Buckley selection crux for City clash
Buckley must decide whether it is best to stay with the 11 players who scored such an exhilarating win over Shelbourne last week or find places for first-team regulars Mark Rutherford and Keith Doyle.
Rutherford missed Rovers’ 3-0 win over Shelbourne because of injury and Doyle was forced to watch the match from the stand because of suspension. Both are available to play against Cork if needed.
Rovers have put together a run of five matches unbeaten in the League and Cork will find it difficult to stop them. They have
always had trouble with Rovers, even in their best days, and Cork go into this match with a big question mark over their form at home.
Cork have just had a superb run of results in Dublin with wins over St. Pats, Dublin City and Bohemians and it must be a source of concern to manager Pat Dolan that they had not been able to find the spark that ignited those performances when playing at Turner’s Cross.
“There is a culture change going on in the club and the only thing that will breed the confidence we need are results. We have got to find the confidence to produce our best football when we play in front of big crowds in Cork when the expectations are very high.
“I have explained to the players this is not just their problem, it is something that Cork teams have always struggled with and perhaps why they have under-achieved.
“There was a lot of disappointment after our last home game against Drogheda but we have got to be strong enough mentally to look at that objectively and to take whatever positives we can find out of it. We cannot allow ourselves be influenced by what people think, we must believe in what we are trying to do.
“Expectations are always very high in Cork and there is an empathy there between the fans and the players. Our players must come to terms with that and must want to play in front of big crowds and in an atmosphere of extreme emotion. Extreme emotion is what makes football the great game it is.”
Dolan withdrew John O’Flynn before the end of the League Cup tie against Cobh on Tuesday and that was partly to protect his injured knee. The dynamic centre-forward has been training this week and if there is a good response to their final training session then he will play some part in the game against Rovers.
Shels’ boss Pat Fenlon insists that their first defeat of the season to Rovers was just a stumble rather than a fall from grace. “I’m not worried. We had nine or 10ten players who didn’t perform against Rovers and you can’t win games when that happens. I believe it was just a blip,” he said.
However, Fenlon is facing a selection headache with Wes Hoolahan (groin) and Kevin Doherty (calf) both doubtful for their match against Derry City while Dave Rogers is ruled out through suspension. Derry City meanwhile travel south with Peter Hutton (foot), Alan Murphy (hamstring) and Mark Farren (hamstring) all doubtful.
Manager Alan Reynolds says that proving everybody wrong is what is driving Waterford United this
season, and they will be hoping to continue that by going top of the eircom Premier Division with a victory over Bohemians tonight. Should Shelbourne lose to Derry City, and Waterford take all three points against Bohemians, the Blues will go top of the pile.
Bohemians’ boss Stephen Kenny believes that they are currently second on merit having lost just once in their opening ten League games, but Reynolds said the lack of expectancy has helped his side.
“Looking at the lads we have here, anything is possible. They are working so hard, and are maybe not being talked about as much as other players, but they are just as good,” he said.
But he warns that Bohemians, currently seven games without a victory, will climb out of the slump eventually. He said: “The first-half in Dalymount, they were brilliant and they were the best side we’ve come up against. I’m sure they are having confidence problems at the moment.”
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