27 July 2017
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork City return to league action on Friday night, as they welcome Galway United to Turner’s Cross.
City go into the game having exited the Europa League against AEK Larnaca, but they will look to get back to winning ways tomorrow night. Their last league outing saw them record an impressive 2-0 win away to Bray Wanderers, while their last home fixture was a 1-0 win over St. Pat’s. Galway, meanwhile, come into the game having recorded back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season, at home to Limerick and Drogheda United. Their last away fixture was a 1-1 draw against St. Pat’s at Richmond Park.
The sides have met once already this season, with United becoming the first, and so far only, team to deny John Caulfield’s side three points in 2017. A deflected Conor McCormack strike put City ahead just before the hour mark at Eamonn Deacy Park, but the home side levelled moments later via a header from former City defender Stephen Folan.
Speaking to the media earlier in the week, City boss John Caulfield said: “Everyone realises that we are in the last third of the season, and we are where we wanted to be, challenging for trophies. We are in a great position, and now we face a Galway side who have fantastic players. We know Gavan Holohan and Stephen Folan well, and they have brought in guys like Lee Grace, David Cawley and Ronan Murray. We drew with them earlier in the season in a really 50/50 game, they have won their last two games, they have turned things around and we know they will be tough opponents.”
“We are coming into the business end of the season and we need our supporters to keep turning out in their droves, because we need their backing. We have put ourselves in a great position and the lads know what we need to do. We have some massive matches over the next ten to fifteen days, starting with Galway.”
“We have won two leagues in thirty-three years, so we are just keeping our focus like we have done all year, taking it game-by-game and getting the points on the board. We have put ourselves in a good position and we need to make sure we keep that up. If you look too far ahead, you will drop points, so we have to keep it going. We have to be at our maximum and, thankfully, this season we have been for nearly all of the matches and that is what we need again on Friday night.”
Caulfield will definitely be without long-term injury victim Johnny Dunleavy, while Jimmy Keohane and Alan Bennett have both returned to light training this week and will be assessed ahead of kick-off.
Injury News: Johnny Dunleavy, Jimmy Keohane, Alan Bennett
Suspensions: None
Last game: AEK Larnaca 0-1 Cork City
Last league game: Bray Wanderers 0-2 Cork City
League Form (most recent game first): W W W W W
