League Preview: Shamrock Rovers - v - Cork City

SHAMROCK ROVERS

The Hoops entertain early season pace setters Cork City in a St.Patricks Day special on Friday evening at Tallaght Stadium (kick ff 5pm).

It has been an indifferent start to the season for the Tallaght outfit. They find themselves mid-table with two wins and two losses and a neutral goal difference. They are as close to the top as they are the bottom and this is a reflection of their inconsistent form in the opening three weeks of the campaign.

Rovers will be hoping to make Tallaght Stadium a fortress this season and welcomed a large crowd there for the visit of Dublin rivals Bohemians.

Stephen Bradley’s troops responded with an impressive win but followed that up a week later at the same venue with a disappointing defeat to ten man Derry City. Last Monday, Rovers won 2-1 in Galway with Gary Shaw opening the scoring in the first two minutes of the match.

"It was important for us to get the win,” said Stephen Bradley about that victory in Eamon Deacy Park. “We felt against Derry that we should have got something out of the game, we were the better team, we didn't, so it was important that we went down there, whether we played good or bad, and just get the win.

“We had a great start, then we give away a sloppy goal but reacted really well and deserved to win in the end."

Having beaten Galway United on their travels on Monday night, it will be interesting to see how the Hoops perform against table toppers Cork City.

A defeat would leave them nine points off the pace with the season not yet a month old while a win would keep the pressure on the front runners.

When the sides met in the FAI Cup last season in Tallaght Stadium at the quarter-final stage, the Leesiders inflicted a heavy 5-0 defeat on the Hoops. “"No one enjoys getting beaten, but not the way we did but we're a different team to what Cork has faced in the last few years here.

“I think we have goals from all areas of the pitch. We're dangerous from set plays now. We're a different team with different sort of aspects and strengths that teams have to play against so we just have to show that on Friday."

CORK CITY

The Leesiders have sprung out of the traps and won the opening four games of the season to leave them top of the pile. It might be early days but these are the type of performances that are needed to win the title. Sean Maguire has been in red hot form with five goals to his name already this season.

With Dundalk falling to a surprise first defeat of the season on Monday night in Derry, John Caulfield will know the importance of building on his own side’s momentum and keeping their title rivals at bay.

Speaking ahead of the game, the City boss said: “The league hasn’t even really started yet, so for us it is just about performing every week. (Against Rovers) we are playing a team that feels they can win the league, so it is going to be a big challenge for us.

“What we have to do is focus on each match; we see ourselves as one of the challengers and we want to be there at the end of the season. The pressure comes from ourselves, because we want to win.

“We are doing everything we can to win. We did well in Europe last year and we won the cup, and I believe that this team is an even better team than last year’s. It is a team that will create chances and score goals.”

Caulfield may have to plan for the game without the services of Greg Bolger, who picked up an ankle injury against Sligo Rovers on Monday night and is considered very doubtful. On the plus side, John Kavanagh, Alan Bennett and Stephen Dooley are all back in contention. 

Referee: Jim McKell

MATCH STATS

Last season, the sides met on four occasions, with City winning three of those. Rovers failed to get on the scoresheet in any of those encounters. The best they managed was a scoreless draw at Tallaght in June.

Cork City have won all seven competitive games so far this season, with Sean Maguire on target in each of those games. This is City’s joint best start to a season with 1997/98.

Gary Shaw’s early goal in Galway was the quickest scored by a Rovers striker in an away league match for 13 years.

BETTING

Shamrock Rovers 11/4; Draw 9/4; Cork City evens.

PREDICTION

Shamrock Rovers 2–2 Cork City

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Paul Corry, Trevor Clarke           

Suspended: None

Cork City

Injured: None

Doubtful: Greg Bolger

Suspended: None