– Paul Dollery reports from Genk
CORK CITY WERE 11-1 underdogs going into last night’s meeting with KRC Genk in Belgium, yet just a single goal separated the sides at the end of the 90 minutes, which means the Leesiders are in with a very good chance in next week’s second leg.
A 30th-minute goal from Leon Bailey gave Genk a 1-0 win at the Luminus Arena, with the return fixture in this Europa League third round qualifier set for Thursday night at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).
Despite eliminating Swedish Cup holders BK Hacken in the previous round, few expected City to progress at Genk’s expense. They’ll still need to come from behind on home soil in order to do so, but last night’s away display suggests that John Caulfield’s side will have nothing to fear.
When asked if he was surprised by how well Cork City played, Genk boss Peter Maes insisted: “No, I was not. I’ve seen a lot of games and I see a team which is very organised. They have some players with experience, good players who lead the game and they keep a lot of clean sheets. That’s very important.”
Genk squandered a 2-0 lead in the previous round when they lost by the same scoreline in the second leg away to Buducnost Podgorica, before coming through via a penalty shootout. To that end, Maes would have been planning on taking a bigger lead than 1-0 to Cork.
“We’ll go there to win the game,” he said. “We will do everything. I saw their game against Hacken. Hacken had the initiative in the game but lost it. I’m sure they will play with great heart, with 7,000 supporters behind them. It’s a difficult game but we’re going to do everything.”
A crowd of 7,765 watched last night’s game at the 21,500-capacity stadium in Limburg, and although there will be a similar attendance at Turner’s Cross, the Curragh Road venue will be packed to the rafters and it could make for an intimidating atmosphere for the visitors.
“It’s important that you play your own game and you don’t go with them in the fight,” Maes said, when asked about the challenge of playing in front of a hostile crowd in such a compact ground.
“It’s important that we try to play better, that we stay working hard and also that the focus is good. If the focus is good, we’ll have a good game there. But anything can happen.”
ALL top players get targeted, whether you like it or not it’s part of the game. 99% of those get on with it,hold their nerve and get on with it, like it or lump that’s how it goes. Those saying he shouldn’t be subjected to it are obviously turning a blind eye to Philly and Johnny. Can’t put your hand on an official like that.
I’m a Dub and i must admit i’m sick of Connolly’s temper tantrums and spoiled child antics.He’s acting the maggot for quite a long time at this stage.
While blessed with a natural talent i don’t even believe he deserves the credit he gets at times.The talk of one of the greats is hogwash.The greats dont act the eejit like he does and let his fellow team mates down with such regularity.How many games has he dominated anyway?I dont remember him consistently performing to a high standard in many if any All Ireland semi or final?A fleeting moment of brilluance here or there is his lot.
Diarmuid go away and have a think about your crazy ways.Take your suspension on the chin and relect.You have very little between the ears my friend.As crazy as it sounds,you are a liability and we maybe better off without you.
A great football but proven tug, even take out his on the pitch antics he was lucky not to do time for beating a person up.
12 weeks ban. End off. Now stop talking about it. You would think he nearly killed him the way he is being talked about
@Shaun Gallagher: you are the perfect embodiment of what’s wrong with the GAA when it comes to referees. Swear at a referee and you should be sent off. Touch one and you should expect to have your season ended. People should be jumping up and down about this, not moving on as you call it.
Why does Jim Gavin keep picking him when Connolly let’s him and Dublin down again and again. Connolly may be arguably the best player in the country but it’s going to cost Dublin big time some day when he inevitably gets himself sent off in a big game against Mayo or Kerry. It’s not like Dublin don’t have talented players to play in his place
@Declan Clancy: maybe Connolly pointed his finger in Gavins face and threatened him as well!!!
Spillane is a gob-shiite. Always was – always will be.
@Carl Ingalls: perhaps so. Doesn’t mean he’s not correct here, though. Connolly clearly has a serious attitude problem and maybe the lengthy suspension he’ll probably face here might finally make a difference to him. Either that, or management decide he’s a liability that can’t be risked any more. One way or the other, even the most blinkered Dubs fan has to realise that Connolly can’t continue in the same way.
@Carl Ingalls: and Diarmuid Connolly is thug. Always was – always will be.
@Carl Ingalls: And Connolly is a thug. Always was – always will be.
@Jumperoo:
He’s using his position as public pundit to orchestrate a smear campaign against the Dubs with a view to smoothing the path for his beloved Kirree.
@Carl Ingalls: not at all this is aimed at Connolly not the Dubs.. and he is right you cannot touch the refs simple
@Carl Ingalls: maybe Spillane is a gob-shite but Connelly still deserves a 12 week ban same as the Tipp goalkeeper got for minimal contact.
Connolly is a problem. Management can solve it…week, poor & indecisive management team.
@Quad Quad: Weak and poor management team?? Haha I think the over flowing trophy cabinet says otherwise.
@Ciara Baines: good management isn’t all about silverware. Put any of the so called good managers in charge of the likes of Leitrim or Longford and see how good they turn out to be. Easy to be good managers when some club teams in Dublin have more senior players than whole counties.
That aside what has Dub management done to deal with persistent indiscipline from Connolly.
Tipp hurling manager had a discipline issue with top player and cut him from panel immediately.
Touch an official and it should be a minimum 6 months not three. That should be a season ender for him, he’ll likely be free for the all Ireland final which is a joke.
The GAA are a laughing stock the way they treat their referees. Players have no respect for them and never will till the suspensions get serious.
Pat Spillane and Colm o Rourke were far too enthusiastic last night in trying to make sure Connolly gets a lenthly ban I wonder why? was their selfish reasons involved? Surely not:-):-) But these two pillars of nobility would do well to remember if you prod a bear too often the bear might put better players on the field than Diarmuid Connolly and end up giving you a right hammering.
Saturday evening it looks like Johnny Cooper got Brendan Murphy the Carlow midfielder sent off by mouthing.
Connolly should change codes, players get generally better protection by match officials in Hurling harder to target and wind up quality players
@Ciarán: wow. You clearly know very little about hurling.
@Jumperoo: Played it for 18 years and counting please tell me more about my experience with the game
@Ciarán: played both codes myself, into my 40s. Played inter county in one of them. In my experience, no difference in the amount of ‘protection’ in one over the other. Maybe your experience is different.
Four months of this shite now.
@Colm Buckley: clown