Ever since the league came to an end and Cork City claimed the league shield after three years of continuum dominance from the Dundfalk Lilywhites, City in 2017 put an end to the De Town reign.
The question arises if the Rebel Army can follow the steps from their cross-country foes the Lilywhites in making it three in a row, despite seeing two of its stars leaving in August before the conclusion of the League of Ireland.
The Leesiders losing Sean Maguire and Kevin O’ Connor to Preston North End did not impede them of wining the shield but with a certain degree of difficulty as in the last matches these did had to put on an effort to lift the elusive trophy that proclaimed them champions.
Stopping the successful run Dundalk FC had in winning three League of Ireland won consecutively.
As a post written by yours very truly in November 13 of 2017, I mentioned how the Lessiders went hard at work despite winning the league shield in reinforcing its squad on the eve of another edition of the SSE Aitricity League of Ireland.
For manager John Caulfield preparing his City side to another contested if not challenging campaign this 2018, one by defending its hard fought title and trying he and his Boys to do a prolific campaign in the knockout rounds of the Champions League to net a spot in the stage groups.
This will not be an easy affair but not difficult, still the way this squad reinforces itself in November just a month after celebrating their league of Ireland feat with its championship shield and the FAI Cup won.
Who can ask for a premier campaign Cork City had in 2017, winning it all.
This time the goal for Caulfield is to make it into the stages groups as mentioned before in what I called the Mother of all tournaments the Champions League were last edition of the Europa League the Lessiders had a disastrous run and now they will like to make amends with a spot.
So far, in the way, the City club reinforced with new faces, for manager John Caulfield will be to adapt those into his system will be one laborious task ahead.
By seeing, some of his players leave in Sean Maguire and Kevin O’Connor to Preston North End, now the likes of Achile Campion moving to Linfield and Stephen Dooley to Coleraine in the North Ireland Football League and Greg Bolger returning to the Shamrock Rovers.
With the return of its squad in Alan Bennett, Garry Buckley, Steve Beattie, Mark McNulty, Gearoid Morrisey, Connor McCormack, Johnny Dunleavy, Jimmy Keohane and Karl Sheppard.
The Rebel Army is ready to front a contested campaign, but with the knowledge to reinforce this squad on the eve of another campaign, and with the hangover of celebrating their shield, the need of new faces was imperative.
The arrivals of midfielder and defender Barry McName and Aaron Barry from Derry City, adding to its defensive core Tobi Adebayo-Rowling from Sligo Rovers and Colm Horgan Galway United, strikers in the Pats Josh Hanlon and Scottish side St. Johnstone Graham Cummins.
Being aware of the competition being good and they in need to be for better than them.
Come march John Caulfield and his Rebel Army will be looking forward to another successful campaign in order to defend their title and try a repeat of thjeir championship as well looking forward to grand run the Champions League knockout rounds.
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