League Preview: Wexford Youths -v- Cork City

WEXFORD YOUTHS

Wexford Youths welcome Cork City FC to Ferrycarrig Park in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division at 5.00 p.m. on Sunday.

It’s the Youths’ first home game in over a month so the club have decided to spice things up a bit. The league’s second from bottom club will give €5 back on all Adult Tickets if Shane Keegan's men can pick up a victory over Cork City.

It’s just a little extra incentive for Wexford fans to come along to show support because Youths are currently on a run of poor form, their worst since promotion. They have lost four straight league games.

Their last game was a 3-0 loss to Bray Wanderers but Wexford boss Shane Keegan was convinced this scoreline did not reflect the play.

“They deserved to win, how's it's 3-0 is beyond me. On the stats we were taking, on the balance of things, I think it worked out about four clearcut chances each and they've been brilliantly clinical,” reflected the Youths manager of the July 2nd encounter at the Carlisle Grounds.

Wexford Youths have won just two home league games in 2016 but Manager Shane Keegan is hoping for an improvement in that record.

"We're confident that we can turn things around again between now and the end of the second round of games. With the exception of one or two performances, we've actually been playing very well. We just need that small element of luck to go for us that so far seems to have always gone against us. Get a win under the belt over one of the coming games and I think it could spark a winning run for us."

CORK CITY

Sunday afternoon at 5.00 p.m. is nowadays a relatively surreal kick off day and time for a SSE Airtricity League fixture. However, Cork City will be hoping that they will have a few more such dates to fulfil as they chase a Europa League group stages place.

City arrive at Ferrycarrig on the back of a 0-0 draw with Shamrock Rovers followed by a stuttering 2-1 aggregate progression against Linfield, albeit their home Europa League performance probably merited a more convincing scoreline.

After climbing to within one point of the Lilywhites before the mid-season break, City now trail leaders and champions Dundalk by nine, six of those arguably as a result of their Europa League fixture congestion.

City are unbeaten on their league travels since going down 1-0 to Derry City at the Brandywell in March. The Leesiders have conceded just three goals away from home in the Premier Division all season. 

Speaking ahead of the game, City boss John Caulfield said he expects a tough test from the home side: “We know that Wexford have been really good this year, particularly against the top teams. They lost twice to Dundalk after last minute goals, lost to Derry after a last minute goal and, when we faced then at home, we scored late on to get a draw.

“They are a physically strong side and they have raised their game against the top teams. Shane has done a great job so, from our point of view, we are under no illusions about the game. It is coming in the middle of our European campaign, which is difficult, but we understand that we need to go to Wexford, put on a good performance and get the result,” Caulfield concluded.

Kenny Browne, Steven Beattie, Garry Buckley and Michael McSweeney all picked up knocks in the Linfield game, but Caulfield is hopeful that they will be available.

Referee: Tomas Connolly.

MATCH STATS

It was a 1-1 stalemate when the sides met at Turners Cross in April. A late Mark O’Sullivan header cancelled out Eric Molloy’s early strike for Wexford Youths.

The teams met in the FAI Cup last season.  City earned a 2-0 verdict in a second round clash at Ferrycarrig Park. Goals by Billy Dennehy and second half substitute Mark O’Sullivan sealed the win as the Rebel Army took the first steps of a campaign that would lead all the way to a November final at the Aviva Stadium.

League action between Youths and City has been scarce with the clubs mostly occupying different divisions. They did meet at Ferrycarrig Park in the 2013 EA Sports Cup, with City advancing thanks to a 4-0 win; current Wexford player Danny Furlong notched a brace, while Ian Turner and Shane Duggan also found the net. Previously, the two sides met in the FAI Cup on August 26th, 2011. City progressed thanks to a 1-0 win at Ferrycarrig Park; a Davin O’Neill goal with just over fifteen minutes remaining was the difference.

BETTING

Wexford Youths 7/1; Draw 3/1; Cork City 2/5.

PREDICTION

Wexford Youths 0 – 2 Cork City

Wexford Youths

Injured: Lee Grace, Aidan Keenan.

Doubtful: Peter Higgins.

Suspended: None.

Cork City

Injured: John Dunleavy, John Kavanagh, Alan Smith.

Doubtful: Greg Bolger.

Suspended: None.