10 February 2018, Saturday
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Cork City and Dundalk meet in the President’s Cup for the third year in a row on Sunday, in the curtain-raiser to the 2018 SSE Airtricity League season.
City have won the fixture in each of the last two years, with both of those games taking place at Turner’s Cross. On this occasion, John Caulfield’s side will travel to Oriel Park.
As was the case twelve months ago, the sides last met on the last day of last season, with City pipping the Co. Louth side to FAI Cup final glory when Kieran Sadlier’s penalty saw City win the shoot-out and claim a first double in the club’s history.
Speaking ahead of the game, City boss John Caulfield said: “Pre-season has gone well; the weather has been tough, so we have done a lot more training on all-weather than we might have in previous years. The new lads have settled in well and we are pleased with that also.”
“We are all looking forward to the game. Games between the two teams are always very competitive and that makes it an ideal game to have right before the start of the season. Dundalk will also have some new faces in their squad, as do we, so it will be an interesting game.”
Johnny Dunleavy’s return from a knee injury is progressing well, but he is not yet in contention to return to action, while a knock means that Garry Buckley has also been ruled out of the tie, although he is expected to return in the very near future. Caulfield also has doubts over the availability of Barry McNamee, Karl Sheppard, and Steven Beattie, each of whom will be assessed closer to kick-off.
