LEAGUE OF IRELAND:HE HAS, says Stephen Kenny, a real passion for Cork City which may go some way towards explaining why Liam Kearney's previous attempt to leave Turner's Cross fell some way short of being an unqualified success.

That such a talented player could be signed by Shelbourne and then left languishing on the sidelines goes some way towards explaining just how the Dubliners came crashing off the rails.

However, there is little danger of the 26-year-old midfielder being quite so unappreciated up at the Brandywell where Kenny has a core squad of just 16 full-timers to work with.

At least as important to the former under-21 international, though, is a sense that having expressed a preference before Christmas for staying in Cork, he has found a club and city that both felt very much like homes from home.

“After the season finished I wanted to know what was happening because my contract was up,” he says, “but I was told over Christmas that there would be nobody signed until a new manager came in and then it was a case of him making up his mind about who he wanted.

“So, by the time Stephen got on it was nice to hear somebody say that they wanted me. It was also a chance to end the uncertainty and I was very happy to come up here, to be honest.

“It’s a very similar set up for me, really,” he continues. “The clubs are similar in a way and the city’s are pretty similar too, so I’ve found it very easy to settle. I’ve been here a couple of months and I’m already feeling very much at home.”

Having spent so long with City, both before and after the year at Tolka Park, it will, he admits, be strange to be lining out against them this evening but, he insists, he is focused on the job at hand now which is helping Derry to add success in the league to their consistently strong performances in the cup competitions over the last few years.

“I’d known Stephen since I went to an under-16 tournament with Ireland in Israel and he was over there working with Brian Kerr. He was good about taking me aside and pointing out ways in which I could improve and I’ve had a lot of respect for him ever since.

“When he talked to me about Derry he was saying that he had a group of young players here that were maturing into a team that he felt would be capable of winning the league. He’d lost Niall (McGinn) who was a quick player with a lot of talent and while I wouldn’t say I have anything like his pace, I like to think I can influence games in a different way.”

“It’s not a big squad but then all of the clubs have smaller squads now and if we can keep everyone fit then we’re definitely capable of challenging. We have good players and a very good set up here and I’m definitely looking for us to be up there with the likes of Bohs and Cork at the end of the season.”

Having missed the win over Drogheda through injury, Kearney is in line to make his home debut for the Candystripes this evening but Barry Molloy and Clive Delaney are suspended, while Sammy Morrow and Kevin Deery are injured and David Scullion is still some way shot of full fitness.

Cork travel without Stephen O’Donnell, who will miss the bulk of the season after picking up a cruciate ligament injury last week, Robert Mezeckis, who is out for four weeks with ankle ligament damage, and the suspended Pat Sullivan.

Rovers aiming to keep up the good work

FRESH FROM the excitement of last week’s opening of their new stadium, Shamrock Rovers head for Dalymount tonight where they will be aiming to build on the defeat of Sligo Rovers in the first of this season’s four Dublin derby league games against their old rivals, Bohemians, writes Emmet Malone.

Seán Webb (ankle) and Stephen Bradley (hamstring) are both doubts for the visitors, while Darragh Maguire is still not quite match fit having missed so much of the team’s pre-season build-up. Pat Flynn and Seán O’Connor return from suspension, though, which probably leaves Rovers slightly better off than last season’s champions.

Bohemians skipper Owen Heary serves a suspension carried over from last year, while Neale Fenn (calf) and Killian Brennan (rib) are both out and Mark Rossiter and Seán Byrne (both ankle) are rated doubtful. Pat Fenlon could hand starts to Graham Carey, Conor Powell and Jason Byrne.

Still league leaders Galway United head for Bray without their still injured midfielder John Russell but Ian Foster does have David Cooke available again, while newly arrived Shane Fitzgerald could come into the reckoning. However, Mark O’Toole is reckoned to require a bit of work on his fitness before being ready to feature. The home side have Paul Byrne suspended but Daryl Robson and Stephen Brennan should be back in contention.

The first derby game in the league between Dundalk and Drogheda United takes place at Oriel Park where the home side, who have found themselves living in the shadow of their rivals in recent seasons, will be looking to bag their first points of the season and the visitors their first win.

Alan Mathews expects to have a full squad to choose from, which is likely to mean a return for a few of last year’s promotion winning Dundalk side, while Seán Connor’s only major concern is the continuing difficulties being experienced in relation to obtaining Michael Collins’ international clearance.