Cork City earned their first win of the season as Seán McLoughlin and Gearóid Morrissey were on target to see off Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds last night.

There’s been grumbles from the faithful on Leeside after a stuttering fortnight that has left Cork City’s league title hopes hanging by a thread.

A week after the ‘beast from the east’ snowfall wreaked havoc on the SSE Airtricity League programme, champions Cork City will have to cope with Dundalk’s ‘best of the west’ at Oriel Park tonight.

The first man to captain a Cork City side to a League of Ireland title believes it may take years before the scale of the club’s achievements this season are recognised.

The delirious scenes in Cardiff on Monday night whetted Alan Bennett’s appetite for a repeat tomorrow evening in Dalymount Park.

Keep calm and carry on.

Cork City will get the post-Sean Maguire era up and running when they resume their seemingly unstoppable charge to the league title at home to Galway United tonight (7.45pm).

Dundalk 0 Cork City 3: Here at Oriel Park, on a balmy evening on the brink of the summer break, was a tantalising meeting between this season’s unstoppable force and the last three seasons’ immovable object.

Cork City have extended their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier League Division to 16 points following a 2-1 victory over Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds last night.

Cork City FC 5 Drogheda United 0: Cork City provided emphatic proof that the end of their winning run was merely a blip as Drogheda United were shrugged aside with ease at Turner’s Cross last night.

Cork City assistant manager John Cotter believes the victory over Finn Harps was crucial in setting the tone for the club’s amazing unbeaten run.

The performance was more industrious than inspirational but Cork City continued their incredible start to the season, marching to the EA Sports Cup semi-finals with a deserved win at Turner’s Cross yesterday.

Cork City manager John Caulfield has dismissed suggestions striker Seanie Maguire has had his head turned by transfer speculation as the club look to end the Premier Division’s first series of games tonight with a 100% record.

Alan Bennett is likely to miss SSE Airtricity Premier Division leaders Cork City’s clash with Bray Wanderers at Turner’s Cross on Friday night (7.45pm).

Cork City boss John Caulfield admits his job could have been in jeopardy if the club had not won the FAI Cup final last year, as expectation levels in the League of Ireland are being compared to the Premier League.

If there was already a gripping battle on the pitch for league honours, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny raised the ante off it with his questioning of Cork City’s penalty count.

Skipper Gerard Doherty believes Derry City can follow the path of Munster Rugby to reignite their League of Ireland title tilt in the wake of the tragic death of Ryan McBride.

Cork City v Dundalk: Before a ball was kicked, Cork City had one over their great rivals Dundalk this season.

Cork City boss John Caulfield won’t take risks of causing long-term injury damage to his players for short-term gain in Saturday’s Premier Division top-of-the-table clash with Dundalk.

Get knocked down. Get back up again. It’s an approach Cork City skipper John Dunleavy has taken through his career.

Cork City manager John Caulfield has called for patience from his team and the club’s supporters ahead of tonight’s Europa League second qualifying round second leg against BK Hacken at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).

Cork City 1 Derry City 2 (after extra-time): A Dean Jarvis goal six minutes into extra-time saw Derry City come from a goal down to qualify for the EA Sports Cup semi-finals after a hard-fought victory over Cork City at Turners Cross last night.

Cork City 2 Shamrock Rovers 0: A Steven Beattie goal inside the first 30 seconds set vibrant Cork City on their way to this fully deserved victory over a largely outfought and outclassed Shamrock Rovers, the win lifting John Caulfield’s team up to the third in the Premier Division.

Galway United 2 Cork City 2: Cork City became the first side this season to score, and take a point, from Eamonn Deacy Park, but John Caulfield won’t be happy as his side dropped points for a third successive game last night to fall further off the pace.

Bohemians 0 Cork City 1: A late Billy Dennehy penalty was enough to secure second place for the second year running for Cork City who, having held off the attentions of Shamrock Rovers in the league, can now devote their thoughts exclusively to tomorrow week’s FAI Cup final meeting with champions Dundalk.

St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Cork City 2: John Caulfield got the reaction he demanded following Friday’s home defeat to Longford Town as Cork City returned to winning ways to regain a firmer grip on second place in the Premier Division table.

Cork City 3 Derry City 0: A Ross Gaynor thunderbolt was the highlight as Cork City set up an FAI Cup semi-final clash with Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds after three late goals settled this quarter-final replay at a wet Turner’s Cross last night.

The top two in the league will be hoping to remain on course for the ultimate cup clash at the Aviva Stadium when the FAI Cup quarter-finals take place this evening.

Cork City will be looking to cut Dundalk’s lead at the top to five points when they take on St Patrick’s Athletic at Turner’s Cross this evening in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division (7.45pm).

With their ten-point lead at the top, Dundalk might already have one hand on the league trophy but as they head to Dalymount Park to take on Bohemians this evening, the defending champions know that they will be coming up against the only side to have inflicted a defeat on them in the league this season.

Cork City 4 St Pat’s 0: At 1,778, the second lowest crowd of the season at Turner’s Cross spoke volumes for the dispiriting effects of back to back defeats in the league. 

As they watch Dundalk disappearing over the horizon in the league, Cork City and St Patrick’s Athletic have had just a couple of days in which to lick their wounds after their respective unhappy Mondays in Tallaght Stadium and Oriel Park.

Shamorck Rovers 3 Cork City 0: Damien Duff finally made his League of Ireland debut last night, coming on in the dying moments in Tallaght immediately after a third Shamrock Rovers goal had ensured the comprehensive victory which boosts the Hoops European dreams while leaving Cork City’s title aspirations hanging by the slenderest of threads.

Cork City 2 Limerick 3: A rejuvenated Limerick put a major dent in Cork City’s title challenge and gave their survival hopes another major boost as they claimed all three points in a rip-roaring Munster derby at Turners Cross last night.

Dundalk 1 Cork City 1: On a quintessentially Irish summer evening — wind, rain and a moderate risk of frostbite — the loyal 2,613 who braved the elements at Oriel Park were rewarded with an absorbing game, fully befitting a top two Premier Division clash.

The second half of the season is where “the real action starts”.

With a Uefa Europa League draw to look forward to during it, Cork City players and staff will hope to enjoy the upcoming summer break.

Though they may have won their last three home games, Galway United manager Tommy Dunne will demand far greater effort from his players this evening if they are to make that a fourth when second in the table Cork City — unbeaten away this season — arrive at Eamonn Deacy Park.

It’s the cup holders versus the all-time cup record-holders at Richmond Park tonight when St Patrick’s Athletic host Shamrock Rovers in the stand-out tie of a hectic FAI Cup second round weekend.

Four of the top five go head to head in the SSE Airtricity League tonight with leaders Dundalk away to fifth-placed St Patrick’s Athletic and second taking on third as Cork City host Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross.