LEAGUE OF IRELAND:WHILE THE expression "funny old game" might not be quite the quip in the circumstances, the irony of deposed champions Drogheda United going into examinership this week won't be lost on those running Cork City when the sides meet at Turner's Cross this evening.
The Independent Club Licensing committee of the FAI will meet early next week to discuss the situation at Drogheda with the club set to be docked 10 points, as Cork were when they went into examinership in August.
It's a turn of events that will put Cork right back in contention for a Uefa Cup spot and qualification for next year's Setanta Sports Cup, regardless of whether they beat Glentoran in this year's final.
Cork yesterday delighted in announcing the High Court had approved the proposed scheme of arrangement for the club and that they emerged successfully from examinership at 5pm. The club stated they were "currently finalising the transfer of ownership of Cork City FC to Tom Coughlan, and this process is expected to be completed very shortly".
It's a reversal of fortunes the home fans will undoubtedly muse about tonight. Having missed the last two games because of concussion, Michael Devine is set to return in goal for City, while Alan O'Connor may come in up front if Liam Kearney hasn't recovered from a knee knock suffered in Derry midweek. Colin Healy, Denis Behan and Cillian Lordan remain out injured.
Drogheda are without suspended pair Joe Kendrick and Adam Hughes, while Dan Connor, Guy Bates, Shane Barrett, Richie Baker, Brian Shelley and Shaun Maher are injured.
While they will be presented with their league championship trophy after tonight's game with Derry City at Dalymount Park, Bohemians' manager Pat Fenlon is demanding no let-up in performance from his players as he now concentrates on achieving a double.
A 10th title may be secure, but nothing more than a remarkable 13th league win on the spin will satisfy Fenlon as he dangles the carrot of FAI Ford Cup semi-final places against St Patrick's Athletic in his players' faces.
"We have a very competitive squad and my players know that they must perform to remain in the starting 11," siad Fenlon. Neale Fenn (ankle) and Mark Rossiter (groin) are out injured, though Lithuanian Mindaugas Kalonas comes back into the squad following international duty.
Derry remain without Peter Hutton following his hernia operation and hope stand-in captain Clive Delaney recovers from a dead leg suffered in the Setanta Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Cork midweek. Stephen Gray, Kevin Deery and Thomas Stewart return to the squad.
Though defender Shaun Holmes and striker Stephen Parkhouse return, Finn Harps, back in relegation trouble a poor run recently, continue without Jonathan Minnock (groin), Davy Byrne (thigh) and Aaron Labonte (knee) for the live televised clash with Sligo Rovers at Finn Park.
TONIGHT'S FIXTURES (7.45 unless stated):League of Ireland: Premier Division: Bohemians v Derry City; Cork City v Drogheda United; Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers (Live RTÉ 2, 7.35); Galway United v Bray Wanderers. First Division: Kildare County v Longford Town; Limerick 37 v Waterford United; Shelbourne v Wexford Youths (8pm).
