Dave Barry is stressing the need for discipline and patience in the countdown to Cork City's European Cup Winners' Cup game against CSKA of the Ukraine, at Turner's Cross this evening.

Warning that the concession of an early goal may prove ruinous to their hopes of keeping the tie competitive until the return meeting of the teams, Barry effectively dismissed the theory that Cork's strategy will be geared to attack.

"Hopefully, we will create sufficient chances to win the game, but the first priority must be to deny the Ukrainians space in our half of the field," he said.

It suggests that the Cork manager, who is likely to deploy John Caulfield as a replacement for Colin O'Brien on the right side of midfield, will go with only one specialist forward. And, in turn, may prefer Noel Hartigan over Jason Kabia, for the role of target man.

To beat CSKA City will need to produce a substantial performance. Although fated to trade in the shadows of their better known neighbours, Dynamo Kiev, down through the years, the army club is still rated as one of the Ukraine's more potent forces.

Currently managed by Vladimir Bezsonov who played 85 times for the Soviet Union, they will include their two recent signings from Dynamo Kiev, Victor Leonenko and Pavlo Shkapenko.

Thanks to Leonenko's achievement in scoring three times in six games, they are currently in second place in their national championship.