Back to Winning Ways

Finally, a win! After 4 games, 2 losses, one draw and 3 last minute goals 3 points are finally in the bag, mind you, it was no walk in the park. Two goals from Guntars Sillgalius took us away from the bottom of the table and bagged the first win of the season in what might be a very difficult season to come. The atmosphere was poor on the main and reflected the flatness of the previous home match against St. Pats. Any buzz generated was after a goal and soon fizzled out, this wasn’t helped by terrible drumming which either slowed the chants down to a cripplingly slow pace or just broke them up altogether. The crowd cover at the start of the game complimented with the ‘Play for the Badge’ banner created an excellent display at the start of the game in the Curragh Road End, but there wasn’t a hint of neither a crowd nor a chant 15 minutes from the start. Murmurs of discontent rung around the stands with the news of Danny Murphy’s missed wage, wages were being paid late for other members of staff, but Murphy’s situation coupled with the contract he was pushed towards has not made Coughlan many friends after his dealings with the fans favourite. With this in mind the chants of ‘One Cockney Rebel’ were to be expected before the game and the rallying cry after the game was the fans way of appreciating what the London born full back has done for the club.
The game itself was a lacklustre affair, Bray, weighed down with injuries were inevitably playing for a draw, and despite a menacing shot that whistled past Chris O’Connor and over the bar, chances were few and far between. The game sparked into life when Stephen Brennan got his marching orders for a second bookable offence after a bad tackle on Neal Horgan. The first booking was questionable, Brennan was booked for kicking the ball away after he played a through ball following the referee’s call. To be fair to Brennan it seemed to me that he never heard the whistle and to the best of my knowledge played the ball before the whistle even went, but all things considered, the challenge itself was bordering on a capital offence. We took the lead halfway through the first half when a ball was crossed in and after what we thought was a Behan miss, Sillagalius casually nodded the ball into the back of the net to give him his second tap in in as many games. Following the goal a bizarre moment of stillness occurred before we all remembered how to celebrate a score. The last home goal we scored was that magical Kearney goal that won the Setanta Cup for us. A gap of 4 months and 26 days since our last home goal, you must excuse us for being a little rusty! Half time came and went and in the 59th minute we were two up. Once again Sillagalius was the executioner, a good run through the centre led to a delicate chip over O’Connors head and this time we celebrated properly. Bodies were all over the place and the uniquely accepted man-hug was being fully employed all over the stand. I predicted a Bray goal was going to come soon after and I was correct, a ball in from a free-kick wasn’t dealt with, the ball pinged around the box before it fell to Dave Mulcahy who stuck it home. There was squeaky bum time at the end with a couple of menacing attacks from a Wanderers side with 9 men following Derek Pender’s injury, but we survived to get what could be an important three points come the end of the season.

Home Comforts?

Well what a wet blanket that was! After a solid start away to Sligo we were brought right back down to earth by what was a poor St Pats team. A good move from a set-piece led to an excellent finish by Darragh Ryan which proved to be the difference. A shit atmosphere in the Curragh Road was compounded by the shit on the pitch and what was a hugely hyped up and anticipated even for City fans turned out to be a disappointment, and surprisingly somewhat of a surprise.

Cork City were completely flat up front, lacking talent, pace and imagination. My first impressions of Doolin are worrying. He clearly doesn?t have a grasp of the players in front of him. Why else take of Fahuran Kudozovic and bring on Behan, given the choice I would have taken off the less then impressive Guntars Sigalis and brought on Davin O?Neill. Why surely would he bring on a player that in all honesty isn?t good enough for the League of Ireland premier instead of a new signing that proved to be a revelation last season, playing well against much better teams then the Pats outfit on the pitch Friday last? There was very little of note after the Ryan goal, both sides were poor going forward and the fussy nature of ref made flowing football nigh on impossible, a scuffle that got going after an injury to Gary Rodgers inflicted by Faz got the crowd going briefly, but the next 5 minutes of play soon put an end to the buzz.

As the night got on the weather got progressively worse and perhaps that?s a small excuse for the brand of football that was played. But Doolin should be savvy enough to realise that you must adjust your tactics to fit the club that you?re in. The long ball isn?t something that City are used to and to be honest, Colin Healy and Joe Gamble looked lost in no mans land. Neither Sigalis nor Kudozovic are suited to the long ball (Perhaps why Kudozovic had so many problems after leaving Sligo) and if Doolin is a smart man he?ll find out the players strengths and play to them. Football teams can?t be dictatorships and if Doolin employs the iron fist of long ball football he might just as well pack his bags and go now.

By the way, when did fans ever start booing their own players? Dan Connor got a massive amount of abuse from so called ?supporters? Friday night. Now, I?m the first to condemn his actions and curse his name when playing for opposition teams. But following a good save from a tricky chip shot in the first half a mountain of abuse was hurled at the Waterford native for his failure to catch the ball. I was one of the very few that applauded him and yelled encouragement. Then these idiots starting shouting at me for applauding him and persisted in trying to start a heated debate during the match. During times like this I wonder who the real fans are.

On a lighter note, kudos to those who applauded Darragh Ryan after his goal and on his departure at the end of the match. He had to endure the same pay cuts as the rest of the squad last season and he was more then entitled to find a new club after he left City. I was hoping the Rebel Army would keep him but it wasn?t to be and his respect after the goal was admirable after the antics of a number of footballers over the last few years. Good luck Darragh and all the best at Pats!

Kevin Galvin

Rebels Piked

So the first competitive game of 2009 took place on a crisp Sunday afternoon back at Bishopstown. The Rebel Army were looking to get through to the quarter final of the Munster Senior Cup, a competition the Leesiders have won a staggering 16 times. Limerick outfit Pike Rovers provided the competition, as a junior side they weren’t expected to be much opposition.
But as the teams took the field there was no sight of manager Paul Doolin, U21 manager Stuart Ashton took the reigns for the day and surrounded himself it seemed with familiar faces. There were no fancy team buses or even lifts for some City players. As a matter of fact Tim Kiely called on the No. 8 city bus service to take him to the match; unfortunately he was confronted with the problem if having to discuss football with the group of plebs already on the bus. (Myself included folks!!)

Anyway back to the game and after an opening 20 minutes with very few chances. A piece of magic brought a spark to the game. After a corner from the left looped up into the air, a Rovers midfielder was soon onto it and hit the ball with venom and serious front spin which made the ball dip viciously just over the flailing arms of the keeper and under the bar. One nil and the Rovers management was jumping and whooping in delight.

Their score and joy was doubled after a free kick was given away in a dangerous position. The ball was drilled low and hard, deflected off the bottom off the wall and took a hard bounce off the bobbling pitch to slam into the left hand corner of the net. 2-0 Rovers and the ‘junior’ team were making their experience show. All City could muster were a few corners before a good turn of skill resulted in a low shot under the otherwise good Rovers keeper. ‘Thou shallst not pass’ seemed like the 11th commandment and many good chances were wasted with unnecessary over elaboration.

The cold and windy stand was substituted for the sunny pitch, and view was sacrificed for heat. Soon enough after the whistle a City chance went sailing over and so we had a ball to kick around with as well as a match to watch. Result!! The youths also picked up their performance and should have got a second when a corner was headed in and Rovers keeper took the ball into his chest, but crucially after the ball crossed the line.

Moreover he landed over the line with the ball (I was 4 yards away I hasten to add) and it was the linesman 40 yards away that decided the goal didn’t stand. But the luck was well deserved from a plucky and very well organised Pike Rovers outfit and when the full time whistle blew no one could begrudge the Limerick side the win and so City bowed out of the competition, not one of the highlights during the 25 year history Cork City Football Club.

County Clash

The first match at Turners Cross for the 2009 season was against newly reinstated Kildare County. After your typical mundane mid-term Friday and a Maths grind the gates were opened. Admission was free for all u18’s and un-employed persons and €5 for the lucky ones who are employed. Even the promise of free football for many didn’t draw much of a crowd, maybe 150 people packed the Donie Ford stand to see what was a casual affair. County were well organised at the back and Cork City’s front line of Behan and Kudozovic found the going tough. Headers from set pieces were their only way of threatening County goalkeeper. The shot stopper had groin problems earler in the game but ignored the pain to produce a top class save around 20 minutes in. From a powerful header on the near post he, ironically decked out in a City jersey, leaped and scooped the ball one handed just over the crossbar.

That prolonged the inevitable though and from the resulting corner a goalmouth scramble ended up with the ball wedged between new signing Robert Metzekis and the post but the Latvian managed to free the ball and toe poke it into the net to give the Rebel Army a 1-0 lead. Soon it was 2 when a dangerous Colin Healy free kick was met with a powerful header from captain Dan Murray. Just before halftime there was a highly entertaining dispute across the pitch between County defender and Manager which was clearly audible in the spookily silent ground. Trouble in the camp perhaps?!

There was chopping and changing in the second half. City fans were treated to their first look at controversial signing Dan Connor and Billy Dennehy and Faz Kudozovic were taken off. Another new signing Guntars Sigalis and Setanta Cup semi-final hero Tim Kiely replaced the two. It was Sigalis that provided the only bright spark in an otherwise dull second half when he smartly converted a powerful low cross from into the bottom right hand corner to hand Cork City a good 3-0 win.

So the lights were powered off and the crowd left the only all-seater and covered stadium in the country (Just thought I’d sneakily slip that in. Croke Park eat your heart out!!) the fans seemed pleased. The team played well and there doesn’t seem to be any financial difficulties. We’ve secured our A-Licence and a juicy away tie to Sligo will be played on a Saturday which means it’s accessible to many. (Unfortunatly not yours truly)

There’s only a week and a half to the start of the season and while painful memories are being slowly forgotten, new ambition is sowing its seed, now it’s up to fate to make it grow into a pretty little trophy.

We Are All Ón Trial

And so the season starts, it’s about 2 o’clock on a crisp Saturday afternoon and I’m in town, waiting for a friend to arrive so we can get the sow on the road. We must take the No. 8 bus out to Bishopstown to witness Paul Doolin’s first game in charge of Cork City and the return of Michael Devine. The bus journey was….interesting to say the least, a mixed member of society proceeded to discuss to my friend and I, he came away with the notion that I had multiple girlfriends!!! (We can all hope) Anyway, after getting off the bus a few stops in advance of the ground we set off to the ground.

Bishopstown was an ambitious plan set out buy the club’s former owners at the start of the previous decade. They planned to turn it into a purpose built stadium, fit for hosting concerts, internationals and big club matches. But after building the original stand it all fell to pieces, the club were planning to build a bar and restaurant facility and after the club were refused a licence to sell alcohol their main source of finance was taken from under their feet. Soon plans were scrapped and all that was left was the original stand (All thanks to the one and only Plonk) now all that remains is that one stand, the wire fencing outside the pitch has been taken down so thus stand a sole arch outside the tunnel, which everyone walks through for some reason (thus are the eccentricities of League of Ireland football)

With sunny skies overhead, and the ground bitterly cold, the match got underway, it was a fairly scrappy affair, with loose tackles flying in and umpteen passes going askew. Gints Fremanis was back for his second trial spell and looked impressive, with good ball control on what was a poor surface. Brazilian (Yes you read correctly) trialist Tacio Santos didn’t impress me, his passing was poor and his tackles were mis-timed and rash, that was when he actually attempted a tackle. There were some more good signs, Finnish centre back Matthias Kullstrom looked solid at the back (Not that we have problems filling the gap) and second half sub Levi Reid played well (English centre mid) At half time the group popped down to the shop with the idea of warming ourselves up, choclate was my preferred method, tea was another and Paul (mon ami) decided to warm up with a piping hot….Brunch??

We returned confectionary and hot drinks in hand to a scoreless game, the game had some more flow now and with the players getting used to the bumpy pitch, we decided to opt for a place in the sunlight in the second half and stood in the embankment opposite the main stand. Even with the added flow the game was still low on entertainment, and within hiatus’ in the match, we sourced alternative entertainment by watching a rip-roaring game between younger City fans going on behind one of the goals. Needless to say the game was end to end stuff, which wasn’t hard to be fair because the ends had 20 yards between them.

As the game made the transition into the final phase changes were made, both goalkeepers were changed and more first team players were introduced into the match, but there was very little troubling the net minders, both only having to do minor errands between the sticks. But with less then 2 minutes to go, a good corner was dropped in for David Grincell to powerfully head home, and the travelling support (About 4 in number) went wild and disgracefully jumped onto the pitch. (Which wasn’t difficult considering the touchline was barely visible) Referee Alan kelly blew the final whistle and their journey was worth it, they had a win away to Cork City and will no doubt now proclaim their selves themselves as ‘The best team in Munster’

For the Cork International Trialist XI it was the performance more then the result that mattered, and no doubt come the start of the season, we won’t be losing to Waterford. All that was left for me was to conduct a few short interviews in the all new Bishopstown reception area which had a modern table no less!!! After gingerly getting out of the stadium through a waterlogged field (Olympic Way eat your heart out) there were more bus eccentricities, first we had to run to catch a bus with no passengers on, and then I walked the two miles home faster then the bus could drive (Granted I had a head start). And I finally arrived back where I started from 4 and a half hours after setting out, so far so bad. Played 1, lost 1, conceded 1

Match Photo's: Alan Mooney

D-Day

It’s D-Day, no, it’s not a cup final, nor a crucial league game. For this team D-Day is licence day. With the ghosts of 2008 settled in already the club now faces the most important decision on the season, even before a ball is kicked. Today Cork City will know whether they have earned the coveted ‘A’ licence. The club failed to back pay all their players for the lost 80% by the deadline, and now that failure might rob Ireland’s most supported football club from playing in the premier league. But after signing key player’s contracts and assigning the new manager maybe the licensing committee will vote in out favour.

The UEFA ‘A’ licence is needed for a club to play in the top league of their country, and without it City would be cast to the depths of the First Division. We’re not the only club in this peculiar situation, Drogheda United are currently undergoing the painful period of examinership and their players have also taken a pay cut, it’s now up the authorities to judge whether City and United (Not the Manchester variety) are able to sustain their setup through the season and guarantee the back pay of players wages.

Come this summer I hope to be in Derry, rather than Wexford, in the Tallaght Stadium, rather than the Morton Stadium. With less than 2 months to go to the start of the season, nobody knows either who nor when they will play and it just goes to show you when it comes to this league, anything can, has and probably will happen.

New Manager - No Mop

Every day this club surprises me, they sack the most successful and then the most professional manager in a row, the first took compensation and the next still could very well do and now, we’ve managed somehow to sign one of the biggest managers in the domestic game. After public submissions, help from the League Managers Association and dozens of names thrown about former Drogheda United manager Paul Doolin has been appointed the 16th manager of Cork City in their 25 year history. Doolin had a 22 year playing career, winning 5 league titles with Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne and Derry City as well as 5 FAI Cups and a League Cup trophy with Derry. He also played a year in Northern Ireland and won a league and Cup title with Co. Armagh side Portadown. The Dublin native also awarded the PFAI Player of the year on two occasions (1985-86, 1988-89) His first managing job was also as a player, Doolin spent 2 seasons as player-manager of UCD and after a fruitless term he took over newly promoted Drogheda United which was to be a turning point in his career in the dugout, he guided Drogheda to their first FAI Cup success in 2005, beating us in a wet and windy Lansdowne Road. He then beat the Rebel Army in the second final in 5 months and captured the Setanta Sports Cup in it’s second year. He retained the trophy the following year in a dramatic penalty shootout against Linfield at Windsor Park.

Cork City were once again the cannon fodder when Guy Bates struck a 25 yard strike to hand Drogs their first ever Premier Division title. 2008 for Drogheda went the way of a number of other teams getting into financial difficulties which all but ended Drogheda’s chance of retaining their league trophy, the Boynesiders started badly and the season didn’t get any better, Doolin finished his last season with the Claret and Blue outfit after financial cutbacks and after 3 months of unemployment baldy will take the reigns at Cork City, hoping to restore some stability back to the club, don’t expect to see many new faces though!!