Cork City ready for return to the big stage

Five years after being wound up in the high court, a reborn Cork City return to European football tonight as they welcome Iceland’s KR Reykjavik to Turner’s Cross for a Europa League first round qualifying tie that is sure to attract a bumper crowd to the Curragh Road venue (7.45pm).

It looked like Leeside would be without a League of Ireland club for the first time since 1983 following the well-publicised fiasco that brought the club to its knees in February 2010.

However, a new club was born under the ownership of the supporters’ trust FORAS and those fans will deservedly take great pride in all their work when John Caulfield’s side run out tonight to take their place amongst Europe’s elite again.