Honest George

Following defeat to Bohemians last Sunday, Cork City are languishing in seventh place, ten points adrift of leaders St Pat's. The majority of the clubs faithful followers have written off their title chances and manager Alan Mathews has the body language of a man feeling the pressure.

Hoping to get the inside track on what the players are thinking and feeling, extratime.ie spoke to midfielder George O'Callaghan earlier this week. O'Callaghan returned to Cork before the start of the season and so far has seven goals to his name in all competitions.

Cork have conceded some late goals this season - goals that have cost the club valuable points against the current top three teams. O'Callaghan elaborated on what he sees as the problem - "We are making too many mistakes in vital parts of games and we are getting punished. We are not defending right and we are not doing what the manager tells us to do - plus we don't seem to be getting any bit of luck".

Losing to a late goal is always hard to take, but on Sunday after Cork equalised one felt that if either side was to go on and win the game then, with the momentum behind them, it was going to be Cork. That's not what happened, and Bohs struck late when two substitutes combined to make Fenlon's changes look inspired. Striker Jason Byrne had time with his back to goal to neatly lay the ball off and Mark Rossiter was able to pick his spot with an arrow of a shot from outside the box. When the final whistle was blown the Cork players looked dejected, almost as if they couldn't believe what had just happened.

Reflecting on the nature of the defeat O'Callaghan was visibly hurt and upset - "It was sickening. We are all very disappointed. I'm gutted. It was a hard game. Bohs are a very good side and we were away from home but that's no excuse. I think in the second half when the game opened up we came more into it".

He continued - "We could have taken the lead, Mooney had a great chance but things are just not going our way at the minute. Maybe we aren't working hard enough but maybe we aren't getting that bit of luck also, buts it's down to us, the players".

With twenty two games left it's not all over for Cork's season just yet - the top three all have to visit Turners Cross. Drogheda trailed St Pat's by eight points a week earlier than this last season - come November the Louth club had made up that deficit and finished seven points clear of Johnny McDonnell's side. Pat's obviously went through a bad spell, but it serves as an example of how things can quickly and unexpectedly change. Furthermore, few are writing Drogheda out of this season's title race, and yet they are currently just one point ahead of Cork.

If Cork are to mount a serious challenge then, as O'Callaghan knows only too well, they need to do it now - "I feel we really need to get a grip of ourselves now, otherwise we are going to be left behind in going for the league and getting into Europe - at the minute that's still all possible, we cant leave it any later".

"With the players we have and the squad we have, we have to give back more to the club and the fans. The club really does look after us well and we always have great support, lots of people coming to watch us every week, they are the best. We are not delivering at the minute. There are a lot of big names for the league here at this club and we need to start performing. We need to start picking up wins because at the moment we are too inconsistent".

Cork's next game is this Friday at the Carlisle Grounds against Bray Wanderers. The Seagulls have been in excellent form of late. Prior to defeat last Saturday they had won six of their previous seven games in all competitions.