Red-hot Shels aim to show title credentials against champions

By Liam Mackey

City were the last team to beat Shels in the league — a 2-1 win at Turner’s Cross on May 15. Since then, the challengers have won eight league games on the trot (nine if their July 14 win over Dublin City is included). Even more impressive is that in that run Shels have scored 27 goals and conceded just two.

Jason Byrne, the division’s top scorer with 13 goals, missed this week’s 1-0 win over Bohs in the League Cup but he trained yesterday and, says manager Pat Fenlon, will be available for selection tonight if he doesn’t suffer any reaction this morning.

Cork City, however, will again be without their leading striker John O’Flynn, who was due to have a scan on his pelvis this morning in the latest attempt to get to the root of his recurring injury problems. Damien Richardson says O’Flynn is “very close to playing” but the manager is unwilling to take a chance with the player.

Adding to City’s injury concerns is that Admir Softic is struggling with an ankle injury. An x-ray yesterday showed no serious damage and, although Softic is travelling to Dublin, he is rated doubtful for the game.

Better news for Cork is that Joe Gamble returns after being suspended for the 0-0 draw in Waterford.

“We missed him in Waterford,” Richardson admits. “To me he is probably the most influential midfield player in the country. He has everything and, most important of all, he is an exemplary professional footballer. He’s one of those professionals you’d hold up as a real example to young lads.”

Richardson acknowledges Shels are the form team but believes all good things must come to an end.

“They’re in magnificent form but I do love playing teams when they’re in that sort of form. If you have any pretensions to being the best in the country you want to be involved in these big games. Despite the pressure that’s on both teams, games between Cork City and Shels have proven to be probably the highlight league games of the season. If you look at the quality of players on view across the park tonight, I think you’re guaranteed to get something very special.”

But despite the fact that low-scoring City are now eight points behind high-scoring Shels, Richardson refuses to see tonight’s game as a championship six-pointer

“There’s no doubt that games between us tend to be pivotal in the season,” he says, “The outcome tonight will have an impact on where the honours go at the end of the season but there are still far too many games to play and too many things can happen after tonight.”

Says Shels boss Pat Fenlon: “It’s a must-win game for them and we know what to expect. They have to take the game to us but, as we’ve shown recently, we’re very attack-minded too.”

Certainly, Fenlon seems determined to keep everybody’s feet firmly on the ground at Tolka Park.

“The players are full of confidence, at the moment, and we’re scoring plenty of goals,” he agrees, “but that raises expectations that we’re always going to score loads of goals — which just won’t happen. If we win 1-0 tonight, I’ll be happy.”

Very much second on the bill is the Premier Division’s only other game, as Bray Wanderers host Bohemians at the Carlisle Grounds (kick off 7.45pm).