Mark Connolly believes weekend results prove unpredictable nature of League of Ireland

The Derry City centre half believes it will take time for the Candy Stripes to get into their rhythm and so Saturday's scoreless draw at a difficult venue in Sligo was far from a disaster for the Brandywell outfit who are one of five unbeaten teams after two games.

Surprisingly St Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers are not among those five having lost to Bohemians and Shelbourne respectively at the weekend but Connolly isn't reading too much into results at this early stage, particularly given the way the champions started their record-equalling four-in-a-row winning campaign.

"You saw the results this weekend and this league this year isn't going to be easy," reflected the Monaghan man who reminded everyone the level he’s played at in the past when posting a photograph of him roughing up Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk when the pair were lining up against each other in the SPL.

"Every team, I would imagine, will take points off each other. I don't think many would have predicted the results that there were last night.

"Tonight wasn't an easy game. No one comes to Sligo and has an easy game and to be fair it's a place we probably struggled over the last couple of years.

"To be honest, genuinely every game is going to be huge and we have to roll up with that mentality that every game is going to be big. There's no easy games. Galway away, Waterford away, Shamrock Rovers away, St Pat's at home, every game will be tough but we'll be ready.

"The boys have bought into the preseason and since Heggsy's come in he's been brilliant. We're disappointed we didn't win, which is a good thing. We're not going away happy with a point. We take the positives. It's a clean sheet.

"And the fans as well they were loud and there was some amount of them. It's brilliant from them. Unfortunately we didn’t get the win but move on with a point and get ready for Friday.”

With two huge games back-to-back against St Pat's and Rovers next Friday night at Brandywell and Monday in Tallaght, Connolly has urged fans to remain patient.

"You're not going to click your fingers and everything is going to be 100 percent straight away. It's two games into the league, coming away from home to a place we struggled at times over the last few years. I feel like it will be every game as it comes. Confidence will get higher. We'll come into a rhythm of how we're going to play and boys like Pat [Hoban] and Daniel [Kelly] will get used to playing with all the other players.

"As you seen Rovers losing last night and even last year they didn't win in the first six so it takes time to get going. It's not excuses but I'm fully confident in what we have and what will come from this team. It's just the first few games are about getting the cobwebs and a bit of the nerves out of the way and we'll be ready to rock and roll. I do feel we're in a good place."

Aside from injuries to Patrick McEleney, Cameron Dummigan and Sadou Diallo that is, however, it was a huge boost for Ruaidhri Higgins to have Connolly leading his defence after struggling with an injury sustained during the Drogheda game.

It was a game tailor-made for the rugged centre half and he was always going to make himself available.

"It was one of those things. I had a knock against Drogheda and the manager spoke to me on Thursday and asked how I was and I just said whatever I'm needed for I'll be ready. Thankfully I got through the game and felt alright. It's one of those things, you just get on with it."

Connolly made a crucial, impeccably timed tackle on the edge of his own penalty area late on to stifle a dangerous Sligo attack and it was exactly that experience and level-headedness that was needed to get out of the Showgrounds unscathed.

"I was nervous so I was I'll tell ye,” he laughed when asked about that timely interception. “They're not easy games, they have good attacking players. They're a good team Sligo.

"Every team in the league is a good team and obviously [Max] Mata is back there and [Simon] Power and [Fabrice] Hartmann, going forward they're a strong team.

"I knew it wasn't going to be easy but big Sam Todd was excellent. He won all his headers and defensively was really solid. So I’m delighted for him.

“We wanted to win the football match. It wasn't to be. You just make sure we won't get beat and we didn't. As a defender you're obviously happy with the clean sheet but disappointed we didn't win the game. We're two games unbeaten and we roll onto Friday against St Pats.”

Those injuries to McEleney and Dummigan overshadowed the match and Connolly hopes to have the influential pair back available as soon as possible.

“It's a difficult one. A bit of luck would be nice,” he lamented. “The two boys to be fair, off season and preseason, they'be worked their socks off to make sure they would be right.

"Unfortunately they're just not getting that wee bit of luck. Two huge players. Fingers crossed. I don't know what the outcome will be but they are two boys we want to be in our team and around the squad but whatever it is we'll make sure we deal with it and hopefully it won't be too long.”