Cork City Foras Co-op -v- Limerick FC

Cork City Foras and Limerick FC return from their mid-season break to resume their Airtricity First Division campaigns at Turner’s Cross on Friday night and, in a game that pits fourth against sixth, there could be plenty of new faces on show. (Kick-Off 7.45pm)

Both teams have been busy during the break with Cork signing a total of nine players and Limerick signing three including ex-City men, Dave Rogers and Timmy Kiely. Limerick boss, Pat Scully, has also re-signed Stephen O’Flynn who scored fourteen league goals in just thirteen games for Limerick last season before moving to Northampton Town.

While Scully will be missing Jason Hughes and Jeffrey Judge due to suspension on Friday night he is delighted to have Shane Clarke back from injury. “It’s like signing another new striker”, Scully beamed. “Clarkey is a great player and was only getting into his stride when he got injured, it’s great to have him back. Make no mistake, we’re going full steam ahead to win this league and even if we end up in the play-offs we’ll fear no one”.

Cork meanwhile have added a host of new players to their roster. Alongside former Cork City stars Billy Woods and Neal Horgan the club can now call on the services of Karl Caulfield, Eoghan Lougheed, Mark O’Sullivan, John Meade, Derek Varian, Gavin Kavanagh and Daniel O’Leary.

Cork striker Graham Cummins welcomes the new signings but recognises that his side have some work to do in the second half of the season.

“It was the basis of 14 players playing week in week out and it’s tough playing 90 minutes, then training three times a week. We just want to start winning games and be more consistent. We have picked up too many draws from games we should have won. We try to play at least, whereas other teams come down here and park ten men behind the ball. I don’t think Limerick will do that on Friday, in fact I think they will come out and give it a right go. They were outstanding in the first half of that League Cup game and they’ll be coming down for all the three points”.

Friday’s game will be the third meeting of the Munster rivals this season and so far honours are even with Cork having taken three points from their league meeting at Jackman Park over the Easter weekend while Limerick won their EA Sports Cup clash at Turner’s Cross 3-0.

In fact Limerick will probably be quite happy to be meeting Cork on their own patch. All three of Cork’s league defeats this year have come at Turner’s Cross. Indeed City have won only three of their seven home league games and those results came against the league’s bottom three sides, Salthill, Mervue and Longford.

Limerick also carry better form into this game. With only one defeat in their last six league matches they are beginning to establish themselves as promotion contenders while their hosts are still in the business of steadying the ship after the traumatic events of the winter.

Cork City Foras Co-Op
Injured: Cathal Lordan.
Doubtful: John Dineen, Karl Caulfield, Neal Horgan.
Suspended: Shane Duggan.
Unavailable: Mark O’Sullivan.

Limerick FC
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Jason Hughes, Jeffrey Judge.

Referee: J Grimes

Extratime prediction: A 1-1 draw.