Good evening and welcome to the Luminus Stadium for our live coverage of the first leg of Cork City’s Europa League third round qualifier against KRC Genk. Stick with us throughout the evening and we’ll keep you up to date on events here in Belgium. Kick-off is at the top of the hour (7pm Irish time).
Cork City stick with the same team that started last week’s 1-0 win against BK Hacken at Turner’s Cross, which means that Greg Bolger has been passed fit to play again despite carrying an ankle injury.
Genk, who progressed via a penalty shootout at the expense of Buducnost Podgorica in Montenegro seven days ago, have made three changes. Sandy Walsh, Dries Wouters and Alejandro Pozuelo come in for Timothy Castagne, Yoni Buyens (both injured) and Bennard Kumordzi (suspended).
Beautiful evening for a game of football here in Genk, 23 degrees celsius according to that weather app on the iPhone that you can never find when you need it. They’re expecting a crowd of around 10,000 at the 21,500-capacity Luminus Arena.
The players are going through their warm-ups at the moment, soundtracked by some very dodgy techno music being blasted out through the PA system. Continental Europeans love techno more than bishops love sci-fi.
This was the scene when we arrived earlier on, but it’s filling up now…
Cork City have already earned €675,000 in prize money for making it this far in the Europa League — a whopping sum considering they earned just €55,000 for finishing second in the Premier Division last season — but there’s another €230,000 waiting for them, and a play-off for a place in the group stages, if they can manage to see off Genk. A good result tonight would set John Caulfield’s side up for next Thursday’s second leg at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).
Genk sold their player of the year from last season, centre-half Christian Kabasele, to Watford earlier this month, but they still have plenty of quality. Ally Samatta (Tanzania) and Nikolas Karelis (Greece) are both senior international strikers, playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo played in the Premier League with Swansea City, 18-year-old winger Leon Bailey has reportedly attracted interest from Chelsea, and their captain is former Rangers and Feyenoord midfielder Thomas Buffel, who was capped 36 times by Belgium.
The teams are just about to end their warm-ups. It’s almost time for kick-off here in Belgium…
While you’re waiting for this one to get going, read our match preview, plus the thoughts of Cork City manager John Caulfield and midfielder Gavan Holohan.
Here’s where the Cork City fans are situated, although there’s a good few more of them who have yet to emerge from the bars…
Here’s how the teams are lining up…
KRC Genk: Marco Bizot; Sandy Walsh, Sebastien Dewaest, Dries Wouters, Jere Uronen; Thomas Buffel, Wilfred Ndidi, Alejandro Pozuelo, Leon Bailey; Ally Samatta, Nikolas Karelis.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; Greg Bolger (c); Stephen Dooley, Garry Buckley, Gearoid Morrissey, Steven Beattie; Sean Maguire.
Bright start from City. Seeing plenty of the ball and look comfortable in possession.
Bolger’s free puts Genk under pressure, Beattie then gets a cross in but the goalkeeper gathers it easily.
Pozuelo plays in Karelis but the Greek international’s low shot from the edge of the box is well off target.
Free-kick for City in a good position out on the right but Bolger tried to be too clever by playing a short one and the visitors are dispossessed.
Good strike by Beattie from wide on the right forces a save from the keeper. Now City have a corner.
O’Connor’s corner finds the head of Maguire but he can’t keep it on target. Great chance for City.
Great to see support for Cork City from their rivals Dundalk…
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The Cork City supporters are making great noise high up in the corner behind the Genk goal and they’ll be happy with how their team has performed so far.
Dooley dispossesses Sandy Walsh and tries to play in Maguire but he’s unable to bring it under control.
“We forgot that you were here” chant the Cork City supporters as the Genk fans try to spur their team into action.
Goal! KRC Genk 1 Cork City 0 (Bailey, 30)
There’s the opener for the hosts, which they probably haven’t deserved. Pozuelo passed to Karelis, who played in Bailey and the 18-year-old Jamaican finished emphatically.
Harsh on Cork City, who were punished for coughing up possession in their first real lapse in concentration.
Here’s the Genk goal, via eir Sport.
Free by Pozuelo from the right finds Samatta and his volley forces a good save from McNulty.
Great work from Morrissey gets the ball to Maguire in the box but his shot is blocked.
Samatta releases Bailey and he produces a good save from McNulty. It would have been a carbon copy of his goal had it found the net.
Beautiful ball over the top by Pozuelo finds Bailey but he’s unable to control it. Genk have their tails up now.
O’Connor’s shot from the edge of the box takes a deflection off Walsh but Bizot is able to make the save without too much trouble.
Free-kick in a good position for Cork City out on the left, Bolger swings it in but it’s away for a corner. Dooley takes it, the keeper punches clear and Beattie’s volley goes over the bar.
Half-time: KRC Genk 1 Cork City 0
Good work down the left by Dooley, then O’Connor, earns City a corner but Bizot punches clear.
Here’s Leon Bailey’s first-half goal which separates the teams…
Great play by City. Bolger plays in Beattie down the right, his low cross finds Maguire but his first-time effort goes just over.
Excellent work down the left by Dooley and he tees up O’Connor, who cuts in and his right-footed shot needs a good save from Bizot.
Genk break at the other end and Bailey’s cross is just too high for Samatta. A let-off for City.
Glorious chance for City as Maguire does well to get in behind the defence and find space but his left-footed effort is just wide.
This has been a really good performance by Cork City so far. Unfortunately that one lapse in concentration has cost them but they’re creating plenty of openings to get back into it.
O’Connor’s in-swinging corner is cleared for another from the opposite side. Alan Bennett gets a head on it from Dooley but Genk clear.
Yellow card for Bennett for a foul on Bailey just outside the box. Free-kick in a dangerous area for Genk. Pozuelo takes it but it’s a comfortable save for McNulty.
Now a yellow card for Maguire for a foul on Samatta. Another dangerous free-kick for Genk.
The referee is starting to lose control of this one a little bit. Bailey’s effort is blocked.
Bailey’s free-kick from the right leads to a scramble in the box, culminating in an overhead kick from Ndidi going over the bar.
Brilliant curled effort from Bailey from just outside the box goes narrowly wide. That was very close.
Maguire cuts it back with Genk claiming the ball had gone out, but Beattie’s shot goes wide nevertheless.
Mark O’Sullivan on now in place of Maguire as McNulty makes a great save from Samatta.
Full-time: KRC Genk 1 Cork City 0
There was a ten minute period, after Bolton was forced off and Hanrahan came on, where it just all fell to pieces. Why they shifted Ioane to full back and put Hanrahan at our half I have no idea, but we just disintegrated. The intercept try was the real killer in the end, but it was impressive how hard they kept fighting, all the way through the match, even when more than two scores down away from home. The attack was slick when Ioane was there, but suffered when Hanrahan was on. Really wish Carty was trusted with the bench spot. Hanrahan is an honest player, but honesty alone won’t win these matches. Also, never before have I heard a ref say you cannot dummy throw a lineout, and then tell the hooker to try again!
Another Connacht special. Never have I seen a professional team that’s as all over the shop as this Connacht team. Sure they score some nice tries, but what good is that when the concede again 30 seconds after the restart. They’re capable of shipping 35 points in 10 minutes. No control whatsoever within a game. Hadn’t even the brains at the end to take the penalty or drop goal which would have kept the Ospreys below them in the table. Only the dragons will finish below Connacht this season.
@Ray Ridge: this has been brand of rugby since Lam. It’s a joy to watch and also makes you pull out hair at times. One thing it does is showcase that players are able to play that off the cuff type rugby that we are constantly told Irish players can’t play.
@Shane: it’s all very entertaining……. for the neutral. Connacht need to give the “entertainment” a bye and get back to winning rugby matches.
@Ray Ridge: that won’t develop players though. Connacht’s only attraction for players is brand of rugby. They don’t have money to be dour and stodgy. Once in awhile they may hit jackpot and produce a team that is capable of winning regularly. Connachts budget is still one of lowest in URC
@Ray Ridge: They have the best back line out of the provinces and it’s being waisted.
@Shane: A bit of control now and again within a game wouldn’t break the bank surely.
@Ray Ridge: your asking a team to change mentality. They are going to try stuff. It’s not always the most sensible. No disagreement there. Just look at some of young guys out there today and their performances and can see potential.
@Shane: If they’re going to try stuff, they should try not conceding stupid penalties seconds after they have just scored. Happens numerous times in every game. I’m chatting basic stuff here. No doubting the attacking ability of some of the backline but my god they concede trys for fun also. Expect it’s not fun.
@Eoin H: much better than JGP, McGrath Prendergast/Byrne, Barret/Henshaw, Ringrose, Lowe, Jimmy O’B/Osborne, Keenan et al.
@Ray Ridge: there was silly penalties but amazingly same infraction wasn’t picked up when it was an ospreay player. These things happen. The new laws around changing lanes is very subjective. You’d just hope that players learn from it. I’ve always said Connacht should be the developmental province for Ireland. That’s not disparaging. Looks at Lions for SA what Blues were for NZ.
@Eoin H: The best backline? For me it’s a bit too porous to be given that title. Very entertaining going forward but there’s an old adage in sport: defence decides who wins games, offence decides by how much.
Defence coaches won’t have a restful night but…. What. A. Game.
@Carmine Lorenzo: great spectacle alright but defence coaches of both teams should be encouraged to give this month’s salary to a worthy cause because absolutely not earned based on happened on the pitch.
This was just a fantastic game of rugby just the way it should be played. Down and out at half time we came back in the second half with some
scintillating rugby. Just not enough in the end. But 43-40 some game. Congrats to Connacht you guys were just great away from home and augers well for McHale Park next Saturday.
@Liam Joyce: Congrats for losing? That’s a new one. Connacht will probably put out a second string squad next weekend with an eye on the following weekend now that the URC playoffs are a non runner for them
@Niall Boyle: 2 Bonus points away from home. Hello??
@Liam Joyce: 2 bonus points away against a top 4 side might be worth congratulating but 2 points away to a team two points above you in the table is a bit of a stretch
@Niall Boyle: They’d still be below Connacht in the table if Connacht payed with their brain there at the end.
@Niall Boyle: Ospreys ahead of us… WTF??
@Liam Joyce: They’re ahead of us now Liam, unfortunately.
@Niall Boyle: get off your high horse. You support a mid table team and the last international forward you produced has just retired
Fed up of this constant rotation every week by Wilkins. Why are Connacht allergic to ball carriers, would never play Papali who is now a mainstay for Castres in top 14 and now they won’t play Jansen. Instead they prefer little niggly 7s who can jackal. Give Bernard Jackman the head coach job now.
@Eoin H: it would be very interesting to see Bernard J at the helm
@Jb Walshe: A Sam Allardyce to the end of the season role. Can’t get top 8 now barring a miracle.
@Eoin H: to be fair… big pap was a 50:50 shot of getting a red in his time with connacht.
He was a very raw league convert at the time.
@Eoin H: I’m not the biggest fan of Wilkins, but Bernard Jackman? :D That’s a good one. Coupled with that, Hurley-Langton, our niggly 7, scored two of the tries and was pretty dynamic. Looking forward to seeing what Rod Seib can do – we have the players to be much higher up the table, just need someone to give them the gameplan.
@Eoin H: Calling for Bernard Jackman to be head coach shows what you really know about rugby. Coaching J1 is his level. He’s more interested in the after dinner speaking circuit
@Niall Boyle: Ah Harry Barry/ Tony Moloney/ Niall Boyle. When you making the new account again?
@Eoin H: I’ve no idea what you’re on about but please point where I said anything incorrect. Jackman was a failure at Dragons and a failure at Grenoble
@Niall Boyle: Yeah he certainly talks a good game!!!
I never knew Tracey was such a skillfull and fast player, . Perhaps something Ireland is lacking
@liam byrne: Gavin also does look destined for bigger things , hopefully Forde too .
@liam byrne: Mad to think he was just playing u20s
@liam byrne: Gavin look very good for a guy starting off…
We just need better coaching
Cracking stuff, disappointed but you look at age of some of players in show. 3 starting backs u25 and Irish qualified.
@Shane: Gavin and tracey impressive pen near the end shot at goal mayby
Cracking game
The IRFU intervened correctly and put their own SnC coach in place at Munster. Should they do something similar now for defense in Connacht? A chance missed to get F. Jones involved even temporarily to sort that part out. Every other part of their game is good but their defense is non existent
Devine surely must be getting a call up to the summer tour
Is boo the favourite response of the Welsh “fans”
Great game,but why o why did they not take the 3 pointer to draw the game????
@David Clarke: 1 extra point versus 3 extra points