Cork City travel to Fahy’s Field to take on Mervue United in the first League of Ireland game to take place at the Galway venue. Tommy Dunne’s side continued their good form of recent weeks as they kicked off the season with a 1-0 win over Wexford Youths, courtesy of a goal from Vinny Sullivan, and the City boss is taking the positives from that win: “I have had a look back over the Wexford game and I was generally pleased with it. It was scrappy, as the opening games of the season generally are. We had a couple of lads making debuts for us, and some of their play was not as good as normal, but the work rate and the desire was there, both from them and the rest of the players, and that pleased me. I think we created enough chances to win two or three games, so that is one aspect which we have to work on. If we take the chances that come our way it will allow us to see games out more easily. Overall I was pleased, but we will need to be better this week if we want to pick up another three points.”
City defeated Mervue on all three occasions on which the sides met last season, but Dunne is expecting a tougher challenge on Friday and says it is important that his players focus on the task at hand: “On paper people would be expecting us to win our first two games of the season, but it is never like that in football. Against Wexford we played well and got the three points but it was a tough game. There will be a sense of occasion for Mervue as it is their first game in their own ground so it will be a difficult fixture for us, but we just have to be well prepared and confident in our own ability. Our aim is to pick up the three points, but Johnny Glynn will have his team fit and organised, and we will need to be on top of our game to get what we want out of it.”
“Mervue improved over the course of last season as they gained experience in the division and they have added some players to their squad over the close season, so they will be a lot stronger now than they were at this point last year. We are under no illusions, it will be a difficult game and we will have to be fully focussed and ready for the game.”
Dunne will have winger Derek O’Brien in contention to make his debut, having sat out the Wexford game through suspension, but defender Kalen Spillane will miss out after being sent off late on against Mick Wallace’s side. Shane Duggan, who came off the bench against Wexford has fully recovered from a hip injury and will also be in contention to start the game. The City boss confirmed that Rory Morrissey will miss the fixture after going over on his ankle during the week, while Alan Carey will also miss out due to an Achilles injury.
Dunne also told CorkCityFC.net that long-term injury absentee Stephen Mulcahy (Groin) is progressing well: “Stephen (Mulcahy) is doing well and is a bit ahead of schedule. The main thing for him now is to build up his fitness, so it will be probably be at least four to six weeks before he is ready to be introduced back into the team.”
Injury News: Stephen Mulcahy (groin), Alan Carey (Achilles), Rory Morrissey (Ankle)
Suspensions: Kalen Spillane
Last Game: Cork City 1-0 Wexford Youths