Cork City missing numbers of regulars for FAI cup semi-final

CORK City will be missing a number of regulars for Sunday’s FAI Cup semi-final against Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds. 

Manager John Caulfield will definitely be without summer signings Steven Beattie and Stephen Folan, who are cup-tied, while John Kavanagh and Colin Healy are also ruled out through injury.

The Cork City boss – who signed a new two-year deal with the club earlier this week –  also confirmed that a number of players had missed training this week through injury and illness, but said he is hopeful of that situation improving ahead of the game. 

Ahead of the game, Caulfield said: ‘We have a massive challenge ahead of us on Sunday, but we have an opportunity to get to a cup final, where we have not been for eight years.

‘Bray have been underestimated, a bit like we were last season, and people probably haven’t given them the respect they deserve. They had a slow start to the league season and there has been a lot of chopping and changing, but they have done phenomenally well.

Caulfield added: ‘You would imagine it will be a really tight game and that one goal will decide it.’

City have reached the semi-final stage thanks to wins over Wexford Youths (2-0 away), holders St Patrick’s Athletic (4-0 at Turner’s Cross) and a 3-0 quarter-final replay win over Derry after the sides had drawn one all at the Brandywell.

Cork and Bray have met on three occasions already this season, all in the league, with very little between them over the course of those three games. City have recorded two one nil wins, one in Bray and the other at Turner’s Cross, while their most recent meeting was a scoreless draw at the Carlisle Grounds at the beginning of September.