Cork City -v- Monaghan United

• Simon O'Gorman
• Fri, Apr 13 2012




 

CORK CITY

Tommy Dunne’s Cork City side have earned just two points from their opening six league games, courtesy of home draws against Shamrock Rovers and Bray Wanderers. So far the Rebels have let themselves down on two fronts, being unable to hold onto leads and failing to turn their midfield play into genuine goal-scoring opportunities.

 

Dunne will be without defensive trio Stephen Mulcahy, Neil Horgan and Kevin Murray for Friday’s tie but the City boss will have Kalen Spillane available despite the centre back picking up a back injury in last weekend’s defeat to Bohemians.

 

“It is still very early in the season”, said Dunne in the build up to the game, “so there is a long way to go and plenty of time for us to climb up the table. When you are in the middle of a rough spell, people need to dig in, do the basics right, work hard and let everyone in this division know that we are here, we want to stay and we are prepared to fight for it.

 

“It’s a home game against a side who we are competing with for position in the table right now, so we have to go out and try to get the three points. You always want to get the win when you are at home, regardless of the opposition or their position in the table. We need to get our season going; it’s as simple and straightforward as that.”

 

 

MONAGHAN UNITED

If Cork City have failed to live up to pre-season expectations, Monaghan are in quite a different situation. They were widely expected to struggle having won promotion to the top tier and a return of two points from their opening six games, while disappointing, is not entirely unexpected.

 

Monaghan have put in a number of promising performances so far, earning draws against both Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic, but manager Roddy Collins will recognise the need to turn positive displays into points if his side are to have any hope of avoiding the drop. He will also be aware that now is as good a time as any to face a Cork side that must be sorely lacking in confidence.

 

Collins will be without defenders Conor McMahon and Alan Byrne for Fridays game, while midfielder John Reilly is also out through injury.

 

Speaking prior to the game Collins touched on his side’s need to turn promise into product while also lamenting some key injuries that have affected his team.

 

“Despite some excellent displays since the start of the season it is still frustrating that we are not getting the results and points that such performances deserve. Not wanting to make excuses but we have been dogged by injuries especially to some very key players and because of this we have been unable to have an consistency in our starting eleven from game to game”.

 

“On the positive side Shaun Maher is recovered and fit again. Also most encouraging was the performance of the side against Sligo with so many of the younger and fringe players doing so well against the league leaders. It cant be long before we break our duck.

Surprisingly for Cork they too like us are still looking for their first win and for this reason I believe that this should be a good game for the spectators. Turner’s Cross is a tough venue to get a result in and a share of the points would be an excellent return”.

 

Referee: Rob Rogers.

 

 

MATCH STATS

City have taken the lead in all three of their home games to date but failed to win any of them. However, Dunne will be aware that all four of his side’s league goals have been scored at home.

 

Last season the sides met three times in the First Division with the first two encounters ending in a draw. Cork won the third game 3-1 at Turner’s Cross.

 

Like Cork, Monaghan have scored just four league goals this season, but all of them have come away from home.

 

 

BETTING

Cork 8/11; Draw 12/5; Monaghan 4/1.

 

PREDICTION

There is no telling how Cork will react to last weekend’s morale sapping defeat to Bohemians but a 1-1 draw seems the most likely outcome.

 

Cork Injury News: Kevin Murray, Neil Horgan, Stephen Mulcahy.

Cork Suspension News: None.

 

Monaghan Injury News: Conor McMahon, Alan Byrne, John Reilly.

Monaghan Suspension News: None.