League Preview: Cork City -v- Dundalk

CORK CITY

Cork City host Dundalk on Easter Monday as they seek to rectify their recent run of poor results at Turner’s Cross (kick-off is at 5pm).

The Leesiders fell to a humbling 4-0 loss away to St Patrick’s Athletic on Good Friday and stayed in 9^th place after an indifferent start to the season.

And the manner of their defeat frustrated Colin Healy who branded it as an ‘embarrassment’.

“That was embarrassing,” he said after the game. “St Pat’s got a soft goal in the first half because it was poor defending where we should have stopped the cross.

“We had the better chances in the first half, with Daniel and Keats, but in the second we didn’t turn up.

“It was everything about the performance. I thought it was a free-kick in the lead-up to the second goal when their player came through the back of Cian Murphy but we still needed to do better. We were far too loose.

“It’s about tackles and wanting to win; things I didn’t see that.

“Players must take responsibility when they go on the pitch. We can set them up in formation but they’re in charge on the pitch. They knew it had to be better. I’ve said it and the players have said it too.”

Cian Coleman is a doubt as he returns from illness, as is forward Tunde Owolabi. Tobi Oluwayemi also missed out with a groin strain.

DUNDALK

Stephen O’Donnell’s Dundalk make the trip to Cork on Monday as they look to bring an end to a poor run of form.

The Lilywhites have lost their last two game against Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers but will fancy their chances of achieving a result against Cork on the road.

“It’s always a tough game at Turner’s Cross, no matter what Cork’s form is like, but it’s good to get back on the horse so quickly after a defeat,” O’Donnell said.

“It would’ve been a sore one to sit on the Sligo result for a week so we have a good opportunity now on Monday to go down there and give a performance.

“We’ve had two setbacks in our last two games so this spell is a challenge for us all.

“When everything’s plain sailing, it’s easy to be a big personality and to play well or coach well and be full of beans but the real sign of any person is when they meet setbacks.

“We weren’t silly enough or naive enough to think we weren’t going to have setbacks but it’s how you react to it. That’s what makes you as a person and, in my mind, there’s no question how we’ll react to it.”

Patrick Hoban, John Mountney and Louis Annesley remain out, while Paul Doyle and Cameron are rated as doubts. Robbie Benson is suspended.

Referee: Sean Grant

PREDICTION

Cork City 1 - 2 Dundalk

Cork City

Injured: Tobi Oluwayemi, Tunde Owolabi.

Doubtful: Cian Coleman.

Suspended: None.

Dundalk

Injured: Patrick Hoban, Louis Annesley, John Mountney.

Doubtful: Paul Doyle, Cameron Elliott.

Suspended: Robbie Benson.