League Preview: Limerick -v- Cork City
- Simon O'Gorman
- Tue, May 20 2014
LIMERICK FC
Limerick go into this rearranged game from round six of the SSE Airtricity league without a win in five league outings and sitting second from bottom of the Premier Division table.
Limerick have managed just two wins from twelve so far this season and have scored only eight goals along the way. The recent departure of striker Craig Curran will hardly help matters in this department and manager Stuart Taylor finds himself fighting a rearguard battle to keep up morale among his troops as Munster rivals Cork City come to town.
But the margin of Limerick’s errors have been small, with four of their five league defeats being incurred by a single goal. Dundalk have twice beaten Taylor’s men 2-1 and on both occasions it was Limerick who opened the scoring. Drogheda and Bray both won 1-0 when they faced the Blues and only Sligo Rovers have enjoyed an emphatic win, defeating Taylor’s side 3-0 three weeks ago.
However, a further five draws along with those five defeats have left Limerick at the wrong end of the table and the two wins that they have managed to record were both against teams - Athlone and Bohemians - that are keeping them company down in the relegation zone.
With the return of defender Sam Oji from suspension Taylor has an almost fully fit squad to choose from, missing only the services of young defender Shane Costelloe who continues to recover from a back injury.
CORK CITY
Last Friday night Cork City put a stop to a run of three winless league games when they defeated Derry City 2-0 at Turner’s Cross. It was a timely result which ensured that, despite their recent blip in form, John Caulfield’s men continue to rank among the front runners in the 2014 title race.
City lie fourth in the current Premier Division table, just three points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers and with a game in hand. But this game against Limerick is that game in hand and the Rebels must take maximum points in order to make it count.
Winger Billy Dennehy kept his run of goal-scoring form going with a penalty against Derry, his eighth league goal of the season and his ninth in all competitions. Only Dundalk and reigning champions St Patrick’s Ath have scored more goals than the Corkmen and they will hope to add to their tally against a Limerick side that have kept three clean sheets from twelve.
Despite keeping five clean sheets themselves, Cork have shown some signs of defensive frailty, recently conceding seven times in two games against Dundalk and St Pats. But beyond these two matches the City back four have conceded just five times and will be confident of shutting out Limerick’s goal-shy attack.
City remain without three first team players wit Darren Murphy and Michael Rafter out inured and striker Danny Morrissey still not match fit having just returned to training. Dan Murray is another who may miss out having picked up a hamstring strain in the win against Derry last Friday.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin
MATCH STATS
The only other meeting between these sides in 2014 ended in a 4-0 win for Cork in the EA Sports Cup back in early March.
The last time Cork won a league game in Limerick, the teams were both in the First Division - City won 3-0 at Jackman Park on 17 September 2010.
Cork winger Billy Dennehy has scored the same number of league goals in 2014 as the entire Limerick team - eight.
BETTING
Limerick 4/1; Draw 23/10; Cork 8/11.
PREDICTION
Limerick 0-2 Cork City
Limerick FC
Injured: Shane Costelloe.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None
Cork City
Injured: Danny Morrissey, Michael Rafter, Darren Murphy.
Doubtful: Dan Murray.
Suspended: None
About Simon O'Gorman
Simon O'Gorman began reporting for Extratime in 2010. He remembers Milltown and Flower Lodge and, back in the mists of time, saw Diego Maradona play at Lansdowne Road. He now lives in Co Kildare and …