Good Will hunting a big performance against Shamrock Rovers

Derry City midfielder Will Patching admits that his side's trip to Tallaght to take on defending champions Shamrock Rovers is a massive encounter which the Candystripes can’t afford to lose.

Rovers welcome Derry in a game that’s live on RTÉ2, having just moved ahead of them at the summit of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division on Monday, with just one point separating the sides now.

The league has yet to reach it’s midway point but already the league looks like being a two-horse race with Rovers and Derry already far ahead of the chasing pack.

Derry came out on top the last time the two sides met in February thanks to a 95th-minute winner from Jamie McGonigle and Patching is hoping to see a repeat performance to retake top spot.

"It’s a massive game and hopefully we’ll be another three points like we did last time," he told RTÉ Sport.

"There’s still a long way to run in the season and I’m sure that both teams (will have) dips but I suppose it can come to fine margins, so in a way it’s a game we can’t afford to lose."

Derry will have to improve on their most recent form if they are to get the better of Rovers.

The Candystripes have seen a six point lead at the top disappear and are coming into the top the of table clash off the back of two disappointing draws against St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians.

Goals, which have been flowing freely for Derry for much of the season, dried up in those two games but Patching is not overly concerned, insisting that his side have been playing well and that the goals will follow.

"It’s been a strange one really because the performances have been good," he said. "The games against Pat’s the other day was probably the best we performed all season.

"Maybe in the final third we were just lacking that