Gunther plans Latvia attack !
Cork City manager, Liam Murphy, has promised to play next Saturday's Intertoto Cup second-leg match against Latvian outfit, Liepajas Metalurgs, on the offensive. His side must overcome a one-goal deficit if they are to progress in the tournament.
Murphy was disconsolate after a last-minute Pat Morley penalty miss condemned his side to a home defeat against the Latvians.
City missed several other chances to tie the game, after they went behind to a late Alexander Katasonov spot-kick. However, Murphy saw enough in that game to remain upbeat about the Leesiders' chances.
"I felt we should have come away with a draw," he said. "We were the better team over the 90 minutes.
"I think our whole team played well. The midfield was strong and we were unfortunate with the penalty miss. They should have had one or two players sent-off, but that's football.
"And you have to remember that we hadn't played a game for five weeks, so, hopefully with training this week, we can get a result next weekend."
Last Saturday's game was Murphy's first defeat in charge at Turners Cross and he felt slightly aggrieved.
"They didn't have many chances, but we made some mistakes, but I felt that we did enough to get a result."
The Cork City squad will fly out to Latvia on Friday, with Murphy acknowledging that his side must take the initiative.
"It will be interesting to see how they set out their stall next weekend, because they're the ones who will have to defend a lead. We've got nothing to lose, so we'll play an attacking game."
Murphy remains hopeful of upset
Cork City are rank outsiders to progress past Metalurgs Liepaja in the first round of the Intertoto Cup, but City boss Liam Murphy remains hopeful that his side can pull off a shock in Latvia next Saturday.
The Munster side fell to a 1-0 loss at Turner's Cross in the first leg on Saturday last, missing a penalty in injury time and giving away a very cheap goal.
They now need to beat Metalurgs in Latvia, which would be quite an achievement. The Latvian League is in full-swing, while the League is asleep here for another couple of months. But Murphy is an optimist.
"We still can do it," he said. "Away games in Europe bare little resemblance to home ties. There was little difference between the sides."
"I can't fault my players - they gave me everything. And we will certainly be better for that game under our belts next week. It was disappointing to lose... but I thought we deserved a draw for our efforts."
Pat Morley's penalty miss was an especially bitter blow. Ollie Cahill's header was going in, until visiting defender Soloviev deliberately handled to prevent the hosts equalising.
"At games like that, you feel that there isn't any justice," said Murphy. "The ball was going in and a draw was ours, but then they broke the rules and we failed to punish them for it."
Metalurgs' goal was a result of an error by Declan Daly, who made a mess of his clearance on a rather bumpy surface. "The bumpy conditions led to Declan's mistake," said the City boss.
"In the eircom League, you'll make mistakes, and sometimes get away with them. At this level, you get punished. But I can be proud of that performance.
"They're a professional side in mid-season; we're largely part-time and have played our first game in five weeks. We matched them for effort, fitness and desire. Look at their reaction at the end of the match: they celebrated as if they'd won the World Cup."
