‘No better noise in Irish football’ than a packed Brandywell says Ruaidhrí Higgins

And the City boss is hoping the Brandywell Faithful can roar the Candy Stripes over the line in tomorrow's mouth-watering FAI Cup quarter-final.

Higgins fondly remembers the League Cup Final against Shelbourne in 2006 when he was one of the three successful Derry penalty kick takers who earned a dramatic shootout victory for Stephen Kenny's side who finished with nine men.

There was a bubbling cauldron of noise during that classic cup encounter where Pat Jennings ultimately proved the hero with penalty saves from Dave Rogers, Jason Byrne and Glen Crowe.

Higgins hopes the spectators can replicate that incredible atmosphere on Saturday night and help steer his side into the last four of the cup competition they won with a 4-0 drubbing of Shelbourne in 2022.

"My memories of Shelbourne going back to when I was a player at the club were always two of the three or four clubs up there challenging," said Higgins.

"We're back here again so there's loads of really good memories against Shelbourne and hopefully we can create another one on Saturday.

"We've prepared this week to go and win the game. We know we're coming up against a really good team. It's up to us in front of our home crowd, it's a sell out and our home form's been good so hopefully we continue that."

The home form has certainly been good with 11 wins in their last 16 matches in all competitions and another one on Saturday could have a major bearing on how successful this season can be.

Asked if victory could prove a psychological blow for their league title rivals, Higgins responded: "You would like to think so.

"Obviously it's a different competition but what I do know is that if we can get through it will be great for the group, great for supporters and everyone connected to the club and that's the ambition come Saturday.

"We know we're a more formidable team when this place is rocking, we know that and I think everyone knows that. We need everyone together.

"There will be difficult moments in the game, of course three will be. We're playing against a good team and that's when you need to stick together and pull through and then in the moment when we're on top the crowd try to drag us over the line because they're good at it when they get up and get right behind us there's no better noise in Irish football."

Shels lead the way in the league with a four point advantage over Derry with seven games remaining. Whether Saturday’s cup clash has any bearing on how the Dubliners finish the campaign remains to be seen, but Higgins isn’t entertaining talk of the league title or a potential ‘double’ with so much football to be played.

“Every match now until the end of the season is of equal importance and if you build one game up bigger than the other that's not how we do it. We try and prepare in the best possible manner.

“This game we've had an extra couple of sessions to prepare because we haven't played in a while. So hopefully were well prepared going in. We just try and normalise it as much as possible.”

“November seems a long way away at the minute. I know it's a boring, shitty answer but we can't look beyond this game, we just can't. If you do look too far forward you're wasting your time.

“You have to be mentally tough and show resolve and the team that does that best will have the most successful season.”