Cork City host Wexford with chance to go 10 points clear

First Division action returns for Cork City tonight at 7.45pm, as the Leesiders host second-placed Wexford FC, and have the opportunity to push 10 points clear with a game in hand on the teams below, should results go their way.

After defeating Kerry FC 2-1 in their Munster Senior Cup semi-final with a full squad rotation midweek, City’s regular starting 11 will be well rested after the disruption faced last Friday in Limerick that saw their clash with Treaty United postponed due to an unplayable pitch.

Last time out in the First Division on Easter Monday, City came from two goals down at half-time to beat Kerry 4-2, Seani Maguire hitting a second-half hat-trick and Fiacre Kelleher adding a header.

It was the first time this season that Cork have trailed in a game, but the manner of the recovery was particularly impressive, and the squad's mentality was something that manager Barry Robson pointed to post-match.

They have now won seven of their nine league games, drawing the other two, and have scored 18 goals while conceding just six – the best attack and best defence in the division.

Maguire leads the First Division scoring charts with eight goals and has been the standout performer at this level by some distance, while Cillian Murphy continues to develop at a remarkable rate.

The 16-year-old won the early penalty and delivered a free-kick assist for Maguire's second goal in the 4-1 win over Wexford in February, the last time these two met.

Wexford arrive in decent form. They're unbeaten in four – wins over Treaty United, Bray Wanderers and Athlone Town, along with a scoreless draw at UCD – and Adam Verdon's goal against Athlone last week lifted them to 16 points and second in the table.

PREVIOUS MEETING 

The reverse fixture in Ferrycarrig Park back in February went one way from the start. Murphy earned a penalty inside eight minutes, Maguire converted it, and Hans Mpongo curled in a superb strike from the left on 16 minutes to make it 2-0. Maguire added a header from Murphy's free-kick delivery early in the second half before setting up Keating for the fourth.

Calum Flynn pulled one back late on, but the game was long over. Wexford's attempt to build from the back was suffocated by City's press, a trend that has followed any First Division side that has tried to take the game to the Leesiders.

Wexford have done well as of late, but if they’re to get something from this game, they’ll have to look for a low block and sit deep, frustrating City. The head-to-head doesn’t do Wexford any favours, either.

Wexford have not won a game against Cork City since beating them in the First Division back in 2010. Since then, the Rebel Army have won 17 games, while the two teams have drawn on seven occasions.

While Wexford have improved significantly under Stephen Elliott, Turner's Cross has been a fortress this season. City have won all five home league games and their front three of Maguire, Keating and Murphy have probed and poked at every defence they've faced on home soil.

The back three of Charlie Lyons, Kelleher and Rory Feely have been excellent too in the early months of the season, while Conor Brann has kept four clean sheets.

The midfield pairing of Greg Bolger and Darragh Crowley has been deployed when City have looked their most settled, and while new signings Niall O’Keeffe and AJ Bridge did well the Munster Senior Cup win on Tuesday, they’ll still find it very difficult to break into the starting team.

Wexford will almost certainly arrive better equipped for this one than they did when City travelled to Ferrycarrig Park last time, but even then, it would take a significant upset for Wexford to leave Turner's Cross with anything this evening.