Preview: City vs Longford

The fifth matchweek of the League of Ireland First Division season sees table-topping Cork City welcome Longford Town to Turner’s Cross on Friday night with kick off at 7:45pm. The Rebel Army will be aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign and build on their 100% home record so far.  

A 1-1 draw against Cobh Ramblers at St Colman’s Park last week ended City’s winning streak after victories against Treaty (1-0), Wexford (4-1) and Bray (1-0) in the preceding fixtures. Ten points from four matches to date has Barry Robson’s men sitting three points clear at the top of the standings with no team having scored more (7) or conceded fewer (2) goals than the Leesiders.  

Seani Maguire, who netted again last time out to give City the lead against Cobh, will be hoping to add to his tally of four goals already this season, which puts him top of the division’s goalscoring charts.  

The Manager’s Words: 

Speaking on the eve of the game, Barry Robson anticipated a “physical” contest and emphasised his side’s readiness to take on Longford’s probable back five. “We need to try and take the game to them as much as we can,” the Scotsman urged, also mentioning the importance of “having a good structure about the team and trying to keep the back door shut.” 

Amongst his comments, the City boss mentioned “a few niggles” within the group to be further assessed ahead of Friday’s kick-off, whilst also praising the nature of his squad and referencing the selection headaches he has had in his tenure so far; “I want to play them all, I think they’re all terrific people but I can only pick eleven so its just important they all keep working and trying to improve, that’s the message that comes from me. Even until the day I stopped playing I was always trying to improve and even as a coach we learn everyday just like they do… You’ve always got to strive to be better.” 

The Opposition View: 

Longford Town arrive on Leeside in search of their first victory of the campaign, having drawn three and lost one of their opening four matches. They have emerged unbeaten, however, from their previous two away days so far with trips to Bray and Kerry both ending 1-1. The Town have yet to take the lead in any of their games this season, bouncing back to earn a point on each occasion on the road, whilst the goal in their only defeat to this point came via Aaron Doran’s penalty amidst a second half fightback against Cobh in which they were ultimately unable to turn around a two goal deficit.  

Last time out, the ‘Red and Black’ held UCD to a 0-0 draw at Bishopsgate on Saturday night. The only game featuring a clean sheet across matchday four, the Town’s shut-out of the Students earned goalkeeper Kian Moore and 18-year-old centre back Taylor McCarthy each a place in the official LOI First Division’s Team of the Week (alongside City’s own Seani Maguire). 

Though they are yet to record a win in their opening quartet of matches this season, Wayne Groves’ men will be hoping to rekindle the form in which they closed out the previous campaign, as five successive victories in the final stretch guided the Town to a sixth-placed finish, their highest since 2022.  

The Dublin-born boss has a notably youthful squad at his disposal – characteristic of the club’s structure in recent years. To that point, against UCD last week, Longford’s starting XI was entirely made up of players 23 or under – while only two were above the age of 21 (‘keeper Moore is 22, while Cole Omorehiomwan who arrived recently from Athlone Town was the elder statesman at 23). 

Head-to-Head: 

City have consistently had the better of this encounter, winning on all four occasions when these sides last met in the First Division. In a promising precedent for Friday’s clash, the most recent meetings on Leeside ended in 3-2 and 2-0 home victories, while the preceding trips to Bishopsgate finished 4-1 and 2-0 in favour of the Rebel Army. The last time these two clubs came across each other in the Premier Division, meanwhile, was back in 2016 – a season that concluded with an FAI Cup triumph for City while Longford, who last won that trophy in 2004, finished bottom of the 12-team league. 

A fifth successive triumph against the men from Leinster’s north-west, and what would be a third home victory on the bounce, on Friday night could see Cork City extend their lead at the top, depending on results elsewhere, ahead of a next week’s trip to face UCD who currently sit second. Another intriguing night of League of Ireland action awaits at Turner’s Cross… the best Friday night in Cork!