Shelbourne -v- Cork City

• Gareth Penrose
• Thu, May 12 2011


Tolka Park will be the place to be on Friday night as the top two in the Airtricity League First Division lock horns in a battle for top spot. A Cork win will see the Rebel Army claim the premier position on goal difference; a win for Shelbourne and a possible six point gap emerges depending on other results. The battle commences at 8pm in the North Dublin venue.

Since Roddy Collins' Monaghan United bagged all three points from Alan Mathews' charges on 15th April, the Drumcondra based side have gone unbeaten, with league wins over Waterford United, Finn Harps and Salthill Devon, as well as putting four past Bohemians in the EA Sports Cup to book progression to the next round.

Talking to ShelsTV.com after last week's victory against Salthill, Mathews was pleased to emerge from a difficult game with maximum points. “I'm delighted with the three points. It was always going to be difficult coming down here [to Drom]. I saw them playing last week and they were a little bit unfortunate to be turned over 2-0 by Longford. With the conditions here – heavy rain, blustery breeze - we played well at times but the most important thing was to come away with the three points”.

Despite limping out of last week's game, David Cassidy has been passed fit. Mathews will only be without the services of Stephen Paisley who is out with a hamstring problem.

After a run of three league wins and EA Cup success, Cork City's drive was halted last week by Longford Town; an 88th Jamie Murphy goal saving a point for the Rebel Army. Manager Tommy Dunne, who played as a defender for Shels during the 90's, has no fear coming to face the league leaders.

“We would like to think we will be competing with a number of teams, including Shelbourne, for promotion, but we don’t fear going to Tolka Park. They are like to be one of the main contenders in the race for promotion, and not many teams will go to Tolka and get a result. We are still in the first series of games, we’ve started ok and we’re still unbeaten, but this will be a very tough test. We are confident, but we know we will need to start well and perform well over the 90 minutes to get a positive result” Dunne told CorkCityFC.net.

Cork City welcome goalkeeper Mark McNulty back from suspension but full back Danny Murphy will miss the game through suspension. Alan Carey again misses out with an Achilles injury, while Derek O’Brien is still struggling with a calf injury and while he will be assessed at training on Thursday night, he is rated as very doubtful for the game. Captain Greg O’Halloran is struggling with an ankle injury, but City boss Tommy Dunne is hopeful that he will be available. On the plus side for the City manager, Stephen Mulcahy is available having made his comeback in the EA Sports Cup game against Wexford back in, while Neal Horgan is also available again having missed out in recent weeks due his GAA commitments with St. Finbarr’s.

Shelbourne
Injured: Stephen Paisley (hamstring).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

Cork City
Injured: Alan Carey (Achilles)
Doubtful: Greg O’Halloran (knee), Derek O’Brien (calf)
Suspended: Danny Murphy

Referee: John McLaughlin
Paddy Power Odds: Shelbourne evens, Draw 21/10 Cork City 13/5
Extratime prediction: Shelbourne 2-1 Cork City.