2 October 2015
By Bryan Smyth
bryabn@TheCork.ie
Cork City will travel to the Carlisle Grounds to face Bray Wanderers on Sunday, with a place in the FAI Cup final at stake for the winners.
City have reached the semi final stage thanks to wins over Wexford Youths (2-0 away), holders St. Patrick’s Athletic (4-0 at Turner’s Cross) and a 3-0 quarter final replay win over Derry after the sides had drawn one all at the Brandywell. The home side booked their place in the semi finals thanks to a 2-0 win over Killester United, having defeated Limerick (3-1 at home) and Bohemians (1-0 away) in the earlier rounds.
The sides have met on three occasions already this season, all in the league, with very little between them over the course of those three games. City have recorded two one nil wins, one in Bray and the other at Turner’s Cross, while their most recent meeting was a scoreless draw at the Carlisle Grounds at the beginning of September.
Speaking to the media at the club’s weekly press conference, City boss John Caulfield said that his side would have to play well to progress: “We have a massive challenge ahead of us on Sunday, but we have an opportunity to get to a cup final, where we have not been for eight years. We are looking forward to Sunday, we know how difficult it will be, but it is ninety minutes between us and them, and there’s the opportunity to get to a cup final.”
“Bray have been underestimated, a bit like we were last season, and people probably haven’t given them the respect they deserve. They had a slow start to the league season and there has been a lot of chopping and changing, but they have done phenomenally well.”
“They have a lot of fellows who have been around the block and they are at a good age. They are a very solid, well-organised side; they defend deep and break quickly and that is why they don’t give away many goals. You would imagine it will be a really tight game and that one goal will decide it.” “
“We have four or five fellas who haven’t trained this week due to illness or injury which is not ideal, but it is a cup semi final and I am sure everyone is going to be bursting to be on the starting team on Sunday.”
“(The last time we played them) They sat in and hit us on the counter, and it showed how difficult we found it to create chances; it was really only in the last ten minutes that we ended up having a couple of chances. We found it difficult to break them down and we have been doing a lot of work this week because we feel it is going to be a tight game.”
Caulfield will definitely be without summer signings Steven Beattie and Stephen Folan, who are cup-tied, while John Kavanagh and Colin Healy are also ruled out through injury. Caulfield also confirmed that a number of players had missed training this week through injury and illness, but said he is hopeful of that situation improving ahead of the game.
Injury News: John Kavanagh, Colin Healy
Suspensions: None
Cup-tied: Steven Beattie, Stephen Folan
Last Game: Cork City 0-0 Derry City
Last FAI Cup Game: Cork City 3-0 Derry City
Last Meeting: Bray Wanderers 0-0 Cork City
Last Meeting at the Carlisle Grounds: Bray Wanderers 0-0 Cork City
League Form (most recent game first): D D W W L L W D W W
