Declan Devine fired up for Derry City's final home game against Shelbourne

The Brandywell club has struggled to find consistency this season and despite encouraging displays in recent weeks against Bohemians, Waterford and Dundalk, they find themselves struggling in eighth position with three games to go.

Qualifying for European football through their league position remains a remote possibility should fourth place be enough and Devine wants to finish as high as possible.

Derry conclude their home campaign tonight against Shelbourne knowing victory could catapult them into fifth spot and Devine has reminded his team there’s still plenty at stake this season.

“There is a part of it that you’re looking over your shoulder with just a few games to go but at the same time there’s a lot of points to be played for and we have to be very professional in our approach,” said the Brandywell boss.

“So as much as the end is near, we’ve also got to understand there is still a hell of a lot to be playing for.

“A victory this weekend would put us in a very good position going down to Rovers on Wednesday and with Cork away to come.

“Consistency has been our problem all year, there’s no point shying away from that,” he added honestly. “But consistency has been a problem for everybody.

“We’ve got to try and put a couple of good performances together and claim as many points as we can from the last nine available to see where it takes us. There is no holiday mode here,” he stressed. “There’s still work to do. We all have jobs to do.

“Yes it was a good performance on Monday (against Dundalk) but we have to demand more and keep working hard and finish the season on a high.

“Three games is a lot in the context of an 18 game season. Shelbourne are all of a sudden flying because they won back to back games. That’s something we want to try and do.

“There’s nobody looking towards the end of the season. We’re looking at having four, hopefully five big games to come.”

Indeed, with an FAI Cup quarter-final against Sligo Rovers on the horizon players will be hoping to play themselves into contention over the next two games.

And Devine, who guided his hometown club to the 2012 FAI Cup triumph, admits the cup clash is very much on his mind.

“We also have a quarter-final of the FAI Cup which in its own right is something to look forward to and to be treated with the greatest of respect.

“If you can win a quarter-final, all of a sudden you’ve got a 50/50 chance of having a home fixture to play in a cup final. But the FAI Cup is such a prestigious tournament and you want to do well in it.

“So I don’t think anyone is in holiday mode at the minute. We have to make sure we finish the season strongly.”

Derry have struggled at home this season in the absence of the ‘Brandywell Faithful’, winning just three of their eight fixtures at Brandywell Stadium.

Having ‘sold’ the club to many of his new signings by describing the atmosphere at home games and the ‘rapport’ with fans, Devine admits the players have found it difficult playing in front of empty stands.

However, he’s reminded them of their accountability when they walk out onto the Brandywell pitch for potentially the last time this season tonight.

“It’s certainly been the strangest season I’ve ever been involved in there’s no doubt about that but that’s been the same for everybody.

“We have to collectively come together on Friday night and try and get a performance to finish our league campaign at the Brandywell.

“I was bringing players to the club and sold it to them on full houses and the rapport with the fans.

“It’s been difficult for a lot of the player, especially the new boys who haven’t experienced that.

“The one thing we have to understand is there’s a lot of people looking in from the outside and we have to perform every time we put on that shirt.

“That’s one thing I have demanded from the boys on Friday - to give a good account of themselves when they take to that pitch.

“We’ve got to approach this game looking for a victory. Shelbourne had two really good 1-0 wins in their last two games and will be coming here confident.

“We have to understand that if we perform to the levels we’re capable of then we’ll be a match for anybody on our day.”