Caulfield needs crisp finish to keep title race alive

By Martin Claffey

What John Caulfield would give for a Tayto sandwich in front of the Shed tonight.

When Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny made his caustic comments about City’s ability to earn penalties at home last season, declaring referees would whistle if an “empty crisp packet” gusted in the penalty area, it was borne out of frustration of being second-best.

Back then, the Lilywhites were desperately watching their Premier Division crown slip away, amid Cork’s relentless early surge.

Now champions Cork are feeling the heat, struggling to keep their title ambitions alive, and with Dundalk eager to put them out of their misery. City are in a rut and any slice of fortune, via cheese ‘n’ onion or otherwise, will be gratefully accepted.

There will be times in the club’s history when results won’t be great, a rocky patch,” said City boss John Caulfield this week. “You have to ensure the blocks that you’ve built don’t fall apart.

Tonight, Caulfield faces some of the toughest selection calls of his successful reign at Turner’s Cross.

Defenders Conor McCarthy, Johnny Dunleavy, and Colm Horgan are out, with Alan Bennett doubtful. City endured a defensive meltdown in the 4-2 drubbing to Bohemians at Dalymount last weekend, with Damien Delaney hooked at half-time after a personal nightmare, where the fleet-footed Bohs attack made him look all of his 37 years.

Nevertheless Delaney has Premier League pedigree and is the most experienced player in either squad. He also has the brawn to match Dundalk’s all-action striker Pat Hoban, who is hoping to equal the Premier Division record of 25 goals in a season tonight.

Aaron Barry is available for Cork, as is Sean McLoughlin, whose performances garnered rave reviews earlier in the season but slipped out of the starting XI in the past month, then missed the defeat to Bohs through an injury picked up on U21 international duty.

Caulfield must also decide whether to restore goalkeeper Mark McNulty to the starting line-up, with neither he nor Peter Cherrie entirely convincing this season.

Further forward, there’s another big call for Cork to make, on Kieran Sadlier. After a hat-trick against Longford, Sadlier missed the Bohs defeat through injury but provides an X-factor City otherwise lack.

“There’s no doubt about Kieran’s skill or ability, it’s just about his consistency,” says Caulfield.

Barry McNamee is out for City while Karl Sheppard and Josh O’Hanlon are both doubtful but Garry Buckley is available.

Amid the flux on Leeside, Dundalk come into the game with a fortnight’s rest, and with a double of their own now in mind. Skipper Stephen O’Donnell continues his recovery from a broken leg and Karol Chevdukas is out but there are no new injury concerns.

Cork doing so well last year really hurt us,” said defender Brian Gartland earlier this month. “It was hard to take, especially the manner in which they won the league.

While Dundalk’s chairman Mike Treacy, of US investment firm Peak6 bemoaned the ticket allocation, the Lilies have received the biggest away offering of the year at Turner’s Cross, with around 500 supporters from The Town bulking out the St Anne’s End of the ground tonight, making sure it won’t be just at the Shed end that referee Neil Doyle will have to keep an eye out for crisp bags going down easy in the box.

For his part City defender Steven Beattie knows the importance of having the home crowd on side tonight.

“We have to get that feeling back where we were brilliant at Turner’s Cross. It should be formidable from the fans, from us, from everybody. It’s not right at the moment, we have to come together and get that right as a group.”

Whatever happens will have serious repercussions. An away win, and City may as well send the league trophy back up the M8 with the Dundalk bus, not to mention the boost it will give Stephen Kenny’s men going into their home FAI Cup semi-final against UCD. A home win keeps the title race alive, and sets City up nicely for a revenge visit to Dalymount Park to face Bohs in the other FAI Cup semi-final. Could this be just the appetiser for another meeting at Aviva Stadium in November?

Sit back, open up the Taytos, and enjoy the ride.