Kenny's champions steeled for Turner's Cross cauldron

Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Aidan Fitzmaurice

Stephen Kenny says his Dundalk side won't be fazed by the prospect of playing in front of a full house in Cork today in what is already a key game in the battle for the title.

Due to Cork's 100pc record this season, and Dundalk's loss against Derry City, Cork are leading the league table as the two sides who have competed for the league crown and the FAI Cup for the last couple of seasons square up to each other in Turner's Cross.

Cork won this fixture in front of a crowd of 5,500 last season, though Dundalk coped with a Cork attendance of 6,900 and won their league game in Cork in 2015, so Kenny feels his side are capable of claiming the three points.

"The players look forward to these games. That's what we want," says the Dundalk boss, his side on a high from last week's 3-0 dismissal of St Patrick's Athletic.

"The players want to play in front of big houses and we enjoy that.

"We enjoy the challenge of that and hopefully we can put in another good performance today and get the victory."

Meanwhile, Bohemians boss Keith Long will have to dig deep into his resources after learning that striker Dinny Corcoran will be absent for six weeks due to injury.

"It's far from ideal being without Dinny. We are very stretched in that position already and to lose Dinny, particularly in the form that he's in, is a big blow," says Long ahead of today's clash with Drogheda United.

"But we have players who can play up front like Kaleem Simon and Jamie Doyle. It's an opportunity for others to come into the team and make the jersey their own."