League Preview: Cork City -v- Dundalk

• Dylan O'Connell
• Mon, Sep 25 2017




CORK CITY

Cork City will be crowned league champions with a victory at Turners Cross as the Rebel Army prepare for one final push against old rivals Dundalk (kick off 7.20pm, live on RTE2).

 

Three points for tonight for John Caulfield’s side tonight will see them claim the Holy Grail, with the Rebel Army winning their first league title since 2005.

 

Results have been stuttering with City tripping to a derby day upset as relegation threatened Limerick pounced 2-1 against their Munster counterparts at the Market Fields.

 

Speaking ahead of the game; City boss John Caulfield cast aside the last number of weeks and primed his focus onto tonight’s title showdown,

 

“Obviously, we were disappointed with Friday night, particularly the goals we conceded,” Caulfield said.

 

“Every team is raising their game when they play against us and we have to manage that and get over the line.

 

“Tomorrow night is a different type of game, because we play our nearest challenger and we are at home”

 

Caulfield rallied the support from City to push Monday’s game over the edge.

 

“It doesn’t just happen, you have to earn the right to win things and you win nothing easy. From my point of view, I want our lads to go out and give a performance.

 

“I want our supporters, the Rebel Army, to come out in their numbers, get into the ground early and get right behind the lads right the way through the game”

 

City are without Johnny Dunleavy and Alec Byrne for the game but have no suspensions.

 

DUNDALK

The four in row seeking Lilywhites hope to pile on the pressure in Turners Cross as Stephen Kenny goes in search of his first league win over Cork City since October 2016.

 

Dundalk’s attempts at emulating Shamrock Rovers 1983-1987 four in a row side have been on tenterhooks following a mixed start of the season which left Dundalk trailing by 18 points at the midseason break.

 

A resurgent Lilywhites piled the pressure on with four consecutive league wins while also winning the EA Sports Cup.

 

Speaking after Friday’s 3-0 win over Drogheda United, Stephen Kenny was full of praise heading to Turners Cross.

 

“Drogheda had a couple of chances early on but when we got through that I felt that we were fine.

 

“Our defending has been very good throughout the last few weeks. Things are going well for us at the moment and we want to keep that run going”

 

Kenny tore up any assumptions of a late season title charge and placed the onus firmly on his side.

 

“There's still a gap, it's in Cork City's hands but we have to keep doing what we are doing at the moment.

 

“We are focusing on ourselves and taking it one game at a time. Our next game is tomorrow against Cork City and we are going out to win the game.

 

“We can only affect our own results. We want to go and win. Our form against Cork hasn't been overly good in the last while so we want to go out and rectify that”

 

There will be a late fitness test for Steven Kinsella, who came off on Friday night, and Tommy Stewart.

 

John Mountney will be kept on the side-lines while Niclas Vemmelund misses out due to a suspension after accumulating five yellow cards.

 

 

Referee: Rob Rogers.

 

 

MATCH STATS

The sides have met three times in 2017 with Cork City FC taking six points and the President’s Cup in the process.

 

The first league meeting was on the 25^th of March as the Rebel Army took on the Lilywhites in front of a sold out Turners Cross. A brace from Karl Sheppard saw City grab all three points.

 

Once more at Oriel Park City grabbed all three points thanks to a Seani Maguire hattrick which sent the Rebel Army eighteen points clear into the break.

 

BETTING

Cork City 7/4; Draw 5/2, Dundalk 6/4.

 

PREDICTION

Cork City 1-2 Dundalk

 

Cork City:

Injuries: Johnny Dunleavy and Alec Byrne.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

 

Dundalk:

Injuries: John Mountney.

Doubtful: Steven Kinsella, Tommy Stewart.

Suspended: Niclas Vemmelund.