Cork City FC -v- Drogheda United FC

Fifth-placed Cork City welcome bottom club Drogheda United to Turner's Cross on Tuesday night (kick-off 7.45pm) hoping to build on their win at reigning champions Bohemians at the weekend. The Leesiders announced last week that, due to the financial strain on the general public, all supporters will gain free entry into the ground for the game.

Trading places
The match will see the two managers, Alan Mathews and Paul Doolin, return to their former clubs. Mathews, despite winning the Setanta Cup, left Cork at the end of last season due to a contractual disagreement. However, the Rebel Army are still a club he holds close to his heart. "I’m looking forward to going down to Cork and I’m confident we can get a result," he said. "I said when I first took the Drogheda job how much I enjoyed my time as manager of Cork City. Their supporters are magnificent and there’s a terrific bunch of players down there. I look forward to meeting up with them, but the most important thing is the football end of things, and that means getting the right result."

Under pressure
Both clubs have had problems off the pitch in the past year and have also failed to shine on the field so far this season. Drogheda failed to score in their opening four games, an unwanted record which bit the dust in a 2-2 draw at home to Shamrock Rovers last Friday. However, despite the promise of that display, with just two points from a possible 15, the Boynesiders already look under pressure. "We have to look at getting points on the board quickly," Mathews said. "The reality is that we’re not scoring goals, and we haven’t got an array of strikers to pick from. We’re only going to get fitter and better, so it’s encouraging. We have to turn the performances into results, it’s as simple as that."

'Very pleasing'
Cork too started poorly, however, a win at Dalymount Park last Friday, following a narrow victory against Bray seven days earlier, has certainly given the club a major boost. "We had a great result in Dalymount Park," said Doolin. "Bohs are not only league champions but have an excellent record at home and I feel it was a deserved result. We have been putting in the performances in recent weeks, but we had not been getting the results, and to claim two wins on the spin is very pleasing. That result made it two wins from two, and of course we will set out to keep that run going against Drogheda. To have a good season and to be challenging for success, it is crucial to win your home games and then try to pick up as many points away from home as possible.”

Roll call
Drogheda will travel south without the services of striker Robbie Martin who is still suffering from a hamstring injury which he sustained in a narrow defeat by Bohs ten days ago. The County Louth side are already threadbare up front, although Shane Barrett made his debut at the weekend and should partner Robbie Farrell in attack once more. Cork, meanwhile, will be without long-term absentee Stephen O’Donnell, as well as Robert Mezeckis who is still recovering from an ankle injury. Both Pat Sullivan and Denis Behan are expected to be fit, though, despite picking up knocks against Bohs.

extratime.ie prediction: Cork will be boosted by the victory in Phibsborough and Drogheda really don’t have much to show up front so a home win seems very likely. 2-0.