Adrian Russell

A season high of 4,026 souls funnelled into Turner’s Cross on Friday night to witness Cork City go top of the League of Ireland Premier Division with another workmanlike 1-0 victory over Derry City. 

When Shamrock Rovers dramatically beat rivals Bohs 24 hours later, the Leesiders were confirmed as sole leaders of the league. The title charge is now a reality; as long as the Revenue Commissioner doesn’t jerk the rug from beneath the club’s feet next week because of outstanding tax issues. Again.

The truth is if the club does fizzle out like a giant Berocca in the rain, the city can’t complain. Four thousand is a very healthy turnout for an Irish club – especially at  the moment -  but it took the threat of extinction and a table-topping clash with old friends to shake the footballing public from their summer slumber.

And this from a city that is scarred by the trauma of seeing several other – successful – clubs like Hibs, Celtic and Alberts fade like a fashion.

Like the rest of the league there is a loyal following for the club.  These are the ones who attend games, intimidate goalkeepers and sell fanzines. The name of the fanzine at the Cross? I Was Out There Once.

Let’s hope, for the sake of the game in this country, that some of those 4,000 who left the comfortable lounges and bars in the county on Friday night and with it the razzmatazz of televised and sanitised Premier League product enjoyed the sweat-and-sawdust appeal of the Irish game. And they won’t just go out there once.