Cork look to escape relegation dogfight, as the Drogs look to open gap over their hosts.

Cork City enter their final game before the mid season break, nervously looking over their shoulders, as Drogheda United travel to Turner's Cross, looking to make it 5 straight home defeats for the Rebel Army.

It's 70 days since the Leesiders last won at home, and should they be defeated tonight, it will be a new club record. They are looking to recover from a 2-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers last Sunday, but they will be without the services of Denis Behan (knee), Kevin Murray (groin), Colin Healy (Knee) and Brian Lenihan (Leaving Cert). Goalkeeper Mark McNulty is back in contention after serving his 1 game ban against the Hoops.

Cork boss Tommy Dunne told CorkCityFC.ie that his side need to improve: “This is a massive game for us. We need to be at the game, and we need everybody to stand up and be counted tomorrow night. We are in a situation now where we need to start rolling up our sleeves and start fighting. Over the next number of weeks, we need to get ourselves up the table''.

A win for the hosts will see them leapfrog their opponents in the table,

Drogheda are also coming into this game on the back of a defeat. The Drogs went down 1-0 to fierce rivals Dundalk in front of the Setanta cameras on Monday night, and sit only 2 points ahead of Cork before their visit to the Cross. Their away form has been poor this season so far, winning only twice out of 8 games.

Eric Foley is out through injury, Captain Derek Prendergast should return. Gabriel Sava and David Cassidy return from suspension while Gavin Brennan is likely to make a return to the team in place of Jason Marks . Stephen Quigley is a doubt after being out of the squad in Mondays game with a hamstring injury

Speaking to extratime.ie, Mick Cooke gave his views on the recent form of the Boynesiders :

“I think we have been really unlucky in the last few weeks, our performances just aren't getting the rewards they deserved. We have lost the last four games by the odd goal, it's a very tight margin. But I'm happy with our performances. We were denied by the brilliance of Peter Cherrie on Monday night, it's disappointing to lose the local derby, but I wasn't disappointed with the way we played.''


STATS:
Cork will be debuting their new white away kit on Friday.

Earlier on in the season, the sides finished level in Hunky Dory Park. Shane Duggan scored a wonderstrike to give the Rebel Army the lead, but as has so often been the case, they conceded late. Declan O'Brien converted a penalty with just 3 minutes left, and rescued a point for Drogheda.

Cork's home form is remarkably similar to Drogs away form. They've only won three times at home this season out of 8 games!.

Cork and Drogheda have met 20 times in the last 10 years, with the home team winning 13, with an average of 2 goals per game. Drogheda won the 2005 FAI Cup, and the 2006 Setanta Cup by beating the Rebel Army





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David Kent