Kenny Shiels says rescheduling of Cork v Derry is ‘illogical’

Measure has been taken to ensure safety ahead of predicted worst storm in 50 years

Derry City boss Kenny Shiels has described the decision to postpone his side's league game at Turner's Cross by 24 hours due to the poor weather expected in the south west as "illogical," insisting that the fixture should have been put back for a full week.

“It’s too late now but it would have been more sensible for the game to have been called off earlier, for us to turn around and to play the game next week,” said Shiels as he and his players continued their journey south having just heard that the game had been postponed.

“That would have suited us and it would have suited Cork City but we are governed by what the authorities decide and they say it must go ahead on Tuesday night.

“It seems illogical to have asked us to have travel when there was such a red weather warning and you expect that weather this severe will still have an impact on Tuesday evening so surely it would be more sensible to have put it back to next week. You have to think of the supporters, particularly the younger and older ones. Playing next week seems the obvious thing to do but what can we do, we wil continue on down there now and spend two nights in Cork rather than one. We are bound by the decisions the FAI take.”

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The delay means that the game should be played in less extreme weather than would otherwise have been the case although it will now go up against televised Champions League games involving Liverpool, Manchester City and the one between Tottenham and Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Cork need just one point to lift the title after their scoreless draw at Dalymount on Friday night and John Caulfield suggested after that game that he was hoping the Derry game would attract a full house at Turner's Cross.

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times