Cork City and Dundalk bank on Euro cash

Last night the League of Ireland’s top two produced the latest episode of their ongoing anthology and there’ll be plenty more chapters to run.

Cork City and Dundalk bank on Euro cash

This is the fourth season on the bounce Cork City and Dundalk have occupied first and second spots in the table and they could yet conclude the campaign in November by facing each other at Lansdowne Road in the FAI Cup final for the third year running.

In a league landscape suppressed by the lack of investment from the governing body, especially through a prizemoney fund culled in recent years by 80 per cent, the promised land of Champions League qualification brings with it a cash injection which immediately affords a competitive advantage.

Even over the course of Dundalk’s dominant streak, Uefa have almost doubled the cash on offer. The Lilywhites once again entered at the second qualifying stage and, despite exiting at the first hurdle against familiar foes Rosenborg, the cool sum of €580,000 was banked. That was on top of the €3.5m the club cleared last year for reaching the group stages of the Europa League.

City didn’t fare too badly either – grossing approximately €1.1m for negotiating a couple of rounds this year and last – but the Champions League is where it’s at. Presuming they put this prolonged title victory to bed soon, John Caulfield’s side will in the big time in terms of commercial potential.

Due to the ramifications of the FAI’s disastrous premium ticket venture for Lansdowne Road, expenditure was lacerated, leaving the winners of the national league picking up just €110,000.

For City to try generate some daylight between them and Dundalk, as well as the rest, their investment will be drawn from European and sponsorship-generated income. They’ll certainly need it, not just to finalise contract talks with their manager, but also a raft of players that will soon become free agents.

Recruiting a striker to replace Seani Maguire has to be a prime objective, yet retaining the nucleus of the champions-elect shouldn’t be misplaced. Although many of his younger crew have another year to run on their deals, nailing them down on longer deals has to be on the to-do list. The example of allowing Chiedozie Ogbene slip from his grasp was amplified to Caulfield by the man-of-the-match performance delivered by the attacker in Limerick’s win over the Rebels last Friday.

His opposite number last night, Stephen Kenny, is sweating over the futures of many members within his all-conquering crew and Caulfield could do worse than making an approach for David McMillan.

Cork’s firepower issues since Maguire’s departure were once again highlighted last night as they laboured in attack and McMillan, still chasing the Kilkenny native for the golden boot this season, is one target that could shore the gap. Raiding Dundalk, whether it be for McMillan or even Sean Gannon to fill their problem position at right-back, has the double-impact of weakening their nearest rivals.

Whether they’ll be seriously challenged in their title defence by anyone else beyond Dundalk seems unlikely. Shamrock Rovers remain, in spite of snaring league multiple league winner Ronan Finn this season, have underachieved. Last night’s defeat to a struggling St Patrick’s Athletic side underlined their deficiencies.

While Stephen Bradley’s side have beaten both Dundalk and Cork in the league, they have achieved nowhere near the same consistency levels and will need to strengthen for a title shot to become a reality.

Derry City had threatened to compete with City in the early part of the season only to falter and now need Limerick not to win the FAI Cup for European football to be retained next season.

Operating predominantly with local players, the Candystripes won’t be extending themselves in the transfer market given their past financial issues. Should the crowds swarm to the rebuilt Brandywell, they may well keep some funds back for a mid season spree.

Of the others, perhaps newly-promoted Waterford FC could be the dark horses in the ten-team 2018 top-flight. They won the First Division with a squad capable of holding their own in the top-flight and already Director of Football Pat Fenlon has opened negotiations with some high-quality reinforcements. Still, the ball will be in City’s court. The disparity between European and domestic prize-money makes that a certainty.

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