Rico wary of Swedish threat as City ponder gamble on Joe

CORK CITY’S Joe Gamble is a serious doubt for this evening’s Intertoto Cup second round meeting with Hammarby at Turner’s Cross (kick off 7.30pm).

The midfield general has aggravated a back injury which he sustained in the 3-2 League Cup loss to Bohemians on Tuesday and, while not ruling him out definitively, City boss Damien Richardson puts his chances of playing at “less than 50-50”.

Striker Denis Behan also looks like missing out after having to leave training yesterday suffering from a virus, while full-back Darragh Ryan remains sidelined with an abdominal muscle problem.

Better news on the injury front for Cork is that Sean Kelly has recovered from a knock on the ankle, while striker Roy O’Donovan, winger Liam Kearney and goalkeeper Michael Devine all come back into the reckoning after sitting out the Bohs game.

Richardson also reports Gareth Farrelly and Colin Healy have shown no negative reaction to the 120 minutes of football which marked their long-awaited first appearances for Cork City in the game at Dalymount Park.

Having eliminated Valur of Iceland 2-1 on aggregate in the first round, Richardson is in no doubt this evening’s opposition represent a step up in quality.

“They’re a very good team who can produce a high level of performance. This is definitely a step up and one we’ll have to reflect in our own performance. We’ll have to elevate our performance to the next level. We’ve done it in the past. I’ve full confidence in the lads we can produce a very good performance against Hammarby.”

A complicating factor for Cork right now is that, by any objective standard, they are a team in transition.

“It’s fair to say that we don’t have a settled side at the moment but I believe something new and very good is evolving,” says Richardson. “In European football in particular the key is patience and understanding of what’s happening. I think the Rebel Army have that. That will be an important factor — I hope the crowd will be as passionate and noisy as they can be.”

Hammarby, sixth in the Swedish league, go into the game with mixed results, having beaten Gothenburg 3-1 10 days ago but losing 4-2 to Helsingborgs last Wednesday.

This is the third time in four seasons Cork have faced Swedish opposition, having knocked Hammarby’s Stockholm rivals Djurgardens out of the UEFA Cup in 2005 and eliminated Malmo in the Intertoto Cup 4-1 on aggregate in 2004.

Athlone Town and manager Michael O’ Connor have parted company by mutual consent. Club chairman Ken Bryan said: “I am saddened at Michael’s departure. Michael and the O’Connor family have given invaluable service to Athlone Town FC over many years, on and off the pitch.” O’ Connor’s assistant Dermot Lennon and U-21 coach Gordon Brett will take charge of first team affairs for the foreseeable future.