Squad size issue continuing to worsen for Cork City despite impressive run of form

The winning run goes on. Cork City are utterly unstoppable in the First Division at the moment.

After defeating Cobh Ramblers on Friday evening, The Leesiders received a welcome boost when UCD fell to Longford Town on Saturday, preserving their 18-point lead at the top of the table.

Their victory on Friday was by the minimum – 1-0 – but marked a ninth consecutive win and an eighth straight clean sheet.

“For me, I think when you look at the game and you analyse it in the first half, I think we should be four up,” manager Barry Robson stated after the win. “And every time you miss a chance, you give them a lift.

“And listen, this is not me having a go at some of our front players because they've banged loads of goals in. But we're in [for] two or three one-on-ones, with a stonewall penalty and all the rest of it.

“Second half, I thought we looked a bit tired. I thought we folded out. We went to a back five to try and help the players. I think we looked like we were running out of steam a wee bit.

“Just because we had to rely on 10 or 11 players. And listen, nobody was wanting to make changes more than me.

“But I can't go and put young players on. It's not fair,” he explained. “They're only 16, 17, 18. I can't put them on to that game. And if they make a mistake, because of the type of game it is. So, we had to rely on the experienced ones to get us through.

“And you know what? We're 18 points clear. And what's that? Is that eight clean sheets? That takes a bit of doing, by the way.

“And you're not going to go through a season being brilliant every week,” Robson added. “I don't care who you are, where you are. I think we’ve played some really good stuff. But I was really proud of the team tonight, to have to go with the same 10 or 11 players that we've had to use all season.” 

Squad size has been a huge issue this season, made worse by the injuries. And the news of AJ Bridge’s departure – following the end of the midfielder’s loan spell – certainly didn’t help.

“I think AJ, he's a terrific kid,” Robson said. “He had a real good appetite for the game.

“He passed the ball well. He needs to go and play 50 or 60 games and put his game together. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to help him with that. But he's a terrific kid and a terrific player. We'll probably need someone a bit more experienced in that position.” 

Robson has made his desire for adding new players to the squad abundantly clear, and with Seani Maguire getting injured again, the need for it becomes even greater.

“So Seani landed – the injury he had – it was a freak. The guy landed directly on the injury again. I don't know how long that's going to be. Listen, we're really missing him at the moment. We're really missing [Rory] Feely at the moment. [Josh] Fitzy, he had to come back in. He's been out for six or seven weeks.

“But I'm really proud of the players because other teams are making four or five changes. We are not able to do that at the minute. In some games we can, but not in a game like that when you've got some really young players. It's not fair to put them on.”