Kerr expects competitive Cork

Brian Kerr doesn't expect Cork City to ease up in Friday's SSE Airtricity League clash with St Patrick's Athletic.

John Caulfield's side were crowned champions on Tuesday with two games to spare following their goalless draw with Derry City at Turner's Cross on Tuesday night.

Eighth-placed St Pats are a point off the relegation zone, and desperately need the points at Richmond Park to edge further away from ninth-placed Sligo Rovers and third-bottom Galway United. 

Cork face Pats on Friday and Bray at Turner's Cross on Friday, 27 October, before an FAI Cup final date with Dundalk at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, 5 November.

But Kerr, who managed St Pats to League of Ireland titles in 1990 and 1996, is convinced the Leesiders won't let up the pressure in Friday's game, which is live on eir Sport 2 [kick off 7.45pm].

"I don't think it is a valid point [that Cork could ease up]," he told Johnny and Dan on the eir Sport/ Irish Independent LOI Weekly podcast.

"Sligo Rovers are away to Drogheda, who are last in the table, in the final round of games.

"What is [Drogheda manager] Pete Mahon's approach to that game? Is he going to look towards next year, and play some of the youth or U-19 players?

"Has that been Pete's attitude over the past few weeks? I think he has put out the best team he could. They have lost games narrowly, but he has given it a bit of a go.

"My impression is every team in the league gives their best for every match."

Kerr points out that Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny has also picked strong teams during the title run-in, even though the Lilywhites had little hope of catching Cork.

"They had an FAI Cup replay coming up [against Shamrock Rovers] on the Tuesday night, and they played Finn Harps on the Saturday," the former Ireland boss continued.

"I wondered what type of team he would put out there. He is not thinking really that he could still win the league, but he needs to win the FAI Cup.

"And I looked at the team he put out, and he had eight or nine of his best players playing, with a couple of fringe players. 

"And they won the match convincingly [2-0]. That's the attitude of our league. It is professional."

St Patrick's Athletic take on newly-crowned League of Ireland champions Cork City at Richmond Park on Friday, 20 October, live on eir Sport 2 [kick off 7.45pm]

Photo Inpho/ Oisin Keniry

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