League Preview: Drogheda United -v- Cork City

DROGHEDA UNITED

Ninth place Drogheda United welcome second place Cork City to United Park this evening, as the Boyneside club look to build on last week’s victory over Bray Wanderers.

The 3-1 win in the Carlisle Grounds saw them collect three points on the road for only the second time this season and leapfrog the Seagulls in the process.

Friday night’s game poses an entirely different challenge though, as they take on a title-challenging Cork side who haven’t conceded a goal for 589 minutes in any competition. If Drogheda are to get anything from the game they will have to do so without defender Paul Andrews who has a further three game suspension to serve following his red card against Sligo Rovers a fortnight ago.

Also missing is Ciaran McGuigan who is out with a medial ligament injury.

Ahead of the tie, caretaker-manager Darius Kierans was full of praise for his players and their application since he came in.

“I think the key to the victory against Bray was the hard work that the players have been putting in during training over the last couple of weeks. We got a starting point from our performance in the game against Sligo and we took it one step further against Bray but there are still plenty of aspects of our game that need improving on.

Kierans was also quick to praise his opponents and is under no illusions at the task at hand.

“Cork have been outstanding this season. They have been a good team for the last number of years but have really kicked on under John Caulfield and are second in the league on merit. It’s going to be a tough game but the onus will be on Cork to come up here and win the game so we will use that to our advantage.

There is no point in denying that a draw tomorrow would be a good result for ourselves but I have never set a side up without the intention of winning the game. We need to focus on our own performance and let the result take care of itself.”

CORK CITY

Cork City have continued to defy pre-season predictions and after last Sunday’s 0-0 draw in Sligo they find themselves second in the league (behind Dundalk on goal difference).

A good start the season was almost threatened in early May when the Rebel Army were resoundingly thumped 4-0 when they last visited Louth. A defeat against St Pats followed that heavy loss against Dundalk, and it threatened to derail John Caulfield’s train. 

Thanks to players like the returning Colin Healy (who missed the Dundalk game) and the SWAI Player of the Month for June, Mark O’Sullivan, the Leesiders went on a run that has seen them get 19 points out of a possible 21 since those two losses – conceding only once in the process.

Not one to get carried away, Leeside legend and Cork City manager John Caulfield again spoke of the need for the players to keep their ‘feet on the ground’.

“Drogheda obviously had a terrible run of form, and have changed their manager. They went to Bray last week and claimed a 3-1 win, and a win like that will have given them a boost. It’s a very tight pitch up there and it will be a very difficult game for us, as every match is.

“It’s important for us to keep our feet on the ground and keep working as hard as we can. Over the last week or so, we have had a few new players come in and that does give us options. We’re top of the table with Dundalk, we just have to keep our feet on the ground and go out with the right attitude.”

Referee: Rob Rogers

MATCH STATS

Drogheda United have conceded eighteen goals at home in the league this season, more than any other side in the Premier Division.

Last Sunday’s 0-0 draw gave Cork City their fifth consecutive league clean sheet. This is the first time they have done so since the 2006 season when the Rebel Army kept clean sheets in the five league games between June 23rd (v Drogheda United) and August 5th (v Waterford United). If John Caulfield’s men keep a clean sheet this week it will be the first time they have kept six on the trot since the last three games of the 2005 season and the first three of the 2006 season.

Last weekend’s fixtures saw Drogheda break a run of six consecutive losses, while it saw Cork City break a run of six consecutive wins.

BETTING

Drogheda United 7/2; Draw 13/5; Cork City 7/10.

PREDICTION

Drogheda United 1 - 3 Cork City

Drogheda United

Injured: Ciaran McGuigan.
Suspended: Paul Andrews.

Cork City

Injured: Michael Rafter, Darren Murphy, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Rob Lehane.
Suspended: Dan Murray, Gearóid Morrissey.