LOI preview: Leaders Derry seek response after first defeat

Derry City will face the first test of their bouncebackability on Bank Holiday Monday after seeing their SSE Airtricity Premier Division lead cut to three points.

The Candystripes fell to a shock 2-1 loss to Shelbourne after taking the lead and seeimingly set to maintain their advantage over Shamrock Rovers.

The Hoops are warming to the 2022 season, starting slowly but beginning to reel off victories, and putting pressure on City to stay ahead.

Derry travel to play Drogheda United at 7.45pm with the home side buoyed by a third victory of the campaign last Friday which save them move eight points clear of UCD in the automatic relegation position.

Derry boss Ruaidhri Higgins has no concerns when it comes to tackling the mental blow of a first defeat.

He said: "I'm not going to criticise the players because they have been outstanding for a long period of time.

"We have to go to Drogheda and be positive; It’s a quick opportunity now to bounce back and go to a really difficult venue and try and pick up a big three points.

"Character doesn’t concern me at all. We have got good professionals in there and really good players. We’ll go to Drogheda full of hunger and confidence to try to win the game.

"Drogheda are a good team, a really good team," he said.

"They are well-organised and there’s some really good individual players to so we need to be solely prepared for that game and go there fully focused on winning."

City have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game.

Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, will welcome a Dundalk side who now sit in third place in the league. In a most congested table, six sides are separated by just three points, showing just how tight things have become for the chasing pack to the top two.

"It's another good win,"