Bohs look to vent pitch frustrations on Cork

A week which will end with Cork City and Bohemians doing battle in the FAI Cup at Turner’s Cross on Friday began with intense frustration for both sides — but for very different reasons.

On Monday, City blew the chance to narrow the gap on league leaders Dundalk when they were held at home by 10-man Bray while, in Dublin on the same night, Bohs didn’t even get to kick a ball in anger when their home game against Shamrock Rovers was controversially called off, after referee Tomas Connolly judged that repairs to the playing surface had made the Dalymount Park pitch unplayable.

This, despite the fact that the managers and players of both clubs appeared unanimous in their belief that the game could have gone ahead.

“It was just strange,” says Bohs keeper Dean Delany. “We were halfway through the warm-up routine and then the game’s been called off. It’s never happened in my career.”

As the blame-game continued yesterday, it emerged the FAI have engaged specialist company Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to assess the pitch.

Delany concedes that the troublesome penalty spot area would be a source of concern but not, he feels, in terms of player safety.

“For us, it’s the way the ball would bounce,” he says. “Most players would play on the street if you’d ask them to. From where I’m at, it wouldn’t be an injury issue. When I looked at it (on Monday), it looked a bit strange, being all dug up. Obviously, to do it on the day of the game — maybe it could have been left until after the game and done during the two or three-week spell when there is no game and it can knit together. It’s not my call and I can only give an opinion. I cannot say that it should be fixed this way or that way. I would not be qualified.”

Delany is now looking forward to a trip to Turner’s Cross and a game in front of the kind of size crowd that would have been expected at the Dublin derby.

“We were all gutted when the game against Rovers did not go ahead, when there was 3,500 expected,” he says. “There should be 3,000 at Turner’s Cross and, as footballers, that’s what we thrive on.”

Cork too will be looking for a better night at the Cross after failing to make the most of Dundalk’s slip-up on Monday.

“It was disappointing,” says Liam Kearney. “In the second half we did everything but throw the kitchen sink at Bray and we just couldn’t get that second goal. But, look, there have been games where we shouldn’t have won and we have won so over a season things balance themselves out. There’s a lot of football still to be played yet and when it gets to this stage of the season anyone can beat anyone.

“There’s been so much pressure with the league, I think the cup is a good distraction, in one way. Down in Cork, we have a good history with the cup. Bohs is a huge game — if we win that, it will be a huge win for us, even towards the league as well.”

Kearney believes 20-year-old City full-back Brian Lenihan, who is shortly expected to make a move to England, has what it takes to follow in the footsteps of another well-known League of Ireland export.

“What he is right now is fantastic and I think he can only get better,” says Kearney. “He is the first player into training every morning. When I go into the gym, he’s doing his stretches, doing the things he needs to work on to keep himself right. He is completely dedicated to his football. What he’s done this season, he has been tremendous. I think he is definitely Seamus Coleman-esque. I think he has got that potential, which is huge.”

nFord, sponsors of the FAI Cup, are calling on fans to vote for their ‘New Focus Man Of The Round’ following each round of games in this year’s competition. Fans can vote at Facebook.com/FordIreland and every person who votes will be automatically entered into a draw for a chance to win some fantastic prizes including fuel vouchers and a HDTV.