Jamie McGonigle and Bastien Hery available for Derry City's trip to Longford Town

Derry City manager Ruaidhri Higgins has confirmed both striker Jamie McGonigle and recent signing Bastien Hery are in contention to feature at bottom side Longford Town, on Saturday night (KO 7.30pm).
Derry City's Jamie McGonigle is back in the squad for Saturday's game at Longford Town.Derry City's Jamie McGonigle is back in the squad for Saturday's game at Longford Town.
Derry City's Jamie McGonigle is back in the squad for Saturday's game at Longford Town.

McGonigle, who missed last week’s FAI Cup win at Drogheda United, and Hery, who joined on-loan from Bohemians this week, will travel to the Midlands and Higgins added that his transfer dealings for the summer are now likely to be finished following the exciting additions of Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, McGonigle and Hery.

“We are all good. Obviously Bastien has come in this week and he’ll be in the squad but Marc Walsh is still out with his injury. Everyone else is all good and are raring to go,” stated the Derry City manager.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Jamie is available. It has been a bit start/stop for him which is unfortunate but as he’s now available and whether he’s coming on from the bench or starting, he gives us a real attacking threat.

“I’m happy with what we have done. I said from the very start that we would bring in two or three players and we have managed to bring in three who have enhanced the squad and given us a boost.

“We’ll only bring in another one in August if it really fits the profile of the club. If not then I’m delighted with what we have got and we’ll crack on with it and do the best we can between now and the end of the season.”

Despite Longford sitting at the bottom of the table, Higgins feels his side are going to be in for a tough evening at Bishopsgate.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daire Doyle’s side shocked the Candy Stripes on the opening night in their one and only league success of the season and Higgins doesn’t want a repeat outcome.

The home side, who have added Shamrock Rovers duo Dean Williams and Darragh Nugent on-loan, go into the game unbeaten in their last three games and had a comfortable 5-0 win over Bangor GG in the FAI Cup, but it was their draws against Bohemians and Drogheda United which the Derry boss was most impressed with.

“Longford’s recent form has been very good,” Higgins explained.

“They went to Dalymount Park and got a draw which is no mean feat, drew with Drogheda and they won comfortably in the cup so we know they are in good form.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They have brought in two loan players from Shamrock Rovers, Williams and Nugent, two really exciting young players.

“As I said, they are in good form and have added to the squad, so we know it’s going to be a difficult task, but we need to go on there on the front foot and have real attacking intent ourselves and try to go and win the game.”

In recent weeks Waterford defeated high flying Sligo Rovers as well as Longford securing that hard fought draw at Dalymount Park, results which highlight for Higgins exactly why the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division is such a difficult division to predict.

“I remember when we beat Waterford here, people were saying, ‘Oh that was a handy win for us’ but Waterford have won every game since they have played us. This league is an extremely difficult one to call,” he added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You look at Longford’s games, even the games that they have lost, they have been well in the majority of them. There’s nothing in games of football in this league and I expect Saturday to be no different, but I want us to have real winning mentality and a ruthless mindset to go and try to win the game.”