John Cotter wants Cork City to show mean streak

Whenever Cork City host Derry City, memories of the title decider at Turner’s Cross in 2005 inevitably loom large. In this long-running tale of two cities, Cork’s 2-0 win in front of a packed house remains the stand-out chapter.

Fourteen years on, and with the new league campaign just three games old, the stakes are clearly nowhere near as high as the old foes prepare to meet again at the same venue. But tonight’s Premier Division clash still carries considerable significance, not least for a Cork side anxious to make home advantage tell for the first time this season.

The Rebels recovered from two defeats to open their goals account when beating Sligo Rovers 2-1 away but, including the curtain-raising President’s Cup loss to Dundalk, they have yet to keep a clean sheet, something assistant manager John Cotter says the players are keen to put right.

“Even though it was a great three points in Sligo, Mark McNulty was disappointed in the dressing room afterwards with the goal we had conceded, as was everyone else,” he says.

“It’s something we’ll try to rectify and keep more clean sheets as we go along.”

But, after kicking off 2019 with a couple of false starts, the first item on the home side’s agenda tonight is get back to doing what they have done so often in recent seasons, by taking the game to the visitors right from the off.

“We started well the other night and we got the first goal, which was huge,” says Cotter. “Tonight we’ll be looking to do the same. We have to come flying out and stamp our authority on the game and hopefully get ahead.

“When we start games and we’re on the front foot, we generally win, so that’s where we need to improve. In the last two home games, against Dundalk and Waterford, we didn’t start well and it took us until the second half to get going. Hopefully, tonight, from the first whistle, we can get at them.”

Derry boss Declan Devine would be surprised by anything less.

“I’ve said before that this is the most difficult venue in the country to get a positive result,” he says. “But the spirit in the camp is really good at present and, while we know it’s a big ask, we will go there respectful but certainly not fearful.”

The Candystripes have been on a mini rollercoaster since the start of the season, having beaten UCD and lost to Shamrock Rovers before, on Monday night, they claimed what Devine understandably describes as a “fantastic” 3-2 win over a Waterford side who had comfortably disposed of Cork at Turner’s Cross the previous Friday.

The Candystripes manager has a full squad to choose from this evening, meaning skipper Barry McNamee will be making a quick return to the Cross but Cork boss John Caulfield is sweating on the fitness of influential midfielder Gearoid Morrissey. Missing for City’s first two defeats with a tight hamstring, he marked his return to the side with a sensational goal at the Showgrounds but a dead leg sustained in the same game has threatened his participation tonight.

While Cotter welcomes the confidence boost of the victory in Sligo, he doesn’t see it as eliminating the pressure which built after their poor start to the campaign.

“You’re under pressure for every game, you have to win every week,” he says. “We put ourselves under that pressure, we demand it, we try to go out to win every game. Sligo was no different to any other week but it was a great win and a great performance from a lot of the boys as well. Hopefully, they can take confidence and build a bit of momentum.”

Kick-off at Turner’s Cross is at 7.45pm.