Cork City focus on club wages after settling matters in court

LEAGUE OF IRELAND NEWS AND PREVIEWS: CORK CITY continued to battle their way back towards a degree of financial stability yesterday with the club reaching a temporary agreement with its staff in relation to overdue wages a matter of hours after its High Court tangle with the Revenue Commissioners was finally concluded.

After counsel for the tax authorities confirmed in court yesterday morning that payment in full had been received in respect of City’s arrears, the winding-up order granted, then stayed, last week was finally set aside.

“We’re pleased it’s all behind us,” said City’s solicitor Olann Kelleher after the brief hearing. “It’s the sixth time we’ve been in court and we just want to get back to playing football now.”

Within a matter of hours, City issued a statement in relation to the wages in which they said 40 per cent of the amount owed was to be paid yesterday, with the balance due to follow over the coming weeks.

In fact, the club’s staff, including its players, are hoping to see the rest of their money next week as Tuesday’s game against Shamrock Rovers is the home game pencilled in for August. Sure enough, the club issued an appeal to its supporters to turn out in large numbers for the game.

Supporters’ organisation Foras, meanwhile, welcomed yesterday’s news from the courts but said their faith in the club’s owners had been “severely tested” in recent weeks and suggested the only way to secure City’s future is by means of the supporters taking a controlling stake.

Certainly, the future remains far from certain under the present regime and the expectation is talks on new financial structures could start as early as the end of next week, with a return to part-time playing staff expected to be on the agenda.

Such a move would be likely to prompt new departures and a couple of players were said to be considering offers from British clubs last night.

While they wait to discover how much they are to be paid, when they are to get it, and on what terms their employment might be, City’s players must get on with the business of playing football and this evening they travel to Dalymount Park where the aim will be to complete an unlikely away double over the champions.

Gareth Cambridge misses the trip due a hamstring problem, while Joe Gamble is a doubt. For the Dubliners, Jason McGuinness (back) and Anto Murphy (ankle) are sidelined, while Owen Heary (hamstring) is likely to do no better than make the bench again, leaving Mark Rossiter to continue at right back despite carrying a hip injury. Glen Crowe is expected to be available after missing the last two games with an ankle problem.

Shamrock Rovers will look to maintain their strong run of form and step up the pressure on the league leaders with another win, this time away to Drogheda, with whom they have twice drawn so far this season.

Ian Bermingham is injured (knee), while both Seán O’Connor and Dessie Baker are suspended, leaving manager Michael O’Neill to sweat on the fitness of Pádraig Amond and Paddy Kavanagh, both of whom face late tests. Newly-signed former Linfield goalkeeper Alan Mannus comes into the squad.