SON OF A GUN
Dundalk
Cork City Waterford Derry City St Patrick’s Shamrock R Bohemians Sligo Rovers Limerick Bray P 21 20 21 20 21 21 20 20 21 21 W 15 15 11 9 9 7 5 5 4 3 D 4 2 3 3 3 6 6 5 6 2 L F A 2 50 10 3 38 12 7 30 25 8 33 32 9 27 28 8 30 22 9 20 28 10 16 26 11 15 37 16 14 53 Pts 49 47 36 30 30 27 21 20 18 11 DEAN SHIELS is joining forces with his dad Kenny at Derry City after the striker agreed a oneand-a-half year deal with the club.
A move for the former Northern Ireland international and Rangers man was widely expected and he will transfer once the window opens on July 1. Shiels played for Dundalk in 2016 before joining Canadian side Edmonton and then returning to Scotland with Dunfermline. Candystripes boss Shiels said: “Dean will sign a one-and-half year deal with us over the next week or so. “He’ll give us good options for a busy second half of the season and will provide a bit of experience we’re lacking. “I can assure supporters the club is working really hard to bring in what we need. There will be more positive news to bring in the coming weeks.”
Dapo Kayode is the latest in a lengthy line of players to leave the Brandywell this season – but Shiels has reassured fans he has other signings up his sleeve.
“We’ve lost players but we’re very close to bringing in three players who will really boost the squad,” he said.
“I hope our supporters will remember this is pretty much the same team that went 10 matches unbeaten just a few weeks ago.
“There are a few more tired limbs but we’ll get through that. There’s a break coming up and we’ll be using every minute of it both for recuperation and to get deals over the line.
“So I’d ask our supporters to stick with us. They were such a big help during that good run and we’ll be doing everything we can to get that positive energy back again.”
Derry head to Turner’s Cross today where Cork City will go top of the league if they maintain their 100% home record.
The champions stuffed Waterford 3-0 on Friday to keep on the heels of arch rivals Dundalk who smashed Shamrock Rovers.
And already the title conundrum has become a two-horse race with the chasing pack finding Cork and Dundalk too hot to handle.
The Rebels have won four on the spin and boss John Caulfield said: “The lads are in good form.
“We’re on a winning streak and our home form has been excellent. It’s another huge game and a real opportunity for us to go back top again.”
Caulfield continued: “Derry are dark horses, they have tremendous players.
“Their form in the last few weeks has been a bit iffy, but we played them in the Brandywell five weeks ago and had a very close match which ended 0-0.
“They create lots of chances, so we must make sure that we give a top performance.”
Cork skipper Conor Mccormack missed the game against his old club because of suspension while Caulfield has doubts over Gearoid Morrissey, Alan Bennett and Steven Beattie.
Derry have striker Rory Patterson back from a ban.