Injury returns imminent but Clancy rues three-game ban for Coffey

Cork City boss Tim Clancy will have to plan without key midfielder Barry Coffey for the next three fixtures following the verdict of his red card dismissal against UCD last Friday night. 

Looking to keep City's one-nil lead intact heading into the final moments of the game, Coffey stopped a Ciarán Behan-led UCD counter-attack. 

Having received a straight red card, it was filed in the category of "violent conduct" rather than "serious foul play", meaning Coffey's absence will include Bray Wanders at home and Treaty United away, on top of Saturday's trip to Longford.

"Listen, Barry has tried to stop a counter-attack and he's tried to just clip the [UCD] player's heel," Clancy told the Irish Examiner prior to the weekend's clash in the Midlands. 

"If you look back on the video, the player takes a half step and then jumps, which results in Barry missing and then landing on the back of his heel."

It's a stomach punch that has been compounded by the lengthier sentence, Clancy feels.

"That was a blow, and the bigger blow now is that he's been charged with violent conduct. I didn't think it was violent conduct, I think, if anything, it was probably reckless. 

"I can totally understand why Chris [Sheehan, referee] has given him the red card but it's disappointing that it went down as violent conduct and he has to serve a three-game ban now.

"It's not ideal. It's just that little bit of inconsistency when it comes to officiating is the frustrating thing... Listen, it's probably serious foul play because he's got him on the Achilles with his studs but the frustrating thing is getting the extra game."

While Tipperary native Coffey will sit out their next three outings, a return for several established academy products is not too far