Cork City v Shamrock Rovers Preview: A Big Night Ahead in the League of Ireland.
Shamrock Rovers arrive at Turner’s Cross on Friday night hoping to bounce back from a string of Dublin derby disappointments against an injury-hit Cork City side who sit second from bottom in the table. When the two sides faced each other in Tallaght less than three weeks ago, the home side ran out comfortable winners in a 4-1 triumph that handed the Leesiders their heaviest defeat since promotion back to the Premier Division. Rovers boss Stephen Bradley acknowledged it will be “different game” away from home however, expecting “a tough night” in Cork for his team who can climb up to first place with a win, should other results go their way too.
Bradley’s assurance of a firmer test at Turner’s Cross than the one posed by the Rebel army at the Tallaght Stadium comes not only from a change in venue but from an awareness that his opponents have “changed certain things since we played them last”, with the drubbing in Dublin perhaps acting as a wakeup call for Tim Clancy’s men. The CCFC boss accepted as much in his pre-match press conference, alluding to the fact that his team may have to be “more conservative” in their approach on Friday night against one of the league’s strongest sides. The reverse fixture saw Rovers cut through City too easily at times and Clancy admitted that his team were guilty of being overly aggressive in their pressing, leaving them far too vulnerable at the back. While a more measured strategy may be adopted this time round, something City have drifted towards in the intervening games, he was keen to stress the intent to maintain an attacking threat as the Rebel Army look to penetrate a defence that has shipped seven goals in their last three games.
Those trio of matches have dented Rovers’ momentum somewhat, with two draws and a defeat against their Dublin rivals stalling a run that saw them take 16 points from an available 18 in the league. The most painful of those dropped points came when the Hoops surrendered a two-goal lead at home to Bohemians on Easter Monday when a 96th minute winner made it 2-3 to the visitors. While a set of 2-2 draws against St Pats and Shelbourne were individually far from disastrous results, Bradley spoke of his frustration in not accruing more points across the three Dublin derbies, especially given that they led in all three. Nevertheless, the late despair at the hands of Bohs is Rovers’ only defeat in their last nine outings, putting them in a favourable position to challenge for a fifth league title in six seasons.
For their opponents on Friday night, however, the attention is focused on the other end of the table as Cork City aim to clamber out of the relegation spots, which they can manage if they better Waterford’s result, with the Blues travelling to Dalymount Park. The Leesiders’ previous two games saw them secure much needed points against fellow survival strugglers. While Rovers’ suffered the ignominy of a late turnaround defeat on that Easter Bank Holiday, the opposite was true at Turner’s Cross where City pulled off their own late remontada in a crucial Munster Derby against Waterford. Goals in the 89th and 96th minute earned a 2-1 triumph and a much-needed three points (only their second victory of the season to date). Last time out, Clancy’s men were close to achieving their first success on the road this campaign, but a late Sligo equaliser at the Showgrounds cancelled out Kitt Nelson’s opener.
City’s quest to hold onto what would have been back-to-back successes was not helped by substitute Joshua Fitzpatrick receiving a straight red card for a light, but petulant, head-butting motion only minutes after he entered the pitch. Fitzpatrick, who has looked bright in spells for the Rebel Army this season, will be suspended for Friday’s clash – adding to an already extensive list of absentees for Tim Clancy to contend with. The City manager was keen to stress the fact that his team have been missing their first-choice front line for the majority of the campaign so far, hoping that the return of Sean Maguire and Malik Dijksteel in the coming weeks can reinvigorate a team often lacking cutting edge.
Elsewhere on the pitch, although boosted by the return of experienced midfielder Greg Bolger for this weekend, the Corkmen were dealt a further blow by confirmation that left-back Benny Couto will be out of action for a number of months following an ankle ligament injury sustained against Sligo. Couto’s addition to an extensive injury list at the Bishopstown training complex means that an already threadbare City squad will have their work cut out against a much more experienced Rovers side.
That said, only St Pats have won away at Turner’s Cross this season, while the Hoops have managed just two wins from six on the road to date. With this in mind, Tim Clancy can retain faith in his team’s ability to achieve a useful result against one of the League’s foremost title contenders. Stephen Bradley, meanwhile, will know the value of three points in Cork for his club’s aspirations of finishing the night, and the season, in top spot.
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