In the match programme tonight, Cork City striker Denis Behan says of the Rebel Army supporters: “I have had my ups and downs with the fans – they love me one minute, they don’t the next – but that’s football.”

This time last week, the turnstiles were clicking nicely – or rather the match ticket bar codes were beeping nicely (it’s gotten very posh at the Cross). But then, in the space of four days, Paul Doolin’s charges get turned over by the country’s best and the country’s worst and, consequently, it’s not so hectic on the Curragh Road. That’s football.

So how do you mend a broken heart? By turning over your arch-rivals of course.

Two factors ensure that any time Shamrock Rovers come to town, the air has added charge. Starved of a close rivalry that is of any real consequence, Cork has always greeted the Hoops with an intrigued belligerence. And Rovers, knowing this, feed off it and so are always willing to fight spice with spice.

It’s all a pantomime, as one individual who has played for both sides in the past described it to me. But just like the panto, there is undoubted tradition.

And just like in panto, football requires you to always look behind you. The team sheets have just dropped in front of us and Joe Gamble has returned from a ‘three-week lay-off’ after just seven days – football propaganda is as coy as that man that always plays that old woman.

So Gamble’s in for the suspended Cillian Lordan and Billy Dennehy is dropped in favour of Guntars Silagailis. Hard to call the formation but signs do point to a return to 4-3-3 with the Latvian alongside Behan and Faz Kuduzovic.

For the visitors, Dessie Baker and Ollie Cahill return after substitute appearances in the 3-1 win over Dundalk – Baker scored in fact. Sean O’Connor and Padraig Amond lose out.

So tonight the fickle nature of fandom gets its biggest test on Leeside this year. It’s sink or swim and what better choppy waters to emerge from.

CORK CITY: D Connor; P Sullivan, G O'Halloran, D Murray (capt), D Murphy; J Gamble, C Healy, S O’Donnell; G Silagailis, D Behan, F Kuduzovic.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: R Duggan; I Bermingham, C Treacy, D Maguire, A Price, S Robinson, S Rice, S Bradley, O Cahill; G Twigg, D Baker.