Finally, the day arrived
for the Leesiders of Cork City, to celebrate loudly in front of their faithful
at a sold out Turners Cross, after experiencing a series of setbacks in the end
of the campaign.
Despite their strong start,
in the first five months of league played by going undefeated.
After their Monday night
match cancelled due to bad weather and state of the field, the match went on Tuesday
night and despite the scoreless draw against Derry City, the champagne flowed.
No more disappointments
or putting everything aside until the next match as the Rebel Army with this
shield now their aim is to make it a double with the FAI Cup final to play against
their bitter foes the Dundalk Lilywhites.
We have a new
champion that after three long years of waiting after seeing how the Dundalk
Boys dominated the league and winning it all, until this campaign, the
Lilywhites did not had it with them and not having a wondrous campaign.
Still these finish second, behind City.
At one time, the City
chaps had it all under control, but a sudden move that these had a move of their
utmost striker Sean Maguire and Kevin O’ Connor to Preston North End in the
month of August.
For John Caulfield
the manager of the Rebel Army this move became a little too soon, as he really
missed the likes of O’ Connor but the one that his presence in the field felt
dearly was of his striker Sean Maguire.
Despite the see saw
after August and September dropping notable matches, very well the league being
interrupted to international duty as well cup play, among round of qualifiers
for the FAI Cup, as City once again repeats in this event final.
We can say it’s one
step beyond for the Leesiders after their wait paid off and now looking forward
for next campaign to defend their title and make a decorous run and performance
in the difficult Champions League knockout rounds.
Despite the laughs
and joy of the local Leesiders, one man was not too happy with the state of the
field in Derry City manager Kenny Shiels being a bit risky, but at the end, his
frustrations were in vain.
Returning to Cork City
all round celebrations and looking forward to close the campaign in a high note
with a win at Carlisle Grounds when they face off a trouble Bray Wanderers.
Still the thrill of
victory has its price, as Caulfield needs to start thinking of ways of seeing
how his squad will stay put on the eve of next campaign and seeing some of his notable
players that contributed to his 2017 success move to other entities.
Starting with a
series of recruiting of new players especially getting a couple of strikers
that can deliver as Maguire did, another solution is the youth or academies an
example is Conor McCarthy and possibly others to make the jump to the big
squad.
The squad front office
needs to also offer a lucrative extension to Caulfield for a continuance of his
work at the helm of this public owned club and lastly reinforce the club in all
its positons to make a positive run in this and many other campaigns to come.
With the league shield
the number of trophies netted this, 2017 comes to three and a possible win in
the FAI Cup will make it a foursome for the Leesiders, not bad of a campaign,
as many await their matchup against Dundalk as an all-around derby.
Congratulations Cork
City after your twelve-year drought of league shields today came to an end,
hail to the new league champions!
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Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
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Irish Examiner, Irish Times RTE and Independent 2017
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