Credit:
Shelbourne -v- Cork City FORAS Co-op
- Niall Farrell
- Fri, Oct 01 2010
A titanic effort was required for Shelbourne to force their way back into playoff contention, but just a spot below them Cork have mounted their own charge for promotion.
A win for the Leesiders this Friday (8pm) would see them go level on points with Shelbourne in fourth place in the First Division table, something which has inspired Cork manager Tommy Dunne to claim that this is the biggest game of the season.
“We have to get a result tomorrow night if we are to have any chance of claiming a play-off spot" says Dunne. "Tolka Park is a tough place to go at the best of times, but this game has become a real six- pointer"
The last time the two sides met in Drumcondra it finished 1-1, and Dunne says that his side have been in fine away form all season. "We’ve been very good on the road this season, apart maybe from the defeat in Monaghan, and we will be going there with the intention of winning the game.”
Shels were able to beat the Rebels in Cork in July, but the 1-0n scoreline means that another tight affair is likely this Friday. The Reds are coming off the back of a win at Athlone Town, something which manager Alan Mathews was pleased with.
Mathews said he was "delighted to get the three points [and] very happy with a great win. [We] played with great patience and a good sense of purpose, switching the play well from side to side. It's always a good result to go to Athlone and come away with the three points"
Cork also won last week, at home to another midlands club in the shape of Longford Town. Tommy Dunne says that, despite the narrow 1-0 scoreline, his side deserved to win. “We have been on a good run of results, and our performances in recent weeks have been very good also."
"We have looked at the DVD of the Longford game" added Dunne, "and I believe it was a game we deserved to win. They came into it towards the end and made us work to claim the win, but I believe we created enough chances to have put the game out of sight before then."
City will likely be without an injured George O'Callaghan, but Graham Cummins and Robert Duggan should both feature after travelling to Estonia with the Irish under-23 squad. Shels are missing three key players: Dinny Corcoran, Colin O'Brien and Philip Gorman.
Referee: J. McKell
Shelbourne
Injured: Dinny Corcoran, Colin O'Brien
Missing: Philip Gorman
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Cork City Foras Co-op
Injured: George O'Callaghan, Stephen Mulcahy, Cathal Lordan
Missing: Neal Horgan
Doubtful: Gearóid Morrissey
Suspended: None
Paddypower.com Odds: Shels: Evens Draw: 11/5 Cork: 23/10
Extratime.ie Prediction: A draw
About Niall Farrell
Niall Farrell is our correspondent at Tolka Park, covering the goings-on at Shelbourne. You can visit Niall's website for further information and contact details- niallf.net.