'I’m here to win the league' - Cork City boss Tim Clancy focused on title tilt

Tim Clancy feels Cork City’s transfer targets dallying over contract offers may regret not looking at the bigger picture.

Relegation in the November playoff means it’s First Division football again for the Rebel Army.

Clancy has been delegated the mission of ensuring one of Ireland’s biggest clubs don’t spend a fourth season in five within the dredges of the second tier in 2025.

The man who led Drogheda United to promotion in 2020 aims to replicate that feat on Leeside automatically, rather than rely on the precarious playoff route.

That quest for the title officially begins on Friday, February 16 – the night the league’s newest club Kerry FC visit Turner’s Cross for the first-ever meeting of the Munster rivals.

Upon accepting the vacancy on November 24, Clancy inherited a squad with just one player, Conor Drinan, under contract and plenty of free agents eager to remain as Premier Division players in different colours.

Josh Honohan had been snared by champions Shamrock Rovers, albeit with compensation payable, while Ruairi Keating and Aaron Bolger opted for FAI Cup holders St Patrick’s Athletic.

Last year’s teen breakout star, Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, more recently settled on English Championship outfit Southampton as his next destination.

Coming the other way in the off-season have been Cobh Ramblers pair Jack Doherty and Charlie Lyons, the return of double-winning Greg Bolger as well as Derry City prospect Evan McLaughlin.

Former Ireland U21 and Watford midfielder Sean Murray has also been enlisted on loan from Glentoran by Clancy but the manager doesn’t expect to activate the maximum four loanees that many other clubs lean heavily on as a recruitment strategy.

Clancy has pinpointed a striker and centre-back to