Jimmy Dunne strike for Burnley downs Cork City
A Jimmy Dunne goal 20 minutes from time saw Burnley get their pre-season off to a winning start as they defeated an unlucky Cork City in last night’s friendly at Turner’s Cross.
Home favourite Kevin Long started last night along with fellow Irish International Stephen Ward. Jeff Hendrick and Jon Walters played the second half, with Robbie Brady watching from the stand as he returns from a serious knee injury.
With Tuesday’s Champions League second leg in Warsaw looming, goalkeeper Peter Cherrie was the only City player who started Tuesday’s defeat to Legia.
Kieran Sadlier tested England international Tom Heaton early on with a long-range effort before shooting into the side netting soon afterwards.
Dyche made 10 changes at half-time with Australian Aiden O’Neill the only player staying on. Cherrie kept out Sam Vokes’ header but City were eventually outdone in the 71st minute as Dunne forced the ball home from close range.
Cherrie (Coffey 69) Dunleavy, Bennett (Hurley 69), Barry, Kane, Daly-Butz (Collins 84), Kavanagh (McFarlane 78), Phillips, Sadlier (Murphy 78), O’Hanlon (Campion 45), Coughlan.
Heaton, Bardsley, Mee, Long, Ward, McNeill, O’Neill, Cork, Lennon, Wells, Wood.
Lindegaard, O’Neill, Tarkowski, Dunne, Taylor, Walters, Hendrick, Westwood, Agyei, Barnes (McNeill 82), Vokes.
D Keeler (Cork).
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Bray Wanderers players will not fulfill their fixture against Cork City on July 27 if they are not paid by the club.
A ballot for strike action was passed “by overwhelming majority” after seven weeks of unpaid wages.
Players have also been forced to pay for their own operations and rehabilitation for injuries, they say.
“Coming to this decision last night was one of the hardest of our professional careers and reached with the heaviest of hearts,” said the players in a statement.
“This is very much a last resort action but we feel we have been left with no choice.”
They also criticised the FAI and their licensing department for allowing the situation to develop after the club fell into crisis last season.
In the wake of criticism from players and the PFAI, the FAI’s Director of Competitions Fran Gavin yesterday described delays in the payment of wages at both Bray Wanderers and Limerick as “disappointing and not acceptable”.
