The two most out-of-form sides in the Irish Premier Division meet at Turners Cross on Friday night as rock-bottom Cork City hosts sixth-placed St Partick’s.
It’s been a tough campaign for Cork City after winning the Irish First Division title last season, as they currently sit bottom of the Premier Division table after picking up just 14 points from their opening 18 matches.
Ger Nash’s hosts are currently in the midst of a 10-game winless run in the Irish top flight (W0-D4-L6), but they did at least prevent it from being seven defeats from their past eight last Friday, as they scored a 96th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to Drogheda United on Monday night.
St Pat’s made a decent start to their campaign, as they won five and lost just two of their opening 11 matches in the Irish Premier Division this season (W5-D4-L2).
However, ex-Irish national team manager Stephen Kenny has seen his team win only three of their next 12 (W3-D2-L7), with their unfortunate 0-1 defeat at home to Derry City on Monday being their third defeat in a row.
The Saints are now down to sixth in the table, only two points ahead of eighth-placed Waterford, but only six off second-placed Bohemians.
How the bookies view it: St Pat’s favourites
Despite winning just one of their previous seven league matches, St Patrick’s have been installed as favourites for this clash, with BoyleSports pricing them up at 10/11.
The same firm has Cork as 5/2 underdogs to put a halt to their 10-game winless streak, whilst the draw is 12/5.
Head to head: St Pat’s dominance
St Patrick’s have dominated this fixture in recent years, with Stephen Kenny’s men unbeaten in each of their previous 15 competitive meetings with Cork City, winning seven and drawing one of their past eight.
Players to watch: Daniels to deliver again?
Djenairo Daniels has scored five goals in his last eight appearances for Cork City – including that stoppage-time equaliser against Drogheda United on Monday – and is 3/1 at PaddyPower to get on the scoresheet once again.
Mason Melia is St Pat’s joint top-scorer in the Premier Division this season with six goals, with one of those being the opener in their 3-2 win over Cork last month, and the 17-year-old Irishman is 2/1 at BoyleSports to net here.
Predicted line-ups:
Cork City will be without long-term injured trio Benny Couto, Conor Drinan and Ruari Keating.
Central Midfielder Romal Palmer appears to be St Pat’s only long-term absentee.
Cork City: Troost, Mbeng, Lyons, Anderson, Kiernan, O’Sullivan, Bolger, Murray, Nelson, Maguire, Daniels
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang, Sjoeberg, Redmond, Hoare, Kavanagh, Baggley, Lennon, Power, McClelland, Melia, Elbouzedi
Anything else catch the eye?
Cork City are the Both Teams to Score kings in the Irish Premier Division this season, with an impressive 18/21 (86%) of their league matches producing goals at both ends.
Only four of St Patrick’s previous nine top-flight clashes have seen both teams get on the scoresheet, but one of those was a 3-2 victory over Cork at Richmond Park last month, so the 10/11 at Bet365 for Both Teams to Score holds plenty of appeal.
As alluded to, St Pat’s have dominated this fixture in recent years and have scored 2+ goals in five of their last seven head-to-heads – including both meetings this season – and are Evens to strike twice at BoyleSports.
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