Ruaidhri Higgins reckons Derry City's title tussle with St Pat's Athletic is biggest game of his coaching career

The Derry boss has already won two head-to-heads with the former Ireland senior manager on two occasions this season - Kenny's first game in charge of St Pat's in Inchicore last May [0-1] and the FAI Cup second round tie at Brandywell in July [3-0].

This latest meeting with Higgins' former manager at Derry City and Dundalk will go a long way to deciding the fate of both clubs in the title race with a victory for the Candy Stripes taking it down to the final day of the season - a home clash with long-time leaders Shelbourne.

Kenny came so close to delivering an elusive league title for Derry when in charge at Brandywell in 2005 and 2006 but under Higgins it's the closest the club has come since to bridging a 27 year gap since their last triumph.

The Saints can leapfrog Derry with a victory and put themselves right in the mix for the title on the final day away to Sligo Rovers but after a 2-0 win over Dundalk on Friday night at Oriel Park, Higgins is confident his team can go to Dublin and secure arguably one of his biggest wins in management.

"It's a big enough game that one isn't it?," asked Higgins to the assembled press after the win at Oriel Park.

'Is it the biggest of his managerial career?' he was asked. "You would think so, aye. The cup final a couple of years ago was huge as well but this in terms of trying to win a league is obviously the biggest.

"We've beat them four times this year. Three in the league and one in the cup so we will go down there with real confidence that we can produce a special performance and take it to the last game.

"It's an absolutely massive game. Obviously we're down bodies here tonight which is disappointing but we'll keep going. We'll keep fighting. We have an opportunity to do something special.

"We just have to focus on St Pat's. We'll get in on Sunday morning and start recovering and preparing for Pat's. It's a huge game in the history of the football club. But it's a game of football and one we can win.”

Butting heads with a man who has had such an influence on both his playing and coaching career will no doubt be the story which hogs the headlines in the build-up to next weekend's clash but Higgins insists that's old news.

"Well, we played Stephen's first game and then the cup game up at the Brandywell. We're over that hurdle of facing each other for the first time. We've done it a couple of times already. It's a game to really whet the appetite and look forward to and it won't' be long coming around," he smiled.

It's one of the most thrilling title races in memory with the top four clubs, Shels, Derry, Shamrock Rovers and St Pat's all realistically in with a chance to take the honours.

Up until the 80th minute Derry were back on top of the table on Friday night as Shels were drawing with Waterford at Tolka Park and Higgins admits the City bench was being kept up-to-date on the scores around the grounds.

When asked if he was looking for updates at half-time as Derry went in at the break 1-0 ahead thanks to Collie Whelan's goal, Higgins answered:

"Not at half-time. Listen, anyone who tells you they're not being informed is lying. We're obviously aware as the second half wore on what's going on but we just needed to win our game. That was the concern for tonight and we managed to do that.

"We were getting information. You have staff around the outside of the bench who are always checking the scores so we had constant information but we just had to win our game and thankfully we've done that."

It promises to be a thrilling finale to the title race and the European qualification and Higgins claims it's about 'survival of the fittest'.

"For the neutral or for anyone not directly involved it's probably what the league has needed for a long time. I think with five minutes to go Rovers were drawing and Pats were drawing. That's the nature of the league. It's survival of the fittest and that's what it's going to turn out to be."