Real action starts now, says City boss Caulfield

So says manager John Cauflield as Cork City resume their pursuit of leaders and champions Dundalk after the SSE Airticity League’s mid-season break.

First up for City is the long haul to the Brandywell where tonight they face a Derry City side who are without a win in eight games. Second-placed Cork go into the match with four wins in their last five, and having not lost a league game at the Brandywell since 2012.

“Derry are rebuilding with a young, local team but you always know that you will be in for a tough game at the Brandywell,” says Caulfield.

“Against the top teams, they have fared reasonably well so we know we will need to play well. They might have struggled to score goals, but they will always have a go when they are at home.

“We finished the first half of the season very well, so we need to make sure we are well-prepared going up there. Everyone needed to just get away and recharge the batteries and everyone came back into training in good spirits. The second half of the season is where the real action starts so we want to go to Derry and get a positive result.”

The influential Colin Healy is suspended while John Dunleavy, Kieran Djilali and John Kavanagh are all ruled out for City through injury.

Dundalk get back to defending their title with the visit of Limerick, having put behind them the blow of losing their unbeaten record in a surprise home defeat to Bohemians – their first at Oriel Park in nearly two years - by claiming a comeback victory over Sligo.

The result ensured that Dundalk remain the leaders coming out of the mid-season break, three points clear of Cork, who have played a game more, and seven ahead of Shamrock Rovers who have also played one game extra. Tied in fourth are St. Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians.

Limerick manager Martin Russell says his players face “the biggest challenge any side in the country could have” at Oriel Park tonight as the Shannonsiders continue their search for a first win this season, on the back of five draws and eleven defeats.

But, encouragingly for the visitors, one of their points came against Dundalk in a 1-1 draw at Jackman Park before Limerick’s recent return to the Market’s Field.

“The only thing I will say is that we have already drawn against them,” Russell acknowledges. “We know if we can get settled and be focused with a proper game-plan, we can give ourselves our best chance. Having said that, there are not too many teams that have taken points off Dundalk this season and we’ve got to recognise that as well. They’re the Champions, playing in the Champions League and they’re there on merit.”

Ahead of the Europa League First Qualifying Round kicking-off next week, Ireland’s four representatives in this competition will be hoping to head into Europe on the back of morale boosting victories. As well as Cork City, the competition will play host to St Patrick’s Athletic, who welcome Longford Town to Richmond Park in front of the Setanta Ireland cameras, Shamrock Rovers who go west to play Galway United and, in the First Division, UCD who are away to Cobh Ramblers tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, the full schedule for tonight’s SSE Airtricity League fixtures is as follow: Premier Division

: Bohemians v Drogheda United, Dalymount Park; Derry City v Cork City, Brandywell Stadium; Dundalk v Limerick, Oriel Park; Galway United v Shamrock Rovers, Eamonn Deacy Park; and St. Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town, Richmond Park (8pm). First Division

: Cabinteely v Wexford Youths, Stradbrook and Shelbourne v Finn Harps, Tolka Park.

All this evening’s matches kick off at 7.45pm unless otherwise indicated.