18 May 2018
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
It’s a break from league action at Turner’s Cross on Tuesday night, as Cork City welcome St. Patrick’s Athletic in the EA Sports Cup quarter final.
Cork City are in good form of late, having recorded three league wins in a row, and they are in second place in the table. City qualified for the quarter final stage thanks to a 2-0 win away to Waterford United, courtesy of second half goals from Ross Gaynor and Rob Lehane. The visitors are currently fifth in the table, having suffered defeat to Bray Wanderers in their last league outing. They claimed their place in this stage of the competition thanks to a 4-1 win over Crumlin United; a brace from Sam Verdon along with a James Chambers strike and a Crumlin own goal sealing the win.
The last meeting between the sides took place in April in Inchicore and resulted in a scoreless draw. Their last meeting in the EA Sports Cup took place at Turner’s Cross in June 2011, at the same stage of the competition. Goals from Derek O’Brien and Graham Cummins, either side of a strike by Neil Harney, sealed City’s place in the semi-finals.
Speaking ahead of the game, City boss John Caulfield said that, while he is likely to make changes, his side would be aiming to book a place in the semi-finals: “It was good to get a home draw in the quarter-final and we are looking forward to the game. Obviously with the intense programme at the moment of four games in the space of just over a week, we will be making a lot of changes. A lot of lads are bursting to play and fitness levels are very high, so it will be a good chance for some of them to get a game.”
“I’m expecting us to give a high intensity performance and it is a good opportunity for us to see our strength in depth. Being a quarter final, they will all need to be on their toes and they are all really looking forward to it; there was a great buzz in training this morning because they all know it is a real opportunity for them. I’m hoping that we can give a good performance and win the match, which is what we expect to do.”
Ross Gaynor is available again following a hamstring injury, but Kieran Djilali will miss out due to the knee injury that ruled him out of Saturday’s win over Limerick. Alan Bennett (hamstring) and John Dunleavy (knee) are also sidelined, while midfielder Gavan Holohan is suspended following his sending off in the last round.
Injury News: John Dunleavy, Alan Bennett, Kieran Djilali
Suspensions: Gavan Holohan
Last Game: Limerick 0-1 Cork City
Last EA Sports Cup Game: Waterford United 0-2 Cork City
Last Meeting: St. Patrick’s Athletic 0-0 Cork City
Last Meeting at Turner’s Cross: Cork City 1-0 St. Patrick’s Athletic
Last Meeting in the EA Sports Cup at Turner’s Cross: Cork City 2-1 St. Patrick’s Athletic
League Form: W W D W W L D W W W