19.45 16 Sep 2016 -
Referee:
League Preview: Cork City - v - Shamrock Rovers
- Macdara Ferris
- Fri, Sep 16 2016
CORK CITY
Having dumped Shamrock Rovers out of the FAI Cup last week, Cork City face the same opposition in league action at home on Friday night. The live TV cameras were on hand to watch City hand the Hoops that humiliating 5-0 hammering in Tallaght in the cup quarter final and this week the bright TV lights travel to Turner’s Cross for this SSE Airtricity League game (7.45pm kick off).
With their FAI Cup semi-final berth so comprehensively secured and with Dundalk not playing as they return home after a creditable draw in the Europa League in Alkmaar, Friday’s focus for City is on closing the gap in the league between themselves and Dundalk.
A victory will shrink the Lilywhites lead to seven points with City still having a further game in hand still to play over Dundalk (who face Rovers in Oriel Park next Tuesday). The sides must also play each other in Dundalk before the season ends.
Stephen Henderson’s Cobh Ramblers had helped John Caulfield’s men prepare to face Shamrock Rovers’ three-man-defence last week by playing City in a behind closed doors game. Caulfield essentially deployed a three man attack in Tallaght to go head-to-head with the Hoops three-at-the back.
Sean Maguire banged in a hat-trick, with ex-Hoop Karl Sheppard on the scoresheet too and Stephen Dooley on the left causing plenty of damage to the Rovers overwhelmed defence.
Having gone three games without a league win, last week’s victory was the Leesiders’ fourth consecutive win - two in the league and two in the cup and they have scored 18 eighteen times in those games.
They inflicted a record Rovers defeat in Tallaght, coming on the back of City’s two home league wins – a 5-2 victory over Longford Town and an impressive 4-0 win over in-form Bray Wanderers.
“Rovers have done well and, up to last Friday night, they were on a good run, but sometimes that can happen in the cup,” said John Caulfield speaking to the media during the week. “We did very well, but I would expect a massive reaction from them and a totally different game on Friday night.
“The most important thing for us is to try and perform the way we did last Friday night, even though we know Rovers will be much better, and to try and keep putting points on the board. We want to close the gap and stay in there for the run-in.”
The City boss is hoping the home fans come out again in numbers to support his team as they look to cement a place in Europe for next season and continue to push Dundalk hard for the league title.
“We hope that, over the next two or three weeks, we can get back into a situation where there are only a couple of points between us going into the last few games.
“We don’t have many home games left, so I am hoping the crowd will come out and really get behind the lads to make sure we get three points and close the gap. We always draw a big crowd for games against Rovers and we expect that. We know that, when the crowd come out in force, the noise levels are excellent and it makes a huge difference.
“We’re in the run-in, there’s a league title at stake and I think we will have a big crowd. We had a couple of games where we were missing chances but, over the last four games, we have been taking them and the confidence is back, the form of the attackers is back and that changes things. I am hoping that our form over the last four matches is a good omen and that we can keep it going for the run-in.”
Caulfield will be able to call upon Dave Mulcahy who missed last week’s game as he was cup-tied but Alan Smith and John Dunleavy continue to be absent with long term injuries. Alan Bennett and Steven Beattie will be assessed ahead of kick off.
SHAMROCK ROVERS
During the week the Hoops held an open meeting to share their youth development plans with their supporters as they begin construction of long term infrastructure at the Roadstone Sports Grounds close to their Tallaght base. Their open defense will be Rovers fans’ short term worry as they face Cork City just a week after a 5-0 mauling at home at the hands of the same team.
The previous worst home defeat for the Hoops in Tallaght was a 4-0 loss. St. Pat’s in 2013 and Spurs in the Europa League in December 2011 managed a four goal win. The last time Rovers lost by more than five at home was when the Busby Babe Manchester United team defeated them 6-0 in the 1957 European Cup.
There has been much talk about Rovers’ youth policies, including from former player Gavin Brennan whose contract was terminated during the week (see here). Last Friday’s strikeforce for Rovers of Sean Boyd and Aaron Dobbs had a combined age just a year more than one of the defenders they were facing in 34-year-old City centre-half Alan Bennett.
Stephen Bradley also brought on Ireland u17 international Aaron Bolger as a second half substitute with the 16-year-old, born in February 2000, making his league debut.
Bradley speaking to the media following last week’s game gave the impression he may stick with his 3-5-2 attacking system (see here) but suspension may well force a change with Sean Boyd and Pat Cregg out.
“The system has worked for us. We knew that teams can cause you problems in it and we knew that before tonight,” said Bradley speaking straight after the cup defeat to City.
“You can play any system you want – you can play seven at the back if you want – but if you don't start the game you're going to get beat, and we didn't start the game.
“We knew they'd come and play the way they played. Pat's played the same and Derry played the same and we dealt with that. The only reason we didn't [tonight] is because we didn't play the game at a tempo.
“If you don't start a game at a tempo and they start really high, then you're going to lose runners and people are going to run off you. You're going to give up shots on goal and that's exactly what we done.”
Part of the reason for the deployment of the highly regarded young duo of Dobbs and Boyd in recent weeks for Rovers has been the forced lack of firepower up front. Mikey Drennan’s long term absence due to mental health issues and Danny North’s contract termination following his struggle with a long term injury has hit the Hoops hard.
Gary Shaw has played a significant part in Rovers’ quest to secure a European spot. The former Longford Town man earned the Hoops all three points on their last league outing away from Tallaght – a 1-0 win over Galway United. That was hit fifth league goal of the campaign.
Rovers remain in contention for Europe as they sit in fourth place. If they stay there by season’s end, and anyone other than St. Pat’s win the FAI Cup, then European football will return for Rovers next season. Otherwise they will be required to finish third place or higher.
Prior to Friday night’s cup defeat, they had recorded three wins and a draw in their previous five league games. The Hoops are two points away from both third placed Derry City, who have a game in hand, and Cork City sitting in second place. So a win for Rovers would at least see them jump above the Leesiders in the table but they have three games on the Hoops.
Referee: To be confirmed.
MATCH STATS
Last week’s 5-0 loss for the Hoops was their heaviest domestic home defeat in 80 years and their worst ever FAI Cup loss.
Sean Maguire is City’s top goalscorer with 11 league goals. Brandon Miele and Gary McCabe are joint top scorer’s for the Hoops. Both have got seven league goals.
In all league encounters City have come out top on 32 occasions, five more than Rovers have managed over the Leesiders, with the remaining 30 matches ending level. The visitors have the slight edge in the head-to-head between the sides looking at the last 10 league encounters. The Hoops have four wins to City’s three.
PREDICTION
2-1 home win.
Cork City
Injured: John Dunleavy, Alan Smith.
Doubtful: Alan Bennett, Steven Beattie.
Suspended: None.
Shamrock Rovers
Injured: Craig Hyland, Luke Byrne, Evan Osam.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Sean Boyd, Patrick Cregg.
About Macdara Ferris
Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl …