August is Huge for City

Just saw our fixture list for the rest of August over on the official site and there are some massive games coming up over the remainder of August.

August 11 Djurgarden IF -V- Cork City - UEFA
August 15 Cork City -V- Shelbourne - League
August 19 Derry City -V- Cork City - League
August 25 Cork City -V- Djurgarden IF - UEFA
August 29 Cork City -V- Finn Harps - FAI Cup

Some vital league games there in between two massive UEFA cup ties. And an FAI cup game to round it off at the end of the month. Didn't we have an FAI cup tie shortly after Europe last year too :(

Surely it's a big ask for City to win ALL these games. What is the best we can hope for. 6 points from Shels and Derry would surely be the best outcome. Everything else a bonus???

I know the Uefa Cup is important to City, but I don't care as long as City beat Derry, Shels and Finn Harps. I think they are more important games to the club. I still wouldn't say no to getting into the 1st round proper of the Uefa Cup.

Six from Shels at home and Derry away is a big ask in that schedule. I'd settle for a draw with both of them and a win against Harps. If Shels don't win their games in hand and beat us, their season is over. The pressure is on them. We don't have to beat them, just keep them a decent distance behind. Derry are a different challenge, and it might come down to a very interesting run-in yet. The important thing now is to bury Shels by maintaining the gap, then we can deal with Derry head-on.

And the good news from Tolka is that Shels have scraped another lucky draw at home, so the gap is 14 with only one game difference. They're almost gone.

A draw against Shels.
Beat Derry.
Do enough over the two legs to go through against Djurgardens.

I'd be very satisfied with that even if it meant sacrificing the FAI cup. Although I can't see us not beating Finn Harps unless there's a major problem.

if we were to get thru the month unbeaten, it would be a superb achievement.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Éanna

if we were to get thru the month unbeaten, it would be a superb achievement.

---

You can say that again ... Unreal test ahead of us !! :eek: :ball: :eek:

Believe lads. Believe in the team. Our belief will help us win this league. And if our tombstones say City till i die so be it. At least we can stand side by side. City till we DIE. Next Monday Shels.

I settle for a draw against $hel$, and wins against Derry and Harps.
If we win all three, I'll be ecstatic, 2 league draws and a cup win would be quite acceptable.
The Euro games are the least important games in that list. If we do well, great, if we don't, so what?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colm

I'd be very satisfied with that even if it meant sacrificing the FAI cup. Although I can't see us not beating Finn Harps unless there's a major problem.

---

if i was to scarifice anything it would be the djurgarden game

Uefa Cup is great but League is the Priority still.

No harm having big games around the European games to focus the players attention.

If we have to lose anything, this thursday is the one that can go.
UEFA is great fun and all, but the league has to be 100% our priority, followed by the FAI cup. If we get through Djurgardens IF, well and good, but it's a bonus, not a requirement.

Agree 100%. But IMO a heavy defeat in Sweden (which I don't think will happen) would be a blow to morale. Osam was right when he said that there's been no pressure on Derry so far. That should change now. There's nothing between us on form at the moment, so a win on Monday is crucial. Ten we can go to Derry with all the pressure on them having to win.

Win on Monday, win/draw in Derry and beat Finn Harps... and then Europe is a bonus. BTW I agree about the cup as well. Biggest mistake last year was to rest players for the UCD game.

I think its better we are playing Derry in the Brandywell as will be pressure on them to perform at home.

Shels are dead men walking now although they could still damage us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pete

I think its better we are playing Derry in the Brandywell as will be pressure on them to perform at home.

Shels are dead men walking now although they could still damage us.

---

Shels will come down on monday night determined to mess up our league campaign.

How we deal with them will tell a lot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paudie

Shels will come down on monday night determined to mess up our league campaign.

How we deal with them will tell a lot.

---

Bang on.
There is probably one last kick in them yet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by patsh

There is probably one last kick in them yet.

---

If they don't get warned about last night then they'll come down and try the same thing at the Cross. Rico will have to keep the lads cool and focused.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Peadar

If they don't get warned about last night then they'll come down and try the same thing at the Cross. Rico will have to keep the lads cool and focused.

---

Its important that City players, (and officials and fans) keep cool at this game.

Even if they were 40 points behind Shels would love to beat us.

The best thing for City is to play the game and not get involved in any unnecessary nonsense, if that happens.

Probably just as well George is suspended as he might get caught up in this kind of stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tiktok

If we have to lose anything, this thursday is the one that can go.
UEFA is great fun and all, but the league has to be 100% our priority, followed by the FAI cup. If we get through Djurgardens IF, well and good, but it's a bonus, not a requirement.

---

#

So true. UEFA Cup is a nice distraction for us but thats all. League 100% and about Monday everyone on their best behaviour and not leave those fxxkers wind the players or fans down to their level. Lets bury them next Monday and a draw in Derry would do nicely for the final push.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paudie

Its important that City players, (and officials and fans) keep cool at this game.

Even if they were 40 points behind Shels would love to beat us.

The best thing for City is to play the game and not get involved in any unnecessary nonsense, if that happens.

---

Id say youve hit the nail on the head. Its just what Damian Richardson will be saying to the players but he will say it in a different way. He may hark back to Grecian times and relate the story of Icarus or perhaps recount one of Chaucers Canterbury Tales. Its possible that Leopold Bloom may get at a mention during half time. On a more serious level Pat Dolan used always farm the players towards the Shed after every home win. I reckon Richardson has told the players lets celebrate if we win something. So please a win and lets continue with the discontinuation of as you say "unnecessary nonsense". If i were a Shels fan i would be ashamed of Pat Fenlon last night. An absolute disgrace. Compare his actions with Richardsons when he applauded the Rovers fans at Turners Cross. And those lads over in Sweden wont leave anyone down. We dont have a manager or team behaving violently. Fenlon behaves in such a way encouraging those that follow the team to do likewise. Win, lose or draw shake the hand. I think it is immense that in terms of sportmanship Cork City are shining out. We might win the league. But in terms of fair play and behavior perhaps Cork has already shown itself to be the Capital City. Damian Richardson deserves credit for that. And so do we.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by radar

Id say youve hit the nail on the head. Its just what Damian Richardson will be saying to the players but he will say it in a different way. He may hark back to Grecian times and relate the story of Icarus or perhaps recount one of Chaucers Canterbury Tales. Its possible that Leopold Bloom may get at a mention during half time.

---

LOL Brilliant :D

Great post, by the way. Lets remember we are the POSITIVE club, playing positive football, singing our hearts out for the team with a manager and players to be proud of - they're $hels