03/10/02
By Bill George
THE “house-full” signs that have been a regular feature of Cork City’s home games this season have been the talk of the National League.
But nobody appreciates the positive impact of the fans more than City's players.
"The atmosphere at the matches is fabulous and the fans have been like an extra man on the pitch" goalkeeper Michael Devine said.
"When we were down two goals to Shamrock Rovers recently, there was nobody getting on the players' backs, instead they were encouraging us. They helped us lift our game so we came back and won it," Devine said.
"Our home form has been spectacular, it really has. People will always follow a winning team but it definitely helps us to keep on winning when the fans are so enthusiastic and clearly behind the team," he said.
Few who thrilled to the vigour of Cork's second-half comeback against Shamrocks will need reminding of the excitement they generated by scoring three swashbuckling goals. And by scoring three, they maintained their average number of goals at Turner's Cross this season.
Their poor run of results away from home has, however, left them 11 points behind the leaders Bohemians in the League, which means tomorrow's Cup semi-final against Derry City (7.45pm) is crucial to their prospects of a successful season. And if they were to win the Cup, it would represent a huge achievement for manager Liam Murphy and a new, young team.
Said Devine: "At the start of the season I would have said that we wouldn't win anything. But when I saw the players who were brought in, and after seeing them perform, I quickly changed my mind.
"The new players have all been scoring goals George (O'Callaghan), John (O'Flynn) and Billy Woods. I believe we have a good team and we are in the semi-final of the Cup, so everything is possible."
Devine, at 29, has contributed significantly to Cork's run, even if their goals-against column in the League does not make the best reading. They have conceded 16 goals in their ten League matches and only Drogheda Utd and Bray Wanderers have more.
Most of those concessions were made outside of Turner's Cross and typical of their season was the manner in which they surrendered a one-goal lead to lose 1-2 to Shelbourne last week. Devine was fingered as a culprit when Shels' John Gannon headed in their first from a corner kick.
"As always, after a mistake it is easy to explain why you made it, but it is a very fine line when you are actually making the decision. You don't have much time to make up your mind, you just react to the situation," Devine said.
Devine is one of Cork's growing group of full-time professionals and he confesses that he is training harder than at any time in his career under Cork's demanding goalkeeping coach, Phil Harrington. He works closely with the two reserve goalkeepers, Noel Mooney, and 21-year-old Mark McNulty from Ballincollig.
Devine has a level one coaching badge himself and needs to study one more programme before he is a qualified coach. But there is no rush.
"I have one more year left on my contract with Cork and I will not be thinking what happens next until then," he said.
"I believe I'm in my prime because goalkeepers usually go on a bit longer than other players and we are working very hard with Phil Harrington."
Meantime, there is much to look forward to and the prospect of playing Derry tomorrow in the Cup represents a huge attraction for a team containing up to nine players who were not involved when Cork last won the Cup as recently as 1998.
"I suppose you have to say now that Bohs are favourites for the League and are so far in front that it will be very difficult to catch them. It looks as if the rest of us are chasing second place, so the Cup definitely represents our best chance of a trophy," Devine said.
"The lads are all looking forward to it. It's the first time I've been in a semi-final, very few of us have been there before, and we are all determined to make the most of the opportunity. After all, we'll have another full house and the fans will again give us an edge. We can't let them down."
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