Birmingham travel to Cork for pre-season

Birminghan City will play Cork City in a pre-season friendly at Turner’s Cross on 16 July.

The 2011 Carling Cup champions will play the match as part of their five-day pre-season training camp at the Fota Island Resort.

Birmingham manager Alec McLeish said: ‘This will be an important part of our preparations and the facilities at our disposal will be top class. Cork City is a club, like our own, with a long and proud tradition and I know that its young squad is highly regarded.

‘It will be a good test for us as we get our preparations for the forthcoming season underway in earnest.’

Following the club’s historic Wembley triumph over Arsenal it suffered the disappointment of relegation in heartbreaking circumstances over the closing 10 minutes of the season but is widely tipped to achieve immediate promotion back to the FA Premier League.

The Blues, who will also enjoy the high of European competition next season, will be captained by Irish international Stephen Carr who has had his contract extended for a further season at St. Andrews.

Dubliner Keith Fahey and Cork native Colin Doyle will also feature in a squad that will be among the strongest in the English Championship.

Cork City manager Tommy Dunne said: ‘We’re delighted to get a game of this quality mid way through what is a vital season for the club.

‘You don’t win the Carling Cup, especially beating Arsenal in the final, unless you have an exceptional squad of players and no one in football expects Birmingham to be out of the Premier League for more than next season. This is a great opportunity for our young squad to test themselves and for our fans to see a top quality team play at Turner’s Cross.’

Tickets are priced at €17 for adults and €8 for concession tickets, and will be on sale to Cork City supporters at Turner’s Cross Stadium this evening, as City take on Athlone Town in the Airtricity League First Division.