City's summer preparations continue with a training camp in Ireland this week, including a midweek match against Cork City.
Cork City vs. Cardiff City
Tuesday, 14th July 2026
7:45pm KO
Turner's Cross Stadium
Away tickets for this pre-season fixture are on sale. Click here to buy now.
For those unable to attend, Cardiff City TV will be live streaming the fixture worldwide for £5. Click here to buy your Match Pass.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | CLUB PROFILE
Formed in 1984, Cork City are three-time champions of the League of Ireland Premier Division, most recently winning the top Irish domestic league in 2017.
Nicknamed the Rebel Army, Cork's first domestic honour came in 1987 as they defeated Shamrock Rovers to win the League of Ireland Cup (this tournament was postponed in 2020 and is yet to resume). They won their first Premier Division title in 1992/93, and their first FAI Cup in 1998.
Cork City play their home matches at Turners Cross Stadium. It has a capacity of 7,485, and following redevelopment in 2009 became the first all-seated, all-covered stadium in Ireland. It has since been followed by the Aviva Stadium and Tallaght Stadium, home of Shamrock Rovers.
Cork play in green and white colours with red trim. Their biggest rivals are Cobh Ramblers - the two sides content the Cork derby, with the most recent meeting taking place on Friday, July 3rd. Cork came out on top thanks to an early goal from Ruairí Keating.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | ON THE TOUCHLINE
Barry Robson became Cork City boss in January, ahead of the Rebel Army's 2026 campaign.
Aberdeenshire-born Robson began his playing career with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, before a successful move to Dundee United in 2003.
His impressive form for the Tangerines earned him a move to Celtic in 2008, along with his first of 17 Scotland international caps. In 2010, he followed his former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan south of the border, joining Middlesbrough.
Robson faced off against the Bluebirds four times during his spell at Boro, winning twice. The midfielder scored at CCS in a disappointing 3-0 May 2011 defeat for Dave Jones' side, which ultimately ended their hopes of Premier League promotion that season.
After leaving the Riverside Stadium, Robson appeared for Vancouver Whitecaps, Sheffield United and hometown club Aberdeen, before moving into management. His first job was as interim boss of Aberdeen in 2022, before being handed the permanent job at Pittodrie a year later.
A spell at Raith Rovers followed between December 2024 and November 2025, with Robson taking the reins in Cork at the start of this calendar year.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | SEASON REVIEW
Despite winning the Premier Division and FAI Cup double as recently as 2017, Cork have spent several of their recent seasons in the First Division, the second tier of Irish football.
They were relegated out of the top division in 2020, but bounced back by winning the First Division during the 2022 season. However, another relegation occurred in 2023 in cruel circumstances, as Cork lost in the promotion/relegation Play-Off against Waterford. A similar chain of events then followed: the Rebel Army were promoted in 2024 as First Division champions, but relegated at the end of the 2025 campaign.
Keen to banish their new-found status as a yo-yo club, Cork have turned to Robson to once again lift them out of the second division and hopefully retain Premier Division status for a prolonged period.
The 2026 season at Turners Cross began well, with Robson's side enjoying an 11-game unbeaten start. Their campaign began in February, with a last-gasp 1-0 home win over Treaty United, and Cork remained undefeated until the Cork derby on May 1st, which saw Cobh Ramblers claim a 1-0 win.
Robson's side responded well, winning nine consecutive games - they conceded just one goal in that period. That run included the aforementioned victory in the return derby match against Cobh, on July 3rd.
City are sitting pretty at the top of the First Division, with 54 points from their 23 games and a 17 point lead over Bray Wanderers, their nearest challengers. However, Cork come into our pre-season friendly on the back of a rare defeat. They fell 4-3 to Longford Town, who scored twice in the final few minutes, on Friday evening.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | FAMILIAR FACE
Of course, City boss Brian Barry-Murphy started his playing career with hometown club Cork City in 1995, before moving to English football with Preston North End in 1999.
However, Brian is certainly not the only sporting star in the Barry-Murphy family. His father, Jimmy Barry-Murphy, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Gaelic games and boasts one of the most decorated careers the sport has ever seen.
During his illustrious playing career, Jimmy won five Senior All-Ireland Hurling Championships, 10 Munster Senior Hurling titles, two National Hurling Leagues, an Under-21 All-Ireland, a Minor All-Ireland and five All-Star awards. In Gaelic football, he added a Senior All-Ireland title, two Munster Championships, a National League title and a Minor All-Ireland to his remarkable honours list.
His achievements remain unmatched: Barry-Murphy is the only player in Gaelic games history to win All-Ireland titles in both hurling and football at minor, under-21 and senior level.
Following his outstanding playing career, JBM moved into management, following a path that would later be mirrored by his son. Across two spells in charge of Cork, he guided the county to numerous honours, including three Munster Senior Hurling Championships and three All-Ireland titles.
In recognition of his extraordinary contribution to Gaelic games, Jimmy was inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame in 2015.
Click the image above to watch Brian discuss his upbringing in Cork and love of Gaelic games - filmed last season as part of our Bluebirds Uncaged series!