John Caulfield: 'The only record I want is to win the league'

If there was already a gripping battle on the pitch for league honours, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny raised the ante off it with his questioning of Cork City’s penalty count.

While bemoaning his own club’s lack of penalty calls — including one at Turner’s Cross in the defeat to Cork — he also hit out at the high number of penalties the Leesiders have picked up in the same period.

Ironically, the penalty decision Sean Maguire earned in Cork’s 2-1 win at Shamrock Rovers was also the goal Maguire this week cited as his personal favourite of the campaign, as it dug out an important win for City when they hadn’t played so well.

There was already enough hype surrounding City this week, as they look to claim a ninth successive win in the league, which would be their best ever start to a Premier Division season.

Whatever about side issues and mindgames, City manager John Caulfield’s focus has remained solely on their clash with Bohemians tonight (Dalymount Park, 7.45pm).

Caulfield has warned that Cork City’s scorching start to the season will be worthless if the club do not claim the title this season.

He is well aware, from experience as a manager and a player, that there’s a fine line between league success and being second-best. A league winner in 1993 as a player, he also has four runners-up medals to prove that point.

He was part of the squad that won those first eight games of the season under Dave Barry in 1998-99 — after winning the FAI Cup the previous season — but failed to close out the league, finishing runners-up to St Pat’s.

As a manager, his side have finished second-best three times to Dundalk, so you can forgive him for keeping things muted as his side go for nine league wins in a row tonight.

“I was lucky as a player to win a few trophies but there were trophies that were left behind because the team wasn’t totally focused,” says Caulfield.

“Sometimes you can get carried away, believing you are better than you are, or that points are in the bag before they actually are. I don’t want to sound flippant but I never thought about breaking records. The only record I want is to win the league. Those records won’t mean anything — the one you want is the gold medal at the end of the season.

“I sense the team this year, there’s that within them. There’s great determination. Time will tell but it’s important for management to keep everyone grounded. That’s what we’re trying to get everyone to do.”

City pair Gearoid Morrissey and Stephen Dooley didn’t train earlier this week but both are expected to be ready to feature tonight. Greg Bolger has recovered from his ankle injury and is available while skipper John Dunleavy could be in the squad.

Bolger’s return to fitness will give Caulfield something to think about, with Conor McCormack having been hugely impressive in a midfield holding role in Bolger’s absence.

One man who looks certain to feature tonight though is Karl Sheppard, who has found a rich vein of form in recent weeks, admitting he came back with renewed desire after “a kick up the backside” from management to gee him up. He said: “When you drop out of the team it’s disappointing and you’re always raring to go. Sometimes you need to be left out to get that kick up the backside you need to get that fire back in the belly.

“I’m just thankful I’m back in the team to score a few goals and have the team continue this run.”

Bohemians will have fire in the belly themselves after their infuriating 2-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers last weekend.

“I looked at Bohs on Saturday night and it was a complete avalanche but they just couldn’t get a goal,” warned Caulfield.

One of the reasons for Bohs’ profligacy is the injury crisis at the club.

Talisman Dinny Corcoran (knee) and Jamie Doyle (quad) are still a couple weeks off fitness, while long-term absentees Eoin Wearen (cruciate) and Ismahil Akinade (surgery to remove spleen) remain on the sidelines.

Manager Keith Long said: “We’re playing a team with eight wins from eight games and six points clear at the top — nobody will give us a chance. But we’ve seen shocks around the league most Friday nights, so we will go out in the belief that can be us.

“We’ve had great home support who have been behind us all the way so far and we know they will back us again.”