Cork City manager Paul Farrell not happy with ‘unfair’ fixture list
Leesiders are in action again on Tuesday night after being hammered 8-1 in Dublin on Saturday
CORK City FC Women boss Paul Farrell has criticised the FAI for a congested fixture list that will see his side playing three games in the space of a week.
Having suffered a convincing 8-1 defeat at the hands of Women’s National League table-toppers Peamount United on the road last Saturday, the Leesiders will be forced to dust themselves off for a rearranged Munster derby against Treaty United at Market’s Field tonight (7.15pm).
Following that tussle, City will return to Dublin for a showdown with DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl on Saturday.
“We’re not happy with it at all. I think it’s very unfair on the girls. Very unfair from the FAI to put us on Tuesday night at 7.15pm after two away games and another away game Saturday after the Treaty game. That’s three away games in seven days. I think the FAI shouldn’t have done it. I think the FAI needed to look at their fixture list and the reserve date is May 4,” Farrell remarked after their loss to Peamount.
“Why couldn’t they play it on May 4?
“We did the FAI and Peamount a favour by swapping it and a couple of weeks later they’re telling us we have to play a game between Peamount and DLR.
“It is what it is. We’re not happy with the game being on Tuesday, but we just have to do a quick turnaround now and make sure that we get prepared for it.”
City were rank outsiders heading into last weekend’s clash with Peamount and found themselves chasing the game after Republic of Ireland international Aine O’Gorman twice rattled the net inside the opening 10 minutes. O’Gorman was to finish the contest with five goals, while Karen Duggan, Stephanie Roche and Alannah McEvoy were also on target.
A late own goal was all Cork could muster in response and having also endured a slow start to their previous fixture against Wexford Youths – which ended in a 5-1 reversal to the Slaneysiders – Farrell admitted it is an issue within their game they need to address.
“Slow starts are killing us. We’re out of the game in the first half and it takes us too long then to get into games. It’s something we’re trying to rectify quickly, but it’s taking time. Hopefully Tuesday we’ll be able to turn it around and put in a better performance than we did here,” Farrell added.