IN THE DAYS that followed last November’s FAI Cup final, Cork City defender Alan Bennett went in search of something to take his mind off his side’s failure to deny Dundalk the double.
The ‘Done Deal’ classifieds website provided him with a vehicle for escapism.
“I went away and bought a bike for myself,” says the defender, who found solace on the back roads near his home after Patrick McEleney’s second-half header inflicted a disappointing end to a difficult season upon Cork City.
Having already relinquished their Premier Division title to Dundalk, a third successive FAI Cup victory would have represented a substantial measure of consolation for City. Ultimately, their anguish was compounded by another runner-up finish.
“It’s low, because it’s so final. It’s so ending,” says Bennett, reflecting on the aftermath of the 2-1 loss at the Aviva Stadium. “I wanted to do something that I could just focus on for a few weeks. All around Christmas I was tearing around the hills by Glanmire and Knockraha.
“I suppose that’s how I took out most of my aggression and anger over it. You’re stewing for a few days. It never gets easier. You’re doing the best you can to focus towards the new season.”
He adds: “I have [the game] recorded at home. I see it on the Sky Player every so often but I still can’t bring myself to look at it. It’s there and I think ‘I’ll look at it next week’, but I probably won’t. I haven’t looked at any of the finals. I do feel that we played well, but that’s in the past now. We’re really looking forward to this season.”
That new season begins in earnest for Cork City tomorrow. Dundalk will again be the opposition, with the President’s Cup on the line at Turner’s Cross (5.30pm).
Six days later, the Leesiders will kick off their Premier Division campaign with a difficult assignment away to St Patrick’s Athletic, whose impressive winter recruitment drive under new manager Harry Kenny has led many observers to bill them as the side most capable of scuppering Dundalk’s bid for a fifth title in six years.
Cork City must persevere without the likes of Kieran Sadlier, Steven Beattie and Jimmy Keohane, all key players under John Caulfield who departed after the FAI Cup final.
Bennett is hopeful that the ethos established by the remaining members of the squad can help new arrivals like Dan Casey, Daire O’Connor and James Tilley to ensure that City stay in contention for silverware in 2019.
“I think the behaviours of this group and of this club at the moment are quite strong. They — whether players come in or out — will stay the same,” he explains. “When players come in they have to get into them pretty quickly, or else they’ll be told. That’s the strength in our club and in our group.
“In the last few seasons, there have been clubs who recruited strongly — Rovers, Pat’s, Waterford. I would love an even league with teams beating teams every week, good and competitive. I would love that and I think every League of Ireland fan would love that.
“I think it’s up to ourselves and all those teams mentioned to go and put it up to Dundalk; to not just be overwhelmed when playing them and to really challenge them and put it up to them.”
In their ongoing rivalry with Dundalk, Cork City finally gained supremacy in 2017 by winning the first double in the club’s history. Until last September, the Lilywhites hadn’t won in their previous seven visits to Turner’s Cross. However, the balance of power has now well and truly been tipped back towards the north-east.
Now under the guidance of former assistant manager Vinny Perth, the Oriel Park outfit have retained their top players — in addition to making some intriguing additions — as they aim to avoid having their momentum stalled by Stephen Kenny’s departure.
“They’re the double champions, like we were last season, so they’re the team that everyone is out to get this year. We’re the exact same. We want to challenge them, we want to go at them and just see how they’re set up,” says Bennett.
“They haven’t really changed much of their playing personnel but their backroom staff has changed quite dramatically. We want to put a good, solid test to them as quick as we can to see how it’s working.”
He adds: “They will be the team to beat. If you can get above them, you’re winning things. They set the standards last year. It’s up to us now to try and put it up them.”
In a week when Cork City manager John Caulfield called for supporters to back his young recruits (the seven new signings have an average age of 22), the captain’s armband has returned to Alan Bennett for a season during which he’ll celebrate his 38th birthday.
Bennett represented his hometown club for seven seasons before departing in 2007 for a spell in England, which took in stints at Reading, Southampton, Brentford, Cheltenham Town, Wycombe Wanderers and AFC Wimbledon.
The twice-capped former Ireland international, who is the most decorated player in Cork City’s 35-year history, has pushed his tally of appearances for the club beyond 300 since returning in 2015. Whether this season will be his last or not is a subject he’s in no hurry to broach.
“I haven’t made a decision. I’m just taking it as it comes,” says Bennett, who has been appointed assistant manager to David Moore for Cork City’s new U13 side.
“It’s the last year of my contract. I’ll speak to John [Caulfield] about that when the time is right. I signed with City youths and when I was 19 I probably got my first contract. It’s what I’ve done for the last I-don’t-know-how-many years and it’s something I love doing.
“Every Sunday night I don’t feel bad about getting up on Monday morning. I’m really looking forward to coming back in. To be honest, I’m petrified about stepping out of it. The longer I can stay in, the better.”
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