Cork City to sign centre-back and Bohs discuss Jonathan Afolabi return after six-goal pre-season thriller

Pre-season friendly: Cork City 2 Bohemians 4

Pre-season is for building match fitness and sharpness rather than results, which is just as well for Cork City’s new goalkeeper Tein Troost.

It was a tough first outing for the young keeper – he turned 23 on Wednesday - in Bishopstown on Friday afternoon as the club’s new number one, who is on loan from Eredivisie side NAC Breda, was at fault for Bohemians’ first and second goals in the Dubliner’s 4-2 victory over City.

In between those goals from John Mountney, who didn’t know anything about his finish as Troost’s punch from an in-swinging free kick struck his back and deflected into the net, and Dawson Devoy, who knew everything about his finish as he collected the shot-stopper’s stray pass and looped it over his head from distance, there were signs of promise from the net minder.

There are also other mitigating circumstances to consider as it was his first appearance in quite some time, in a warm-up match, and with a new club, in a new country.

But still, City fans will be hoping for better from the Dutch native as the real action and their return to the Premier Division edges closer on February 14, particularly after the club’s refusal to meet Brad Wade’s, who kept 21 clean sheets in 36 games last season, wage demands which allowed him to be snapped up by Munster rivals Waterford.

Troost could also do with more help just in front of him with City manager Tim Clancy confirming that more reinforcements are on the way, particularly at the heart of the defence which included two Trialists against Bohs; Milan Mbeng and Paul Fosu-Mensah.

“We conceded a few poor goals which we would like to wipe out,” said Clancy, who saw Malik Dijksteel find the far right corner with a superb shot from distance in the first half before substitute Joshua Fitzpatrick coolly slotted home in the second.

Keeper woes on the cards again for CCFC? 😬

pic.twitter.com/E5ebi5WLgh — Irish Football Blog (@BlogIrish) January 17, 2025

“They were goals that were probably mistakes and a bit of rustiness. If you see how TT (Tein Troost) plays he’s very good with the ball at his feet.

“It was a bit of a heavy surface that we had there so it’s probably a little bit of slackness on that behalf.

“It’s going to be highlighted when a goalkeeper does things (mistakes). It’s just one of them when a goalkeeper or defender makes a mistake it looks a lot worse.

“TT has come in from a really good level. What we have seen from, he is an excellent keeper. I’ve signed him as the main goalkeeper but with competition from Conor (Brann).

“He has been excellent in training as well and I really want competition from our two goalkeepers to really push each other because we probably didn’t have that last season.

“We have got to sit down and have a look (at the two Trialists) but we have other players coming in imminently. Centre-half is a position we will be making a few signings there and we will look elsewhere, possibly.

“We’ve two of our loans used with another loan to come, definitely and it gives you the option of a fourth loan as well from England or further afield. We will probably get another centre-half in which will be a permanent deal.”

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Bohemians, who also scored through a James Clarke tap-in and a thunderous free-kick from Cian Byrne, will also be hoping to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.

But while manager Alan Reynolds has confirmed he is interested in securing the return of forward Jonathan Afolabi - the League of Ireland’s joint-top scorer with 15 goals in 2023 - he doesn’t see the recently turned 25-year-old, who is currently on-loan at Dutch second-tier side Cambuur from Belgian first division team Kortrijk, making another move in the near future, with Shamrock Rovers also believed to be interested.

“Johnny Afolabi is only coming back from injury, I don’t think he has played an awful lot with his other club so there’s no news on that,” admitted Reynolds.

“You would be interested in Johnny Afolabi all day, but I don’t think Johnny Afolabi is leaving the club he is with.

“We have brought in new signings and have more to do. Just on the new signings, we have been close to a few but we can’t compete with the top ones.

“We are nearly close and other teams come in, not that they are bigger clubs than Bohs but they have more money than Bohs at the minute and we lose out.

“But we keep going, the players that come to Bohs will come for the right reasons. It won’t be money driven. We will be patient, but we are close on a few.”

City are back in action on Saturday afternoon as they take on Treaty United in Mayfield at 2pm which will include the likes of Ruairi Keating, Charlie Lyons and Alex Nolan along with those that started on the bench and only played 30 minutes against Bohemians.

CORK CITY: Tein Troost, Benny Couto, Greg Bolger, Malik Dijksteel, Cathal O’Sullivan, Milan Mbeng, Sean Murray, Darragh Crowley, Paul Fosu-Mensah, Sean Maguire, Arran Healy.

Subs: Rory Moloney, Harry Nevin, Joshua Fitzpatrick, Patryk Swieczka Andrzejczak, Matthew Murray, Harvey Skieters, Dara McCormick, Ronan O’Shea.

BOHEMIANS: James Talbot, Liam Smith, Trialist 1, Dayle Rooney, Dawson Devoy, James McManus, James Clarke, Adam McDonnell, John Mountney, Archie Meekison, Cian Byrne.

Subs: Kacper Chorazka, Jake Hough, Declan Osagie, Niall Morahan, Hugh Smith, Divin Isamala, Sean Moore, Markuss Strods, Rhys Brennan.

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.

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