Good evening, folks. Welcome along to our liveblog of the meeting of Cork City and Dundalk, with the President’s Cup at stake as a new domestic football season kicks off.
With no live TV coverage of the game available, we’ll keep you updated as frequently as the notoriously dodgy broadband connection at Turner’s Cross allows us to!
Kick-off here is at 5.30pm.
Here are the teams…
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy, Dan Casey, Sean McLoughlin, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrissey; James Tilley, Garry Buckley (captain), Dáire O’Connor; Graham Cummins.
Subs: Tadhg Ryan, Colm Horgan, Alan Bennett, Darragh Rainsford, Ronan Hurley, Cian Murphy, Kevin O’Connor.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Sean Hoare, Brian Gartland (captain), Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson; John Mountney, Patrick McEleney, Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban.
Subs: Aaron McCarey, Daniel Kelly, Georgie Kelly, Stephen Folan, Sean Murray, Dan Cleary, Dean Jarvis.
Robert Hennessy is the match referee.
Unless there’s a big last-minute rush, it looks like we’re in for a fairly low attendance for this one.
Kick off in Dundalk’s first competitive game since the departure of Stephen Kenny is fast-approaching.
Stick with us for updates.
This is the fourth consecutive President’s Cup meeting of these two sides, with Cork City emerging victorious on each of the previous three occasions.
However, the momentum is very much behind Dundalk ahead of the 2019 season following last year’s Premier Division and FAI Cup double success.
Here we go…
The game has kicked off, with Cork City defending the Shed End.
Despite experimenting with a 3-5-2 formation in pre-season, Cork City are operating in their more familiar 4-2-3-1 set-up, as are Dundalk.
Duffy’s corner from the left for Dundalk looks for Hoban at the back post. He’s unable to get a connection on the ball while tangling with Casey.
Lovely pass through by Hoban for Duffy, whose drilled shot is spilled by Cork City goalkeeper McNulty, who eventually gathers the rebound.
Close for Dundalk! Benson’s corner from the right finds Hoban, whose header strikes the post.
Ten minutes played, Dundalk having the better of it so far.
Close for Dundalk! McCormack was penalised for an accidental handball 30 yards out from Cork City’s goal. The free-kick from Duffy had McNulty scrambling as it sailed narrowly wide.
Following good work by new signing Dáire O’Connor, a rare jaunt forward for Cork City ends with a disappointing Shane Griffin cross drifting out of play.
McCarthy sends a promising cross into the Dundalk box but it’s well headed clear by Gartland.
Tilley’s corner from the right is easily gathered by Dundalk goalkeeper Rogers.
Excellent cross from the right by Dundalk’s Gannon but McEleney is unable to get a solid connection on it.
Another good delivery from McCarthy is again cut out by Gartland.
President Michael D Higgins preparing to be introduced to the teams before the game.
Gannon’s diagonal ball finds Hoban in the Cork City box but he’s unable to direct his header on target.
Dundalk awarded a free-kick just outside the Cork City box after Casey fouled Shields. Duffy again steps up but can’t keep his effort down.
Close for Dundalk! Mountney’s shot is deflected narrowly wide, but the visitors have a corner.
GOAL! Cork City o Dundalk 1 (Massey, 36)
There’s the lead for Dundalk and it’s fully deserved too. Robbie Benson’s corner from the right was met by the head of Dane Massey to put Vinny Perth’s side ahead.
Free-kick to Cork City just outside the box, wide on the right. Tilley’s effort goes well over.
Free-kick to Cork City deep on the right after Massey fouled Cummins. Tilley’s delivery fails to beat the first man, Benson, who heads the danger clear.
Dáire O’Connor cuts the ball back from the right in search of Cummins, but Dundalk goalkeeper Rogers collects.
GOAL! Cork City 0 Dundalk 2 (Hoban, 45 + 1)
Dundalk double their lead in first-half stoppage time thanks to last season’s leading goalscorer.
Cork City initially cleared the danger from a corner, but the ball found its way back to Duffy, whose cross from the left was met by a glancing header from Pat Hoban.
Half-time: Cork City 0 Dundalk 2
The second half will kick off shortly here at Turner’s Cross, where the attendance is 2,777.
The game has resumed.
Dane Massey celebrates his first-half opener.
Dáire O’Connor’s corner for Cork City finds the head of Casey, whose effort goes harmlessly wide.
Cork City finally have a shot on target, as Cummins forces a save from Rogers with a strike from a difficult angle after being played in by Buckley.
Excellent work down the left by Duffy to get a cross in for Hoban, who can’t test McNulty with his header. A difficult chance, to be fair.
McCarthy catches the ball on the volley just outside the Dundalk box but it’s off target.
McEleney sends a good ball to the back post for Duffy, whose shot causes no problems for McNulty in the Cork City goal.
Having returned to the club on loan from Preston North End, Cork City have brought on Kevin O’Connor to replace Conor McCormack in midfield.
Fine work down the right for Cork City by Dáire O’Connor but his low ball fails to find a man in the box. Moments later, McCarthy’s strike from just outside the box goes wide.
Much better from the home side in the second half as they aim to get back into the game.
GOAL! Cork City 1 Dundalk 2 (K O’Connor, 65)
Cork City are back in it. Just minutes after coming off the bench, returning hero Kevin O’Connor finds the net with a brilliant free-kick which was almost a carbon copy of his goal in the 2017 President’s Cup.
Game on!
New signing Sean Murray replaces Patrick McEleney for Dundalk.
Murray’s long-range free-kick for Dundalk goes well over after Tilley fouled Hoare, for which the on-loan Brighton youngster was booked.
Tilley’s cross from the left is headed clear by Gartland. The home crowd have found their voice.
A fine long-range strike by Kevin O’Connor calls Dundalk goalkeeper Rogers into action.
Nervy moments for Dundalk now with Cork City well on top in their search for an equaliser.
Tilley’s corner from the right finds McCarthy but he can’t direct his header on target.
Georgie Kelly replaces Pat Hoban for Dundalk.
Duffy’s corner for Dundalk finds Georgie Kelly, who heads straight at McNulty.
Kevin O’Connor scoring for Cork City earlier on.
The game has stopped momentarily after what appeared to be a clash of heads between John Mountney and Kevin O’Connor.
Four minutes to be added on.
Dundalk have introduced Dean Jarvis to replace Robbie Benson.
Superb work by Dáire O’Connor who slips in Cummins. He cuts the ball back for Tilley to put it in the net, but the linesman had already flagged Cummins offside
Full-time: Cork City 1 Dundalk 2 (Dundalk win the 2019 President’s Cup)
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