Caulfield reflective after Cup stalemate

John Caulfield took time to speak to extratime.ie following his side’s 2-2 draw with Bohemians in the fourth round of the FAI Ford Cup.

He had just watched his side come from behind twice in normal time to draw with Bohemians and set up a replay in Dalymount Park next Monday with a 7.45pm kick off owing to goals from Billy Dennehy and Dan Murray. (read Murray’s interview here)

Bohemians remain a bogey side for Cork City who have yet to beat them in three attempts this season after two draws at home and a defeat in Dalymount Park.

Caulfield acknowledged that the Dublin side don’t always get the credit they deserve.

“Yeah I keep saying they’re a very good side. I think to be fair a lot of their problems with the early part of the season in the first 9/10 games as Owen is a new manager and he brought in new players but there a good side and drew away with Dundalk and beat Pats. They’ve had a lot of good results in the past couple of months.”

He was less than impressed with his side’s defending during the game as he described parts of it being kamikaze. 

“We then switched off at the back four and they scored from a throw in. For some reason we were shaky across the back four and we didn’t defended well and went in at the break 1-0 down and probably deserved to be one nil down. I felt at half time we made a lot of mistakes.

“The second half was hell for leather and it opened up. For their second goal it was kamikaze, fella’s went running everywhere and it opened up with 3 on 3. At the end it was a crazy game and we could have won it at the end but then they could have won it at the end as well.”

A suggestion was put to him that maybe his team could be tired after their hectic run of games which featured clashes against Derry and Bray. He didn’t agree in the least.

“I’m unsure about that. Cup football is different to league football. Teams come out and give it a go. Bohs came down 4-4-2. It was a proper 90 minutes game. Two teams of similar standard and both felt they could win it. And it was all energy all action both sides going for the win.”

He summed it up by saying that his team won’t be complaining.

“To be fair to the lads, no complaining about the fixtures and they just get on with it. I’d much prefer to be going to Dublin in the cup on Monday then no fixture at all.”

The likely departure of Brian Lenihan was discussed and Caulfield had this to say about the whole transfer situation.

“Another club has come in late last night and my understanding is that Brian is going to England tomorrow and going with his agent and over the next couple of days he’ll go to a few clubs as a couple of clubs have matched the bid and he’ll look for the best deal and who is the best move for the lad at his stage in his career.

“I’d love to have played him today but to be fair to the guy he took a knock on Wednesday and he has been under unbelievable pressure and stress because for three months people have been asking him where he has been going.”

He was full of praise for the way in which Lenihan has conducted himself over the past few months with all the speculation currently hanging over him

“He’s a credit to his family, who I don’t know. He’s a credit to the club, he’s the first to training every morning, to put up with three months of being in the press day after day asking questions, kept his head, training hard and kept his form and he’s been fantastic and credit to the club who haven’t rushed in, held firm and got a very good deal and we’ve got a really good deal for the club he’s real raw talent and it’s an honour for the squad and the players that Brian has gone from; us to really high level nearly to the top of English football.

“I can’t say what club he’ll pick but you’ll certainly know by Tuesday/ Wednesday whether it’s Championship or Premiership he’ll be there. I think the whole club should be proud of that we have a player from us that has gone to that level and we should take pride in that.”

Caulfield knows that while Cork City were lucky to draw on Friday night a much improved performance will need to occur on Monday night if Cork City are to go on a cup run that his supporters desperately crave.