AS the book of condolences began to fill in Cork County Hall, two words stood out from among the names and messages: “never again.”

THE takeover of Cork City could go down to the wire, with complications arising out of recent transfer deals apparently posing last-minute problems for the consortium which has made an offer to buy the club.

Against all the odds, the prospects of Cork City retaining their Premier Division status appeared to improve dramatically last night, when a local consortium made an eleventh hour bid to take control of the embattled club.