Waterford field depleted squad against Cork City

Cork City resume their bid for league honours tonight with a Munster derby against a severely-depleted Waterford United side at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).

An extended run in the InterToto Cup has seen City fall 14 points behind premier division leaders Shelbourne, but with four games in hand.

Already having to operate with a small squad, player-manager Alan Reynolds will have to do without six first-teamers in Cork tonight.

Skipper and left-back John Frost is missing once again with an ankle injury while former Cobh Ramblers player Willie Bruton has a similar problem.

The duo join longer-term casualties Wayne Fitzgerald and Vinny Sullivan on the sidelines with midfielder Mark Clifford and number one goalkeeper Dan Connor both serving one-match bans.

That means a starting place between the posts for reserve goalkeeper David Hennessy and a place in the squad for youngsters Paul McCarthy, Terry Browne and Stephen Grant.

Pat Dolan’s Leesiders, meanwhile, will have George O’Callaghan, Danny Murphy and Dan Murray back from suspension following their absence from Wednesday night’s FAI Cup defeat at first division UCD although Neale Fenn and Colin T O’Brien are both rated doubtful with ankle knocks suffered against the College.