19.45 10 Apr 2015 -
Referee: Derek Tomney
League Preview: St Patrick's Athletic -v- Cork City
- Dave Donnelly
- Thu, Apr 09 2015
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC
St Patrick's Athletic welcome Cork City to Richmond Park as they aim to get their season back on track following a turbulent opening period that's seen them lose two and draw one of their four away games to date.
Saints boss Liam Buckley will be eager to get his team back on home soil where they've yet to concede in their two games to date (a 3-0 win over Bray and 2-0 over Derry), though they did concede there in their “away” EA Sports Cup tie against Crumlin on Tuesday.
Buckley will have to do without influential defender Ian Bermingham after he was sent off in the draw at Longford last Saturday, however captain Ger O'Brien came through 60 minutes Crumlin and is in line to make his first league appearance of the season. Killian Brennan returns after serving a three-game suspension. Jason McGuinness may also be inline for a recall having returned to training this past week but Brendan Clarke remains ruled out with an ankle injury.
CORK CITY
Cork City enter the tie on the back of a convincing 3-0 win at home to Derry City, where goals from strikers John O'Flynn and Karl Sheppard (a brace) will have been particularly satisfying for manager John Caulfield.
The Leesiders laboured on their way to a 2-0 in a Munster derby away to Waterford on Monday, but Caulfield's side remain undefeated in a competitive game this season, save for a penalty shoot-out exit to Limerick in the Munster Senior Cup, and much of that is down to a rock-solid defence which hasn't conceded a goal since the opening day.
“You prepare to win games,” said Caulfield during the week. “We know Pat’s will come out to play and want to win the match, and we will do similar. There is no intention of us going out and playing for a draw. We don’t do that. It is a big challenge for us, but we are looking forward to it.
“We hope we are a better team than we were last year; we think we are and this will be a test for us. Seven games into the league is probably a good time for us to see where we are at.”
Question marks linger over the availability of Colin Healy, who's missed the last three league games through injury, Michael McSweeney and Liam Kearney, while Josh O'Shea will definitely miss out.
Referee: Derek Tomney
MATCH STATS
The sides met three times in the league last season. The opening day tie at Turner's Cross finished goalless, Pat's won a thrilling game at Richmond Park 3-2 before Cork edged the final meeting 1-0 at home.
St Patrick's Athletic are five games unbeaten against Cork City at Richmond Park. City last won at Richmond Park in May 2009, when goals from Denis Behan, Faz Koduzovic and Greg O'Halloran eased the Leesiders to a 3-0 victory.
BETTING
St Patrick's Athletic evens; Draw 23/10; Cork City 11/4.
PREDICTION
St Patrick's Athletic 1 – 1 Cork City
St Patrick's Athletic
Injured: Brendan Clarke (ankle).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Ian Bermingham.
Cork City
Injured: Josh O’Shea.
Doubtful: Colin Healy, Liam Kearney, Michael McSweeney.
Suspended: None.