Champions Cork City host Cobh with only the Rams having something to play for

Having confirmed their status as First Division champions last week, Cork City will bring the celebrations to home soil this evening as they take on local rivals Cobh Ramblers at 7.45pm.

It’s one of six remaining games that are of zero numerical significance to Cork City, though their opponents will be looking to strengthen their playoff hopes with three points. The Rams are currently fifth, six points behind second-placed UCD and one point ahead of sixth-placed Longford.

For City, preparations for next year’s campaign get underway immediately, with Barry Robson confirming last week that he’ll be using the coming games for the chance to assess young players and protect the fitness of those who have featured heavily across this year’s campaign.

“I'm not going for record points total,” Robson said last week. “I'm not going for that. I've got some young players that we need to give a couple of games to, that we need to have a look at.

“We've got some other boys coming back from injury. We've obviously got Chris [N’Sa], who we've managed to get over the line with all the visa stuff.

“So we've got players that we need to be playing. And we've also got to be careful with some of the other players as well, because I want us to all be fit and ready for the new season.

“There will be some players coming in, but there'll be a lot of these players still here. And we're going to try and make the team better. And we are going to try and get better.” 

As for next year’s campaign, Robson is well aware of the challenges that his side will be facing, and the fact they’ve been unable to deal with those challenges during their last two Premier Division campaigns.

“It's a big step-up, don't get me wrong.

“And I think maybe a lot of people will look at us this season and think, oh, it's not going to be a big step-up. And they watched us against Shamrock [Rovers] and saw how well we performed. There wasn't much in the teams on the night.

“Is that a case of emptying people and getting rid of people? As I say, we need to go and add and strengthen,” Robson explained. “And that's where myself and Liam [Kearney] and Dermot [Usher] and Simon [Grayson] have got a meeting again next week.

“We're progressing and looking at things. And it's another important meeting. We want to make sure when we go back up into the big league, that we actually stay in the big league and we really progress as a club. And that's the biggest thing that we want to do.

“If you get the money, you'll stay up. But Dermot's put a lot of money into this football club. The fans have put a lot of money into this club. So maybe a bit of continuity, a bit of structure. I just think a whole club pulling together.” 

Even when the investment has been made and the squad has seen considerable leaps on paper in the past, City have twice found themselves falling into ruts that led to their relegations from the Premier Division.

“I think it's too easy sometimes if you lose a few games for the heads of the players to go down, or the fans get a bit restless, or people in the club [start] getting a bit narky with each other. That can’t happen [this time],” Robson added. “This club, if we're going to lose an odd game or lose a couple of games, we stick together.

“As a club, as a unit, everyone, the fans back the players. We work hard to help the fans enjoy the games. So we need that bit of unity right through the club.

“And I think this team is starting to build that here with the fans. The fans are always the most important people at a football club. And they've been terrific to me since I've been here.” 

Cobh come into this one on a four-game unbeaten run. Fran Rockett’s side drew their last two with UCD and Longford but picked up wins over Finn Harps and Treaty United in the two games prior. They have only lost one of their last six, away to Kerry FC.

How radically City’s team changes tonight with the league confirmed will undoubtedly play a significant part in Cobh’s chances, but it will be a tough battle for the Rams regardless.