Match day 13 – Kerry FC v Cork City FC Preview
Excitement is at fever pitch in the Kingdom and the build-up to a long-awaited acquaintance with Cork City is coming to an end tomorrow night. The Sold Out signs are being erected in Mounthawk Park for the first time this season as there is only one show in town to kick off the May Bank Holiday weekend in the county capital.
It’s a game that supporters were early looking out for when the fixture list was revealed pre-Christmas and tickets are at a premium for both Kerry and Cork supporters. The Munster rivalry between the pair is strong regardless of what sport or competition is at stake and we have entered a new era of the rivalry in the League of Ireland.
Kerry come into the game off the back of a frustrating result in the Carlisle Grounds last Friday night, as the sole two chances on goal were well taken by Bray Wanderers to leave the Kingdom travelling down the M7 with no points. That was to be two defeats in a row for Kerry, following a disappointing 1-2 defeat to Athlone the last time we were all in Mounthawk Park. Kerry will be looking to return to unbeaten ways sooner rather than later, having gone 8 unbeaten in all competitions before the Athlone game two weeks ago.
Cork City meanwhile are flying high at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division table and is making their pre-league favourites tag look like the correct call from the bookies. Yet to be beaten in 12 league matches, the Rebel Army look on course for an immediate return to the top flight. But 4 draws away from home to the likes of Treaty United, Wexford FC and Finn Harps could give Conor McCarthy’s men some vote of confidence that a result of some description could be on the cards in a packed-out Mounthawk Park.
Match day 13 – Kerry FC v Cork City FC
Friday, May 3rd – 19:45 kick-off
Mounthawk Park, Tralee
Live on LOITV, Reports thanks to Radio Kerry Sport
Previous Meetings
Cork City Wins 1 | Draws 0 | Kerry FC Wins 0
Did you know?
This is just the second-ever meeting of the two sides. Given Kerry’s entry into the league last term and Cork City’s relegation, 2024 is the first season where the neighbours can meet regularly. Cork City took the spoils in Turners Cross on the opening night of the season, winning by 2 goals to nil but Kerry’s performance on the night was well up to standard in the division.
Injury Update
For the first time this season, Kerry FC have a full squad of players to choose from. Valerii Dolia, who returned from injury to make the bench against Bray Wanderers, played for the club’s U20 team last Saturday against Treaty United. The likes of Jack Kavanagh, Nathan Gleeson and Sean McGrath who all missed games recently are all back in the match day squads. All that plus Daniel Okwute’s return from suspension means that the management team have a well-wanted headache when selecting a match day squad of 20 for this one.
‘What they said’
First Team Coach James Sugrue
You have to look at it that it’s a derby game. It’s our first time having Cork City down here in Mounthawk Park in a League of Ireland competitive game. But as I always say, no matter who comes down here we have the same attitude. We will try to go out to win the game. We are up against the league leaders so if you can win it, it will drive you further on, confidence-wise and everything so look we will approach the game with the right attitude, and we will train and prepare hard this week. We will be looking for the 12th man once again on Friday night, the players feed off it and drive us on. There is no fear in this camp and we will have ourselves well up for it.
First Team Player Sean McGrath
I spent three years in the Academy in Cork and made a few first-team squads on the bench up there. I’ve good memories from there from when I was younger but it’s another game for us, a game we want to put in another big performance and hopefully take a positive result from it, in front of a packed-out Mounthawk Park. Maybe some see it as a free hit for us given the league positions but when we played them earlier this season there were only a couple of moments in that game where we lost it. We held our own for the majority, two quick goals for them in the first half but other than that, they didn’t tear us apart so that gives us plenty of confidence too.
