Cork City critics missing the point, says Alan Bennett

By Liam Mackey

Alan Bennett has dismissed criticism of Cork City’s style of play, pointing out that the 1-1 draw with Bohemians in Dalymount Park on Sunday means the club remains on course to extend its recent dominance of the FAI Cup.

“I suppose we’re a victim of our high standards over the last few years,” says the veteran defender. “The character of this team is constantly being questioned, constantly under pressure. I don’t know why. We can chat about style or we can chat about philosophies all day long but it’s a results business. I’m in the results business.

“This is by far the best period Cork City have ever had in its history. That cannot be forgotten. A bit of perspective is needed when the pressure comes on, just to sit back and stand back and have a look.

We can chat about styles all day long but I don’t care. Most teams are sat at home, out of everything, talking about style, and we’re here going for a fourth cup final.

Bennett, who returned to the heart of the City defence for Sunday’s semi-final, insists he always felt his side would get back into the game, even if it did take until the 87th minute for Kieran Sadlier’s penalty to cancel out Dinny Corcoran’s goal for Bohs.

“I always trust in the character of this team,” he says. “I think we have enough quality on the pitch that, if we get it flowing, we have players to turn it around in games that look like they’re going away from us. We’re long enough down the road that we have the experience not to panic.

“The way we started, we looked to make it more consistent. If we get that kind of performance for 60 or 70 minutes, you probably win most games. But we probably had maybe 50 minutes on Tuesday.

“We’ve got to extend that more now, and that’s confidence. It’s a thin line between being confident and not confident and that result will breathe confidence back into us now.”

The fact their league crown is ready to begin its journey to Dundalk has only reinforced City’s determination to challenge their great rivals yet again in the FAI Cup final, according to Bennett.

I came back in 2015 and all I wanted to do was get to a cup final and we did that in ’15 and since then I’ve won back-to-back cups. And it’s been an absolute dream come true. We obviously lost in 2005. All I wanted is one medal and now I’ve got two. Now, I just want to get back to a fourth cup final. I want the opportunity to do something special with this club.

But, first, City will have to overcome a Bohemians team who were within minutes of reaching the club’s first FAI Cup final in 10 years.

But, despite the disappointing end to the game for the home side at Dalymount, Keith Ward remains upbeat about their prospects at Turner’s Cross.

“It’s not hard to be positive, we just felt a bit deflated after the game and the way it went,” he says. “We’ll have nothing to fear going down to Cork. We’ve played them twice recently and got a win and a draw against them. They’re still a top side. But if we go down there and play as well as we can, we’ll give them a game. We’ll stay positive and go there and try to get ourselves to the Aviva.”