Preview: Treaty looking for fairytale finish at favourites Derry

It is like the 2019 season happening all over again with Derry City playing the role of Shamrock Rovers, competing for a league title while marching towards the FAI Cup final at the business end of the campaign.

And that particular wheel keeps turning this weekend for the Candystripes as they look to book their place in the 13 November decider, taking a welcome distraction from their league endeavours to face Treaty United on Sunday at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, kick-off 2:00pm.

Ruadhri Higgins' side sit five points off the top of the table with four league games to go, and once they get tomorrow’s cup clash out of the way, they can put all their energy and focus into the final stretch, which includes a head-to-head encounter with Rovers on 30 October.

Three years ago, Stephen Bradley’s emerging Hoops side were in a similar battle with Dundalk, and while Rovers came up short in the title race that year, they went on to get the better of the Lilywhites in the FAI Cup final.

That winning feeling, it is widely recognised, was the catalyst to turn the following campaign into a successful league title charge, with Bradley’s men making it back-to-back champions in 2021.

And Derry City are very closely following that same trajectory, an emerging side with a well-respected coach and financial support, looking to land their first piece of silverware since 2018, when they won the League Cup.

Derry’s last FAI Cup success came in 2012 when they beat St Patrick’s Athletic 3-2 after extra time, while you have to go back to the 1996-97 campaign for the last time that the league title made its way to the banks of the Foyle.

Higgins’ in-form side have won their last eight games in a row and are widely considered favourites to secure