TURNER’S CROSS WILL be full to its approximate capacity of 7,000 tonight, but according to Cork City captain Greg Bolger, those supporters will need to be patient with their side as they aim to overturn a deficit.
City will need to come from behind in the home leg of their Europa League third-round qualifier against KRC Genk (7.45pm) after losing 1-0 away to the Belgian outfit seven days ago.
Despite being beaten on the night, the SSE Airtricity League side delivered an excellent performance as they provided Genk with a difficult 90 minutes. In the end, the visitors were unlucky to leave the Luminus Arena without an away goal.
But even though they proved themselves to be more than a match for Genk, Bolger has insisted that home advantage won’t encourage City to throw caution to the wind in search of the goal they need to keep their European campaign alive — as Dundalk did in their 3-0 Champions League win against BATE Borisov on Tuesday night.
“I think we need to keep it tight,” explained Bolger. “To be fair to Dundalk, looking at Tuesday against BATE, I think they pressed a lot. I don’t know if it’ll be like that with us.
I think we’ll have to sit back, similar to what we did out there, try and keep it at 0-0 for as long as we can and then hopefully in the last 20 [minutes] have a go. There’s kind of nothing to lose then. But we don’t want to concede straight away or in the first half.
“Then we’re chasing the game and could get caught on the counter or something like that. I think we need to stay in the game for as long as possible and then hopefully at the end we can have a go. I think that’s the way we’re going to have to go about it.”
Although they came up short, Bolger believes last week’s performance in Limburg was possibly City’s best this season. That was aided, he admits, by Genk underestimating John Caulfield’s side, in spite of their victory against Swedish Cup holders BK Hacken in the previous round.
“Yeah, probably. Doing analysis on us, they were probably watching certain games and thinking, ‘We can beat these, we’re better than them’. They might have seen a few weaknesses. But I think it was probably our best game this season, bar Dundalk at home, but that’s a different type of game,” said the Wexford native.
“I think they probably did [underestimate us] a small bit but that’s why I think they’re probably going to up it again. Hacken upped their game a lot when they came over. We didn’t see the ball for a lot of that second half.
“I think it could be similar here but I think they’re more direct than Hacken. Hacken didn’t cross the ball into the box [but] I think Genk do. They’re a more powerful team, more direct.
It’s going to be really tough and we’re going to have to be all at it with full concentration for the 90 minutes.”
Bolger, who’ll lead Cork City out tonight in the absence of injured captain Johnny Dunleavy, has been a revelation on Leeside since joining from St Patrick’s Athletic this season. The 27-year-old midfielder is hoping to be part of another memorable night for the League of Ireland, but he knows it won’t come easily.
“It’s probably one of the biggest games in the club’s history. We’ve prepared well, everyone’s flying fit, we’re looking forward to it, but we’re under no illusions that it’s going to be probably our toughest game as well,” Bolger said.
“I think Genk will step it up from last week and, from our point of view, we’ll need to be at the level we were last week, or better. If we’re not all 8/9 out of 10 I think we’ll be picked off.”
He added: “It’s exciting. It’s a chance to progress. For the club and the fans, especially the club financially, it would be great. Obviously with money and stuff and obviously with players, new contracts, better deals… it’s one we’re really looking forward to.”
Absolutely the GOAT, puts in a tackle in the full back position then goes end to end. He’s the all round complete team player. Enjoy him ladies & gentlemen we won’t see his like for some time
@themansam: I don’t think there’s ever been a more complete player
@Anthony: no one even close. Been lucky to see him live a couple of times over the years. You can understand why an entire stadium was shouting his name & bowing to him
@themansam: And to think that Dunphy said that he was finished 2 years ago!!
The man didn’t have a clue.
@Rory O’Connor: hes been irrelevant for a long time now
@themansam: stop talking about Hendo like that
@themansam: he is the 2nd best player of all time. Maradona is no 1. The difference between Messi and Maradona is, put Messi into a good team (Barcelona) and he is awesome, put him into an average team (Argentina the last 10 yrs) and he is average. Put Maradona into a good team (Napoli) and he is awesome, put him into an average team (Argentina) and he will singlehandly win you the world cup and lead you to the final of another. If Messi was playing in Maradona era when tackles from behind was the norm, he would not have played in half the amount of games and would have scored 1/4 the amount of goals. There is clip of YouTube of all the plays Maradona was involved in in the 86 game against England. Watch that and you will see what I mean
@@at: that’s your opinion you don’t agree with mine nor i yours. For me Messi is the complete team player who will leave a lasting legacy. As great as Maradonna was he doesn’t leave a legacy that would inspire young lads starting out
@@at: you’re completely wrong. Messi makes Barcelona a great team. A one club player who has had numerous Barcelona teams built around him. Every time the pundits said Barcelona were ageing or finished Messi keeps them going. Maradonna wasn’t the complete footballer. Messi tracks back, tackles hard, scores, assists, free kicks, corners, headers. All whilst still being a complete professional and not craving attention. This us why he will always be greater than Maradonna, Ronaldo, Pele etc.
@Anthony: how come then he cannot make Argentina a great team also ?
@themansam: leaving a legacy is totally different to what he can do on a pitch. We all know that Maradona was and still is a nutjob off the pitch but on the pitch he has no equal. Do you watch that video I spoke about ?
@@at: dont need to look at it at all, ive seen it plenty of times. this is no doubt about his ability but you’re wrong when you say what a player does off the pitch has no baring on his legacy, that has to be considered when talking about the greatest of all time.
Anthony pointed out quite well, the differences between the two so i wont repeat that.
both players are unplayable on their day, but for me with his work rate alone he edges Maradonna
@themansam: not to mention Messi does it week in week out unlike what Maradona did, and he’s been doing it for far longer than Diego and without the help of colombian matching powder. For me Maradona would just about make it in the top 5 of all time, maybe.
@@at: that Napoli team had some great players and by no means a one trick pony
with the likes of Ciro Ferrara, Salvatore Bagni and Fernando De Napoli filling the ranks.
Messi got a very average Argentina to the wc final a number of years ago! Could easily have been a wc winner
The only one who kept Messi quiet was Messi himself. Did Milner quieten him with his cheap, lousy lunge on the touchline? No, just revved him up.
Mane and Salah had to proper chances, at Anfield you just never know. Barca will give you chances and you gotta take them. YNWA
@padar: Barca will know that they have to score and the only way I see that not happening is if Messi doesn’t play
@padar: Should have 4 at least for Barca
@Paul Furey: yes Barca could have had 5. Liverpool could of had 3. But the game ended 3 nil. So I’m not sure why you keep repeating that.
Only in the darkness of the TEMPLE can you see the stars ….
@David Weston: you’d need an awful bright light at OT these days buddy
@themansam: as a Liverpool fan I need to add that in 2 weeks time the only difference between Liverpool and Manchester United May well be ‘potential’… It’s not shaping up well for the reds I’m afraid. Liverpool threw it away by the looks of it. So we may well and probably will win the same amount of cups as man united this year – zero.
@David A Roberts: oh and of course we are certain of a CL spot for next season…
@David A Roberts: id rather be in need of adding a player or 2 David than a complete overhaul of the squad
@David Weston: like I’ve said to you before David. Didn’t united fans throw “stop living in the past” at Liverpool fans for years? You guys keep falling, what’s happening this season, live in the here & now David it’s deadly
@themansam: you’re talking like you’ve won something this year. Liverpool haven’t. Or even in the last couple of years. As bad and all as United are they won two cups. That’s not too long ago lol
@Anthony: I know Anthony I just find it amusing that (not you, you have a laugh and leave it there) most united fans are banging on about a team that are still just about in the semi final of the European Cup. A team that are going toe to toe with one of the best teams in the league ever but their team are having a rotten season. People in glass houses
@Anthony: 3 actually and a losing finalist also
@David Weston: let’s talk about this season bright spark. Give a summary of where your club is