didn’t win it because we missed chances. That’s the only reason we didn’t win the game. We missed too many chances and have to try and be more clinical in front of goal.

“We need to get ourselves in front. If we can achieve that, it should gives us more composure because we have been chasing deficits in both the Finn Harps and Drogheda games.

“We came from behind well in both games but we didn’t take our chances,” concluded Shiels.