League Preview: St Patrick's Ath -v- Cork City

ST. PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

Friday night sees St Patrick's Athletic entertain Cork City at Richmond Park with both sides in search of a temporary spot at the summit of the table (kick off is at 7.45pm). 

With current table-toppers Dundalk not in league action at the weekend due to their involvement in the Setanta Cup final against Sligo Rovers, the mood is ripe for either club to take advantage.

But before they attempt to take down an skillful Cork side, it's vital that the Saints get over their current slump which saw them scrape a draw against Sligo Rovers last weekend as well as getting eliminated from the EA Sports Cup during the week by Bohemians.

No doubt, Liam Buckley's men are sure to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season; they have the strength in depth to complete a consecutive title-winning campaign. 

But it's matches like these that can play a huge factor in whether or not they make life difficult for themselves. After all, pushing through tough periods like these will reinforce the idea that they have the mentality required. And, in a welcome boost, they welcome back Ken Oman to the fold after a spell on the sidelines. 

Speaking ahead of the clash, Buckley had this to say:  “We know it’ll be tough as John Caulfield has his side performing well. Ever since the first game of the season when we came away from Turner's Cross with a 1-1 draw, Cork City have been very impressive. They have added a number of quality players during the off-season and we're well aware that tonight's match will be up there with the sternest of tests.”

He continued: “It’ll be a tough game, but I think we have enough in us to go and win the game if we play the way we can. Obviously Cork have a strong squad, they’re going to do well against us as they’ve a balanced squad. Overall it will be tough, but if we play the way we can, we can edge it.” 

CORK CITY

Much like their Friday night opponents, the Leesiders seem to have come unstuck from their purple league patch. 

And although they used the EA Sports Cup to bounce back to a certain extent with a 2-0 win over an unsettled Waterford United, they're still likely to be feeling the effects of their 4-0 thumping at the hands of Dundalk. 

On a positive note, though, that heavy defeat was their only league loss of the season to date – and what will provide yet more consolation for their fans is the fact that Darren Dennehy returns to action for the league challengers following a two-match suspension. 

Manager John Caulfield will be keen to stay focused on that as his side travel to Dublin. Knowing that his players are some of the most in-form performers should galvanise them before the big clash.

Addressing how competitive Cork have been during the club's weekly press conference, and how important it is for them to maintain focus on each game as it comes, Caulfield said: “Since the start, we have trained hard and worked very hard; we have a great bunch of guys and we don’t make excuses or blame other things. When the game started against Dundalk, we weren’t at the races and we got the result that we probably deserved to get because we did not play well. Thankfully, games come quickly in this league, so you don’t dwell on it, you move on to the next game and that is what we will do.” 

He added:  “It’s a huge game for us, but it is the same three points this Friday as last Friday. The important thing for us is to prepare well and make sure that, when we go out on the pitch, we give a good performance.”

Referee: Padraig Sutton

MATCH STATS

Back in 1992, current Cork boss Caulfield netted a hat-trick against St Pat's in a 4-2 away win on January 19. 

On the opening match of the season, St Pat's and Cork drew 1-1 in Turners Cross – the same result the two produced when they encountered each other for the first time in the league back in 1984 at Flower Lodge. 

The last time these sides met at Richmond Park, it ended in a 2-1 victory for the 2013 League of Ireland Champions. 

BETTING 

St Pat's 7/10; Draw 12/5; Cork 4/1.

PREDICTION

This should be a cracking game with a few goals. Both sides are out to prove themselves.

A 2-2 draw.

St Patrick's Athletic

Injuries: Derek Foran (knee) & Mark Quigley.
Doubtful: None
Suspensions: None

Cork City

Injuries: Darren Murphy (hamstring), Danny Morrissey & Michael Rafter. 
Doubtful: None
Suspensions: None