Institute boss Brian Donaghey hoping Derry City fans get their Brandywell Friday night fix this week

Donaghey is looking forward to the encounter as his team have the chance to secure back to back league victories for the first time this season. Last weekend’s comfortable 3-0 win over Dergview was a first of the season and now the ’Stute boss wants to see his squad put together a run of positives results to start moving up the table.

“We spoke on Saturday after we got a result at Dergview, we want to put a run of results together,” explained Donaghey, “Our next game is our most important game obviously and we’re looking forward to Ballyclare coming.

“I don’t think I’ve had a Friday night match (with Institute). It’s going to be my first but obviously Fridays seem to suit Derry City fans so maybe with them not having a game this week we might get some of their fans coming to see us play. We might get a few extra people through the gate which would be great”

The Drumahoe club lost 3-2 at Coleraine in Tuesday night’s North West Senior Cup but Donaghey felt the fixture was a good work-out for his players.

“After the Coleraine game we’re now fully focused for the Ballyclare match. We’ll do a light enough session on Thursday night and get ready for Friday night,” he added.

“We need to put a run of results together and if you do that then you’ll end up in the top six. There are certain things that go for teams in the top six. I don’t know why but I think you just don’t get the rub of the green as much when you are down the table.”

One man who has given Donaghey a selection headache for this evening’s game is teenager Oisin Devlin, who put in a superb performance against the Bannsiders in midweek.

“We finished the game well. Jamie Dunne and Jack Coyle scored again and we had a lot of positives from the game, probably no more so than young Oisin Devlin. He’s 15-years-old and I thought from the first minute until the last minute he was absolutely outstanding,” he explained.

“He loves a tackle and at 15 years of age, he’s playing like a man and he’s definitely given me a headache for Friday night, but I will have no hesitation about putting him in again.

“This seems to be the season to be playing some very young players but when you look at Oisin, at 15 he’s built like a man. He trains like a man and plays like a man and I thought he was outstanding. That was the biggest plus for me tonight.

“Mark McFadden has a hamstring problem and we won’t risk him if he’s not right because it’s a long season. Cathair (Friel) is hopeful of being back for Friday. He went over on his ankle at Dergview and had to come off at half-time last Saturday but he did a bit of training on Tuesday night so we’re hopeful he’ll make it.”