Cork City v Derry
City: FAI Cup Match Preview
Cork City FC v. Derry City FC., FAI Cup Third Round,
Turner’s Cross, Friday 16th August 2024, kick-off 7.45pm
Derry City conceded precious ground in the title race last
Friday when relegation-scrapping Dundalk held the Candystripes to a 1-1 draw in
the Ryan McBride Brandywell. In a game where a win would’ve put Derry top, for
a day at least, City have only gained one point on top-of-the table Shelbourne.
Hopeful of progression to the quarter-finals, Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men now face a
long trip south to face runaway First Division leaders Cork City in the Third
Round of the FAI Cup - a side who City haven’t faced since the Rebels were
relegated from the top flight last season.
Last time out – Derry City 1-1 Dundalk:
In Dundalk's previous visit to the Brandywell, City dispatched
the Louth side with a dominant 4-1 win. Sitting 9th in the league,
just two points above bottom going into the game, the City faithful expected
something similar this time round – knowing that a win by any margin would have
put Derry top of the table. The home side started the better of the two in the
first fifteen, with Ben Doherty and Michael Duffy troubling Dundalk’s defence
down the flank. The two linked up on the ten minute mark when Doherty’s cross
was met by Duffy who headed into the ground and over the Dundalk goal. Ten
minutes later and the away side opened the deadlock as they grew into the game.
Daryl Horgan’s whipped corner was glanced into the bottom corner by captain
John Mountney, a precise header to give the away side an early lead.
Ten minutes before half-time and Derry really should have
had a penalty. Cameron Dummigan’s driven ball into the box struck the hand of
Sean Keogh but Rob Harvey waved away claims of a City penalty – much to the
dismay of the City crowd. Dundalk could, and probably should, have had two goals before half-time though. Horgan broke down the right hand side before sliding
the ball across the box. Robbie Benson’s dummy meant the ball came to the feet
of Robbie Mahon, who’s left footed effort flew narrowly over the crossbar. A
big scare for City going into the break.
Derry started the second half with vigour and energy, two
traits missing during most of the first half. The introductions of Jacob
Davenport and Danny Mullen gave Derry more dynamism going forward. Less than
twenty minutes into the half, and Mullen collected the ball from Davenport
before curling into the bottom corner. Both the City subs involved in equalising the tie. The Candystripes pushed on throughout the second period and really should have
won took all three points. Derry’s Scottish striker could have had a hattrick when he found
himself 1v1 with Goddard twice in the space of five minutes. After a defensive
mishap, Mullen got onto the end of a loose pass back before Felix Goddard saved
well. Andy Boyle’s defensive header looped over his centre back partner and in
the path of Mullen again minutes later. The 29 year old tried to clip it over
Goddard but didn’t connect with it cleanly and watched as the ball landed on the
roof of the net. Two big opportunities which could be decisive at the end of
the season. One more point on the board, but two lost in the title race for Derry City.
Derry City:
Derry were let off the hook by Shelbourne on Saturday when
the league leaders lost 2-1 away to Sligo Rovers – a result which kept the
Candystripes in the title race. A Shels win would have put them five points
clear with a game in hand, leaving City with a mountain to climb. Shamrock Rovers,
despite having three games in hand on Derry going into their match against
Drogheda United on Sunday, failed to make ground on the top two as the bottom
side held them to a draw in Tallaght - it seems like no-one wants to win the
league this year. Waterford, Sligo Rovers and Galway United are three other
teams fighting for European spots with just two points now separating third and
sixth.
In honesty, the Candystripes need to be beating teams like
Dundalk in order to mount a serious title charge. With Sligo beating
Shelbourne, a win on Friday night would have put Derry top of the table going
into the FAI Cup bout with Cork City. The upcoming cup game gives City a break
from the tension of the title race, but they’re facing the leaders of the First
Division. After winning the cup in 2022 with a record breaking 4-0 win over
Shelbourne in the final, City crashed out at this stage last year – losing on
penalties to eventual winners St Pat’s after beating Athlone Town 3-0 in the
second round. It’s now been more than three years since the Candystripes had an
FAI Cup campaign in which they didn’t face a First Division team, and it’s been
thirteen years since we last lost to a First Division team in cup action. That
loss came in the form of a 4-1 drubbing away to Wexford Youths in 2011, ouch.
City come into the cup tie with a mostly clean bill of
health and no new injury woes. Jordan McEneff has been in the matchday squad
for the past two games as he returns from a broken foot, meanwhile Jacob
Davenport made his debut for the Candystripes when he replaced Adam O’Reilly at
half-time against Dundalk. The English midfielder didn’t look like he hadn’t
played since April, showcasing his silky first touch and composure on the ball.
He seems like a quality operator and a tidy defensive midfielder, the former
Man City man is definitely one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Patrick
McEleney is reportedly edging closer to a return following an arm injury whilst
Collie Whelan is on his way to returning to full fitness. Whelan bagged the
winner against Cork City on his Derry debut last year. I wouldn’t be shocked to
see Danny Mullen start on Friday after he picked up his ninth goal of the
season against Dundalk - the Scotsman seems to bag for the Candystripes when it
really matters.
Cork City:
After a dismal campaign in the Premier Division last year in
which Cork City finished 9th before losing to rivals Waterford in
the play-offs, the Rebels have turned round their fortunes this year. Tim
Clancy’s men are runaway leaders of the First Division, sitting on 60 points.
That’s 15 points more than Athlone Town in second place. They’ve all but
guaranteed their immediate return to the top flight, and they’re doing it in
style. Of their 27 league games, Cork City have lost just one, drawn nine and
won the other seventeen. They’re rock solid at the back too, conceding only ten
goals in the league this season. They haven’t conceded more than once in a
single domestic game this term, with their only heavier defeats coming in
friendlies – namely a 5-0 loss to Championship side Stoke City in mid-July.
City will need to be on top form to beat the Munster side on Friday.
Jack Doherty, a winter arrival from neighbours Cobh
Ramblers, is Cork’s current top scorer with seven goals. His three additional
assists mean that he’s the only player in the City squad to have contributed to
ten or more goals this term. Charlie Lyons, a left-sided centre back who also
signed from Cobh Ramblers, is Cork’s next highest scorer with five goals. He’s
the second highest scoring defender in both League of Ireland divisions this
term, behind only UCD’s Éanna Clancy, who has netted six. Derry man Evan
McLaughlin, who left the Candystripes to join Cork at the end of last season,
has scored five and assisted a further three in 2024. An attacking midfielder
by trade, the 22 year old has impressed at left-back for the Rebels. Former
Celtic and Cliftonville midfielder Barry Coffey is another tidy midfielder,
whilst Dutchman Malik Dijksteel’s first goal of the season was an effort from
outside the box to beat Finn Harps in the previous round
of the cup. 24 year old English goalkeeper Bradley Wade has played all of Cork’s
28 games in league and FAI Cup action, keeping an extremely impressive 18 clean
sheets. That shows not only his quality, but the quality of the defence in
front of him.
Cork City’s two combative central midfielders, Greg Bolger
and Sean Murray, are two players who won't shy away from a big game. The former has made
over 400 appearances in the LOI, winning three Premier Divisions, four FAI Cups
and will likely add a second First Division winner’s medal to his collection
this term. He’s an experienced midfielder and a master of the dark arts. 36 in
September, he’s still more than capable of performing at this level. Sean
Murray is a former Ireland U21 international who made more than 150 appearances
in the English Football League with Watford, Wigan Athletic, Swindon Town and
Colchester United. A Premier Division and League Cup winner with Dundalk in
2019, as well as an FAI Cup winner in 2020, Murray signed for Cork after a
spell at Glentoran and has made 22 appearances this term.
The Rebels have quality all over the park, and their two
most recent signings are statements of intent of the highest order. First came
the return of Ruairí Keating. Keating was nominated for the PFAI Player of the
Year last year after bagging thirteen goals in the Premier Division. The 29
year old turned down Derry City to join St. Pat’s in the off-season but
terminated his contract to return ‘home’ to Cork City after scoring four goals
this term – one of which came against Derry in the Brandywell. The next big
name to return to the club was none other than Sean Maguire. His 38 goals in 51
appearances for City between 2016 and 2017 saw him pick up the PFAI Young
Player of the Year award in 2016 and the top scorer award in 2017 as Cork won
their first league title since 2005. After moving to Preston North End in the
summer of 2017, where made more than 150 appearances, Maguire went on to make
11 appearances and score once for the Republic of Ireland senior team. Now 30,
the striker has returned to Cork after a year at Carlisle United. Two
formidable forward signings for Cork City, and two men who Derry’s centre backs
will need to be on top form to handle.
Cathal O’Sullivan is another one to watch for the Munster side. At just 17,
O’Sullivan’s highlights reel is something special and he’s one of the most
promising players on the island. Of his five league goals, two were nominated
for the July Goal of the Month award. A
skilful attacking midfielder, and the only nominee for the July Player of the
Month to play in the First Division, O’Sullivan is a rumoured transfer target
for some of Europe’s elite and can move to the UK when he turns 18 next March.
He could follow in the footsteps of fellow Cork-man Jaden Umeh, who recently
sealed a move to Portuguese giants Benfica, with City in-line for compensation
and future add-ons.
Round-up:
In a way, both teams will fancy their chances on Friday.
Derry will be favourites but need to respect the First Division side. Cork’s
solidity in front of their own goal, and clincality in front of the
opposition’s, will be of concern for Ruaidhrí Higgins. Both sides are also in
good form. In the ten games after losing to Athlone Town in late May, Cork City
have won seven and drawn the other three, scoring fifteen and conceding just
three. They are a serious outfit for the First Division. Derry, who play their
first away game in the FAI Cup since a loss to Finn Harps in August 2021, have
lost just one of their last ten domestic games and put last year’s winners St.
Pat’s to the sword in the previous round.
The two sides met in the FAI Cup in 2022, with Derry beating
ten-man Cork 2-0 in the Brandywell. Cork City haven’t beaten the Candystripes
since October 2018 when they put three past City in Kenny Shiels’ last home
game as manager. In the eleven meetings since, Derry City have won nine,
including beating Cork in all four league meetings between the sides in 2023
with an aggregate score of 8-1. Derry City have aspirations to go all the way
in both the league and cup this year, whilst Cork City certainly wouldn’t say no to progressing to the quarter-finals. This is gearing up to be a proper cup tie, and a battle of the
two cities for the first time in ten months.
Pól O’Hare – 14th August 2024
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