Sport

Cork looking to close the gap

LEAGUE OF IRELAND: CORK CITY manager Alan Mathews is adamant the only secret to his side's exceptional form is good players …

PAUL BUTTNER
Fri Jul 04 2008 - 01:00

LEAGUE OF IRELAND:CORK CITY manager Alan Mathews is adamant the only secret to his side's exceptional form is good players playing with the right attitude.

Safely through to the fourth round of the FAI Cup and into the semi-finals of the League Cup, four additional wins from their last five league games has seen Cork climb to third in the table to give leaders Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic plenty of food for thought.

"We've good players," said Mathews ahead of tonight's visit to Turner's Cross of bottom of the table Galway United. "If you've got good players with ability and the right attitude you've a chance of doing well."

Mathews has a full squad to pick from as they look for another win to move them to within two points of second placed St Patrick's, who don't play until Sunday.

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Galway travel buoyed by their 3-0 League Cup win over Bray Wanderers in midweek but are without Ciarán Foley and Marc McCulloch.

Shamrock Rovers are out to avenge their most unsatisfactory result of the season when Cobh Ramblers visit Tolka Park. "We played in Cobh earlier this season and it was the most disappointing game since I came to Rovers," said manager Pat Scully. "We didn't fight, and Cobh are a strong, physical team and easily beat us on the night."

Scully is without suspended defender Barry Ferguson, while midfielders John Martin and Robbie Creevy remain out injured.

Struggling UCD, whose defeat to Cork last week saw them drop back into the relegation zone, have striker Paul Byrne back from injury for their trip to champions Drogheda United. College have also been knocked out of both cups in the past fortnight, most recently to First Division Wexford Youths in the League Cup last Tuesday.

Drogheda, still without Dan Connor, Brian Shelley, Shane Barrett, Declan O'Brien, Graham Gartland and Richie Baker, who are all injured, are set to give a debut to new signing Fahrudin Kuduzovic.

TONIGHT'S FIXTURES(7.45 unless stated): League of Ireland: Premier Division: Cork City v Galway United; Drogheda United v UCD; Shamrock Rovers v Cobh Ramblers (8.0). First Division: Limerick 37 v Kildare County; Sporting Fingal v Monaghan United; Waterford United v Shelbourne.