Kenny Shiels has confirmed he will take his Derry City side to runaway Jackie Crossan Premier Division leaders Clonmany Shamrocks for a New Year glamour friendly.
The game will take place on Sunday, 2January, at 2.00pm and the new Brandywell boss has admitted it will provide an opportunity to acknowledge the growing underage links between his club and the peninsula.
“We’ve got a great relationship with Inishowen and this is a chance to hopefully strengthen that and give something back to the local people there,” said Shiels (pictured).
“There are obviously strong links already with Donal O’Brien from Cockhill as our Assistant Manager and Buncrana’s Gary Duffy is working with our underage sides so we have good people working on the ground there.
“Youngsters from Inishowen only have to look at the example of Stephen McLaughlin at Clonmany to see what opportunities exist at Derry City for players with potential.”
Players from all over the peninsula represented City at under 19 and under 17 level in the Airtricity League this season and Shiels has already handed the Carndonagh pair of Sam Todd and Cathal Farren their first team debuts along with Aileach ‘keeper Mark McElhinney.
With a reduced budget to spend on bringing in fresh faces, it increases the likelihood that underage players will be given their chance in the first team next season and Shiels has been impressed by what he has seen so far.
“Young Sam Todd is a defender who is coming on really well for us and I’ve been pleased with the progress of Mark McElhinney and Cathal Farren as well,” he continued.
“There is a recruitment angle to every game we play at underage level, the club doesn’t have the money to spend on players that we did in the past which will present opportunities for good young players to make their mark.”
The game is likely to mark the debut for new City signings Harry Monaghan and Jordan Allan who completed their moves at the weekend.
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