League Preview: Cork City -v- Limerick FC
- John O'Shea
- Fri, Jun 27 2014
CORK CITY
Cork City FC will seek to keep up their impressive run of form in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division on Friday night, when they host Limerick FC in a Munster derby at Turners Cross.
City have taken the league by storm this season and perhaps the win away to Shamrock Rovers last time out has shown that they should be considered serious title contenders.
Heading into the game Cork are in 2nd place in the Premier Division table on 36 points and they have won their last five league games in a row heading into Friday’s game. They are just 3 points behind leaders Dundalk but City do have a game in hand on the Louth side.
As the league returns from the mid-season break City supporters must be delighted with how things have gone so far. John Caulfield has done a magnificent job as manager and has given the young players who have graduated from the u19 side a chance which they have delivered on to date.
Perhaps the signing of the season has been Mark O’Sullivan, who joined from Avondale United of the Munster Senior League in the off season. Overall, the players look a united, hardworking bunch and have shown a strong team spirit in their performances so far this season.
Speaking ahead of the match Caulfield was keen to make the point that Friday’s game will be a tough one.
“They’re a dangerous side, they’re looking forward to the game and we will need to be on our guard and play well. Getting praise midway through the season doesn’t matter. You want to be there at the end of the season, challenging for trophies and that’s where your reward is.”
City have a more or less full side to choose from for the game, with the only absentees being Rafter, who is out for the remainder of the season after an ankle operation, and Darren Murphy, who returned training this week after a hamstring injury. But Friday’s game will be too soon for him to come into contention for selection.
LIMERICK FC
Limerick FC will head to Cork for this Munster Derby clash on Friday night in a confident frame of mind having won their last three league games.
Stuart Taylor’s side, in those three games before the break, managed to beat St Patricks Athletic 2-0 and UCD 1-0 at home, and also Drogheda Untied 4-1 away. Limerick are currently in 6th place in the table on 20 points, 16 behind the high flying Leesiders.
Limerick will be hoping to gain a bit of revenge after their defeat to City in Thomond Park back in May. The Blues let in two sloppy goals as they were defeated 2-1 on the night. Limerick were unlucky not to get something from the game so you can be sure that they will be hoping to put things right on Friday. Cork also beat Limerick 4-0 in an EA Sports Cup tie back in March.
Speaking ahead of the clash with their Munster rivals, manager Taylor said, “We are back in at the deep end. It’s a massive game for us. It’s a derby game as we all know and one where we are all looking to amends for the last time we went and played them,”
“I looked back on the analysis of our game with Cork in May and they scored their two goals from our mistakes. We cut those out in the second half and it was very good from our point of view. There is pressure on Cork to get a result. We are expecting, maybe, a full house down there. They will have a good backing behind them being a derby. We will use that to our advantage.”
Other than James McGrath (knee), Limerick have a full squad to select from for Friday’s game.
Referee: Dave McKeon
MATCH STATS
The first league tie between the sides was a 0-0 draw at Flower Lodge on 21st October 1984. On the day Limerick came closest to scoring, having two goals disallowed for offside.
Limerick were the last side to score a goal against Cork City in any competition. This run stretches back 409 minutes to when Rory Gaffney scored for the Blues in their 2-1 defeat on 20th May 2014.
Since the sides last met (20th May 2014), both sides have 100% records in the league with Limerick overcoming St. Patrick’s Athletic, Drogheda United and UCD while Cork City have beaten Bray Wanderers, Athlone Town and Shamrock Rovers.
BETTING
Cork City 8/11; Draw 5/2; Limerick FC 15/4
PREDICTION
Cork City 2-0 Limerick FC
Cork City
Injured: Michael Rafter, Darren Murphy
Doubtful: Billy Dennehy
Suspended: None
Limerick FC
Injured: James McGrath
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
About John O'Shea
John is a Cork based reporter, mainly covering Cork City and Cobh Ramblers. John also reports regularly on Munster Senior League and Cork Youths League football for the Evening Echo. John has also freelanced for …