League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Cork City

SHAMROCK ROVERS 

The Hoops will be hoping to claim the three points on Saturday afternoon against Cork City in Tallaght (kick off 4pm) where a win would move them ahead of the Leesiders and into sixth place in the table. 

Rovers won’t be happy with their current league position. It took them eight games to finally win a league match but that 4-0 victory away to Bohs got them going and they now have three victories in their last four league games.

They also come into this weekend’s game buoyed by a brilliant 2-1 win against Shelbourne in Tolka Park mid-week in the All-Island Cup semi-final. 

That sets up the chance of their first piece of silverware since the club had a team playing and winning in the Dublin Women’s Soccer League back in 2002.

“It was a real threshold moment,” said Hoops Head Coach Collie O’Neill when speaking to shamrockrovers.ie.

“We came close last year, losing to Shels in the semi-final, so there was a lot of pressure and there were a lot of thoughts over the last year in the back of the mind for everybody, so it was a real defining moment for us on Wednesday just to get over that line.

"Hopefully, now that will breed confidence into future big games that will be coming up.

“There’s still so many areas for improvement to be done. I don’t think we’ve reached close to our full potential yet. I think there’s still loads and loads of room there for extra growth, and hopefully that development can keep going between now and the end of the season.”

The Hoops have handed the number nine jersey to new signing Emily Corbet for this weekend’s game following her recent signing by Collie O’Neill. Savannah McCarthy will be part of the Rovers squad for the first time this season after her return from a long injury layoff.

O’Neill can also call upon his trio of Ireland internationals who were away at the recent under-19 European Championship. 

“It’s nice to say, for the first time this year, that Sav (McCarthy) comes into the matchday squad. She’s worked extremely hard over the last few months to get back to this opportunity, so it’ll be nice to have her back in the squad for this weekend. 

“Lia [O’Leary], Aoife [Kelly], and Joy [Ralph] are still fresh. We try to mind them; they want to play every minute of every game, so we do our best to try and mind them, but their energy was good on Wednesday; they didn’t look tired, so we’ll just have to assess it during training and see which way they’re at.

"It’s basically a full squad to pick from, with Emily Corbett coming in for her first league game of the season.”

CORK CITY

The Leesiders won the earlier clash between the sides 2-1 in Cork with all the goals coming in the first half. Dorothea Greulich’s ninth minute strike was cancelled out by Lia O’Leary on the half hour mark before Colleen Kennedy scored what turned out to be the winner at Turner’s Cross seven minutes later.

City have won their last two matches defeating Peamount United away from home with Freya De Manage getting the only goal of the game.

Their 2-1 win over Bohemians at Turner’s Cross came with Greulich getting the late winner against the Gypsies after Kennedy had opened the scoring. 

The City squad has been boosted by the return of Becky Cassin to the club and Danny Murphy can call upon her services today.

Speaking to her club’s media team, Cassin said: “I’m so happy to be home and more motivated than every to do well for this club.

"I can’t wait to get the City jersey back on and finish the season strong.”

Referee: Claire Purcell

MATCH STATS
When the teams played last season, City suffered heavy defeats on each occasion – 4-0 and 5-0 defeats home and away, along with a 5-0 loss in the FAI Cup in a game played in Bishopstown.

The Hoops have changed formation between a 3-4-2-1 (30%) and 4-2-3-1 (29%) this season.

Danny Murphy always goes with a flat back four - they've mostly used 4-2-3-1 (31%), 4-4-1-1 (28%) and 4-4-2 (27%). 

PREDICTION
2 - 0 home win for the Hoops