League Preview: Cork City -v- Derry City

• Simon O'Gorman
• Fri, May 16 2014




CORK CITY

The news that Roddy Collins had left his post as manager of Derry City will not have pleased the folk at Cork City one bit. Not because there is any love lost between the parties - there isn’t - but because of the timing.

 

After a dazzling start to the season Cork have come off the rails a little. Unbeaten in their opening eight league games, John Caulfield’s men have failed to win any of their last three and what they really needed was a morale boosting win against a team of Derry’s stuttering nature.

 

As things have turned out they now meet a team who themselves will be enjoying a bounce in morale with club legend Peter Hutton coming into a dressingroom that has a new page on which to record its fortunes.

 

Losing 4-0 away to Dundalk was Caulfield’s first real sign that the honeymoon is over and he will have been pleased enough with the response - a narrow 3-2 defeat away to reigning champions St Patrick’s Athletic. But honourable defeats are not the diet of title challengers. and how the Rebels fare against a Derry side that should, according to the league table, be dispatched without undue fuss will go some way to establishing their credentials as genuine front runners.

 

The departure of Anthony Elding, in tandem with the continuing absence of the injured Michael Rafter and Danny Morrissey, means Caulfield’s attacking options extend only as far as the talented but relatively inexperienced duo of Mark O’Sullivan and Rob Lehane. Both scored against St Pats last Friday and they have seven goals between them in league and cup this year. Positive stats that need to be extended if Cork’s minor blip is to be overcome.

 

Caulfield will be without Darren Murphy, Michael Rafter and Danny Morrissey who are all inured, though Morrissey has returned to full training, and midfielder Colin Healy is also a doubt with a slight hamstring problem. 

 

DERRY CITY

Form often goes out the window when a new manager arrives in a dressingroom and the Derry fans will be hoping that this proves to be true when their team travels to Turner’s Cross on Friday evening.

 

Roddy Collins tenure as manager of the Candystripes was not a happy one, by all accounts, and the promotion of Peter Hutton will add a note of comfort to an environment that had plainly become somewhat fractious.

 

Derry had won just twice in their opening twelve league games of 2014 with another welcome victory coming in the EA Sports Cup. And it was results that were cited by the board in the aftermath of Collins’ departure rather than any more ethereal considerations. But, in truth, it was the nature of the performances that caused the real problems on the terraces of the Brandywell. Gone was the swagger so often associated with the Candystripes style of play and, in its place, a more functional approach that hinted at an immediate future of austerity.

 

Both Derry’s wins came at home, along with three draws and two defeats, but on their travels Derry have lost just once; a 3-0 dismissal by Dundalk. Derry’s other four away-days in the league all ended in draws and there is a lot to be said for not losing on the road. A similar outcome against Cork would, with some irony, be seen as a positive result.

 

Speaking before the game Hutton said; “ We have had a really good week in training this week. It has all been about settling everybody down and drawing a line under what's gone on. As everybody in the country knows, Turner's Cross is a difficult venue to get a result from, but I feel it's the best away ground to play in. The atmosphere is always excellent and the pressure is always on the away side.”

 

Hutton will be without striker Rory Patterson who is suspended, along with midfielder Patrick McEleney who is ruled out with a knee injury. Striker Enda Curran is also a doubt and will face a late fitness test before the game.

 

Referee: Robert Rogers

 

 

MATCH STATS

Derry’s last win at Turner’s Cross came just over a year ago, on 24 March 2013, when an 89th minute winner from Rory Patterson decided a game that Cork had dominated. 

 

Derry have scored just eight times in the league this season while Cork’s top scorer, Billy Dennehy, has scored seven.

 

Cork have failed to score just once in eleven league outings. Derry have failed to hit the net in half of their twelve league games.

 

 

BETTING

Cork evens; Draw 9/4; Derry 11/4.

 

PREDICTION

Cork City 2-1 Derry City

 

 

Cork City

Injured: Danny Morrissey, Michael Rafter, Darren Murphy
Doubtful: Colin Healy.
Suspended: None.

 

Derry City

Injured: Pat McEleney
Doubtful: Enda Curran
Suspended: Rory Patterson.