Tim Clancy ready for League of Ireland version of Cork Kerry derby

The Cork Kerry rivalry will take on a new form on Friday night as the two neighbours, arch-rivals in Gaelic football for generations, clash for the first time in the League of Ireland.

Turner’s Cross, rather than Fitzgerald Park, Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Croke Park, will be the venue as Cork City meet Kerry F.C – kick off is at 7.45pm – in front of what is hoped to be a bumper, raucous crowd of close to 4,000.

The significance of the occasion isn’t lost on City manager and Meath native Tim Clancy.

“It’s a different code but obviously it’s very, very big,” he insisted.

“It’s brilliant that we are at home. There’s going to be loads of energy, it’s going to be very competitive, it’s going to be physical as well so it’s a brilliant game to start the season with.”

But forgetting about the history between the Rebel County and the Kingdom for a moment, the fixture is significant for Clancy and his side regardless.

The First Division opener will be the 39-year old’s first competitive game in charge of City and given that they are the only full-time club in the second tier of Irish football, the expectation is that this should be the first game of a title winning campaign for the Leesiders.

“If you asked all the other managers in the league they would prefer to be full time,” he added.

“It’s a positive for us to be full-time and we have to capitalise on that as much as we can. We get more contact hours with the lads, the lads get to recover more so we have to make sure that they are as fit as possible and try and use it to our advantage throughout the season.

“We probably have the biggest budget as well but it’s irrelevant if we don’t perform to our best every single game.

“I’m happy with the squad. I love talking about young players