FAI Cup Preview: Longford Town -v- Cork City

LONGFORD TOWN

A bumper crowd is expected at City Calling Stadium on Friday evening as the First Division's form team Longford Town host holders Cork City in front of the RTÉ cameras (kick-off 7.30pm).

Riding the crest of a wave which has seen the Red and Black of the Midlands climb back into the play-off places, after a damaging July, with five successive wins, Longford have momentum on their side.

Wins over Sligo Rovers and Shelbourne have seen De Town qualify for the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup for the second year running where they will meet a familiar foe in the Leesiders.

This will be the third year straight that the Midlander’s have met the Rebel Army in the FAI Cup, where Cork have won the two previous games by a 4-1 scoreline.

However, there is a much-improved feel about this Longford Town side in comparison to seasons gone by.

The shrewd appointment of Neale Fenn as first-team manager has proved to be revelation as the supporters of the club have responded to the Londoner's attractive style of football.

This improved style of play has seen many players flourish, none more so than locals Aodh Dervin and Tristan Noack-Hofmann.

The local teenagers have made the seamless transition into first-team football under the former Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder.

Another man who is grabbing all the headlines is silky winger Dylan McGlade, who has been a revelation since his return to City Calling Stadium after a brief spell in England with Blyth Spartans.

Having scored a wonderful hat-trick against Cabinteely last time, the recently dubbed ‘Messi of the Midlands’ increased his league goal tally to 14.

Sam Verdon and Dean Byrne are both out with injuries while Jamie Hollywood remains out having suffered a knee issue in the 4-1 win away to Galway United a few weeks back.

Defensive mainstay Daniel O’Reilly also misses out via suspension as Neale Fenn must utilise his squad to its full capacity in front of the dizzy heights of the RTÉ cameras.

CORK CITY

Cork City must make the now-annual trip to the Midlands as they face a side who they have faced on the way to both of their back-to-back FAI Cup successes in Longford Town.

City have so far negotiated their way past non-league sides in Home Farm of Dublin and Maynooth University Town of Kildare, who they both accounted for in a straight-forward enough fashion.

The only goal City have conceded in this year’s FAI Cup was in the win over Home Farm when Sean Goulding scored a sensational half-way line strike for the Leinster Senior League side.

However, while the defence of their FAI Cup is going strong thus far, City have struggled recently in the league as their bitter title rivals Dundalk are beginning to pull away from the Leesiders.

While they beat Longford comfortably in this stage of the competition last year, City will know that they must be wary of a youthful and exuberant Town who have “evolved,” according to manager John Caulfield.

“Longford are absolutely flying,” he told the club's official website.

“Neale Fenn has done a great job there. He came in during last season, he has brought in some very good players and they are on a great run.

“As we know, they have knocked out Sligo and Shelbourne, which shows the quality they have. Their form would suggest that, if we don’t play at our best, we won’t go through.

“We see the strengths that Longford have, we know how good they are but, at the same time, we need to be at our best and we have been training with that in mind.

“I think Longford have evolved. When you go into a club, it takes time to get a grip on things and I think when Neale came in it was about building his team for this year.

“He has brought in new players in the attacking areas, and you can see there are goals in their team. They will go out and play, but they are very tenacious and very fit, a real hard-working team.”

Johnny Dunleavy is a doubt for the game after picking up a recent knock, while Colm Horgan and Conor McCarthy are out with injury.

Referee: Raymond Matthews.

MATCH STATS

This will be the sixth time these two sides have met in the FAI Cup, with Cork holding the upper hand with three wins to Longford’s two.

De Town’s last win over Cork in the Cup came all the way back in 2006 as Dessie Baker and Danny O’Connor stunned the Leesiders at the death in front of the TG4 cameras.

The last game between Longford Town and Cork City which was televised was in 2016.

City ran out comfortable 5-2 winners over their Midlands counterparts on that occasion as Sean Maguire, Karl Sheppard and Alan Bennett sent John Caulfield’s side on their way to a comfortable win.

Peter McGlynn, most recently of Sacramento Republic in the USA, scored Longford’s two that night at Turners Cross in front of a crowd of just over 2,000 people.

BETTING

Longford Town 15/2; Draw 4/1; Cork City 1/4.

PREDICTION

Longford Town 1-2 Cork City

Longford Town

Injured: Jamie Hollywood, Sam Verdon, Dean Byrne.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Daniel O’Reilly.

Cork City

Injured: Colm Horgan, Conor McCarthy.

Doubtful: Johnny Dunleavy.

Suspended: None.