Match Preview: City vs Wexford

Cork City could secure the First Division title at Turner’s Cross on Friday night with a win against Wexford FC, should other results also go their way. The Rebel Army currently sit 20 points clear of UCD in second and 21 points ahead of Bray Wanderers in third with eight games remaining. This means that a victory for City combined with the other two teams dropping points would make their return to the Premier Division a mathematical certainty.  

If Barry Robson’s men can take care of business against Wexford, they will be hoping for a helping hand from the opponents of UCD and Bray respectively in games that kick off simultaneously on Friday evening. The Wicklow club travel to Athlone Town who are fresh from back-to-back triumphs against Longford and Wexford. The Students, meanwhile, host rock-bottom Finn Harps who have lost their last seven matches, only scoring twice in the process. The Turner’s Cross crowd will be hoping for, rather than expecting, positive news from South Dublin, knowing that a first point of Patrick McEleney’s tenure in Ballybofey could present them with the chance to secure the league on home soil.  

Cork City can only focus on their own task, though, needing to get the job done against an eighth-place Wexford side who have made life difficult for the leaders across the last two encounters. This sentiment was echoed by both Barry Robson and Seani Maguire in their pre-match comments as they looked ahead to a potentially decisive evening and beyond. 

The Manager’s Words: 

Speaking on the eve of the game, Robson was keen not to underestimate the scale of his team’s efforts this season that have afforded them the possibility of sealing the title before the end of August: “It’s never easy to win any league, believe me, I’ve been lucky enough to play in teams that won leagues and (I know) how tough it was. It’s so difficult, especially with the challenges we’ve had since I’ve come in here. We’ve relied on all the players that we had here before, they’ve been so good and deserve a huge amount of credit.” 

The Scot also stressed the necessity for his team to maintain their high standards beyond the confirmation of promotion; “We’ve still got a job to do… we need the players to perform and bring the proper attitude, which they have done every day from the minute I’ve walked in here. It’s a good, honest group of players but we need to go and perform to a high level for every game until the end of the season.”  

The City boss warned of the competitiveness of the fixtures ahead, starting on Friday as the division enters its business end and how that challenge will impact his team.  

“Obviously we’re going to try win this title, but every other team is fighting for something,” he said, urging his team not to take their foot off the gas with a large portion of the league still battling it out for play-off spots, “so every game we’ve got is going be tough, going to be a fight – even more so than it has been, that’s what we need to be mindful of.” 

Return of the Mag: 

The Rebel Army’s chances of victory on Friday night will be aided by the potential re-inclusion of Seani Maguire into the starting XI for the first time since late June. Maguire spoke about his return to full fitness and his eagerness to finalise the club’s position back in the Premier Division, noting how “it has taken a bit of time with the injury that happened and reoccurred shortly afterwards, it was just about bedding me back into the team with a couple of sub appearances. I feel good now, I’m in a good place. We know what we have to do and we want to get the league wrapped up as soon as possible, hopefully tomorrow night.” 

The City #24’s desire to return to the top level of Irish football was evident, both from a personal and club perspective, showing his bullishness about the future: “Premier Division football is where you want to be playing, it’s where this club should be at. I think next year it’s not about surviving, I think the manager is the right man to help us compete with the bigger clubs in the division. We put it up against (Shamrock) Rovers a few weeks ago and that’s what the manager wants from us, and I want the club to be competing in the top half of the table. We have a lot of experience and quality in the dressing room, but we do need a hand in the squad. Hopefully we can go to another level, that’s where you want the club to be at.” 

In the short-term, with eight games remaining in the First Division season, Maguire discussed the healthy battle amongst City’s attackers in the Golden Boot race as he aspires to catch Ruairi Keating and Hans Mpongo who are joint at the top of the charts with 14 goals, four more than his own current tally of 10.  

He praised his fellow forwards and their goalscoring output, especially in his absence; “It’s great to have three lads on double figures, three Premier Division standard strikers.  The two lads have been brilliant the last couple weeks when I haven’t been in the team – two different players in their own way but they’re both goalscorers. Hans is very versatile; Keats is a traditional nine; strong and quick. I thought me and Keats linked up really well (vs Treaty) and it gives the three of us an extra accolade to compete for.”  The internal competitive edge could mean “we have a scrap over a penalty tomorrow!” he joked. 

Of the eight goals City have scored vs Wexford this season, pretty much all have come from their three attacking stars. A 4-1 triumph in Ferrycarrig Park on matchday two saw each of the trio bag, whilst Seani notched a brace. Mpongo netted both in the previous meeting at Turner’s Cross, a 2-1 victory in April. Back on Slaneyside in mid-June, Keating put the Rebel Army in front late on, before City sealed the 2-0 thanks to an audacious rabona from Mpongo that was diverted in by a defender on the goal line.  

The Turner’s Cross faithful will be hoping for a continuation of the firing forward line’s regular output on Friday to edge the club closer to a title coronation, though for that to be secured on the night, City will need favours from both Athlone and Finn Harps. Barry Robson’s men, in the meantime, can only focus on their own job. 

Tickets for the game can be purchased here.