Caulfield happy with Cobh test

Cork City finished off their final pre-season friendly game with a 3-1 victory over local rivals Cobh Ramblers in St. Colman’s Park.

A local derby can be a competitive game but it is exactly what both managers would have wanted with the start of the season a little more than two weeks away.

“Yes it was very competitive and we knew coming to Cobh that you would get a very competitive game and obviously we expected that so obviously we are very happy with that. Again we shuffled the team and we changed things up with a few new fellows in tonight. We have been training hard and it was nice to get a few goals and another 90 minute workout.”

Cork City featured three trialists in Christian Nanetti, Taylor Morgan and Alex Ya Kuba. Ya Kuba scored the opening goal and Caulfield was impressed with the goal but believes the player might need more work to be considered for the Rebel Army.

“Yes it was a great goal. He has been in training with us for a week and probably needs a bit of work.”

Recent signing Shane Griffin who put pen to paper in the past week impressed Caulfield in defence and the former Carrigaline United player has the potential to push hard for a place in a defence that is considered to be one of the meanest in the league.

“Yes he has done very well since he came in training, he has a very good left foot, good pace, well able to play and I was delighted for the supporters to be able to see him tonight. He will be a major signing for us.”

A heavy pitch in Cobh, much improved on what it has been in recent weeks, can be a tough place to exhibit your skills in the hope of landing a contract and Caulfield was well aware of this as well as the fact that any signing he makes needs to push City closer to the top spot and secure a league so as to banish the’ runners up’ tag City have attained in recent seasons.

“They did well, it is hard to judge lads on tonight. They are not used to this type of game. They did well particularly Christian on the wing.

“At the end of the day, the bigger picture for us is that at the level we are at and competing are they good enough to come in and challenge for a place? This is the bigger picture we are looking at especially when you have Jimmy Keohane, Stephen Dooley and Alan Bennett all out. This is the strength in depth you have to have. The signings did well tonight but have to look at them against the likes of Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk.”

Captain John Dunleavy hasn’t featured in pre-season yet and when questioned about this by extratime.ie Caulfield said that a heavy pitch tonight was a factor in the Donegal native not lining up but hopes of him being involved next Friday against Dundalk still need to be decided.

“Yes, he’s there more or less and we could possibly have given him a run out tonight but we felt that with the ground heavy that we wouldn’t risk him especially after the training on the heavy ground.

“He’s very close to returning. He’s 50/50 at the moment. It is like John Kavanagh so we are just being careful with them and not rushing them back for the first week of the President Cup.”