Preview: Cork City vs. Dundalk - prediction, team news, lineups

Liam Buckley's side have triumphed in each of their last four to rise into eighth position in the table, while Dundalk sit sixth, eight points ahead of their opponents in this contest.

Match preview

Cork only managed two wins from their opening 15 matches of the season, but they have seriously turned a corner in recent weeks, putting four straight victories on the board.

Back-to-back 1-0 home wins over Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers were followed by a 1-0 victory at Drogheda United, before Buckley's side recoded a 2-1 win over Bohemians last time out.

The recent run has moved City up into eighth position in the table, one point ahead of ninth-placed Drogheda and 15 ahead of University College Dublin, who are rotted to the bottom on six points.

Cork were promoted to the top flight for the current season as League of Ireland First Division champions, so their main focus for the campaign is to avoid relegation.

Buckley's team have had mixed results at home this season, winning five, drawing one and losing four of their 10 matches, while Dundalk have won three, drawn two and lost five of their 10 games on their travels.

The visitors will enter this match off the back of a 4-1 victory over UCD, which proved to be their first triumph in the league since May 12.

The team at the bottom of the division actually took the lead at Oriel Park, with Jake Doyle on the scoresheet, but Dundalk then scored four times without reply, including a double from Patrick Hoban, to secure all three points in a comfortable fashion.

The Lilywhites, who finished third in the League of Ireland Premier Division last season, are currently sixth in the table, boasting 29 points from their opening 20 matches.

There are actually only six points between sixth and second in the league at this moment in time, so a couple more wins in quick succession could catapult Stephen O'Donnell's side up the table.

Dundalk have faced Cork on 42 occasions throughout history and lead the head-to-head record 21 wins to 16, while the final five fixtures have ended all square.

Cork City League of Ireland Premier form:

L

L

W

W

W

W

Dundalk League of Ireland Premier form:

W

L

D

L

L

W

Team News

Cork will be missing two players through injury on Friday, with Darragh Crowley and Albin Winbo unavailable for selection.

The home side have no fresh fitness concerns from their win over Bohemians last time out, though, and it would not be a surprise to see the same XI take to the field.

Ruairi Keating has been Cork's main source of goals this season, finding the back of the net on seven occasions, and the 27-year-old will again feature in the final third of the field.

Dundalk, meanwhile, remain without the services of John Mountney due to a long-term knee injury; Robbie Benson is also missing for the visitors due to a muscular problem.

Hoban's brace against UCD last time out took him onto seven goals for the season, and the 31-year-old will again start here, with Rayhaan Tulloch, who has five this term, also set to be included.

Tulloch was actually an unused substitute against UCD but could now come in for Cameron Elliott, and the visitors might otherwise be unchanged from their win last time out.

Cork City possible starting lineup:

Corcoran; Honohan, Coleman, Gilchrist; Custovic, Bolger, Healy, O'Donovan; Owolabi, O'Brien-Whitmarsh; Keating

Dundalk possible starting lineup:

Shepperd; Davies, Boyle, Annesley, Leahy; Kelly, Sloggett, Yli-Kokko, O'Kane; Tulloch, Hoban

We say: Cork City 1-1 Dundalk

Cork's recent form has been excellent, but their run of victories is going to come to an end at some stage, and we are backing that to happen on Friday. A point against Dundalk would still be a strong result for the home side, and we are finding it difficult to separate them in this contest.

Previews by email