Cork City F.C.

History

Pre-1980s

1980s

In its first and second seasons, the young club barely averted relegation to the new First Division - failing to win a single game at home in Flower Lodge and avoiding relegation only on goal difference. The FAI Cup offered some respite, however Shamrock Rovers knocked City out in the semi-finals - in the last match played at the Lodge.

 bar:Leaders color:green width:25 mark:(line,white) align:left fontsize:S

 from:1984 till:1984 shift:($dx) text:Bobby Tambling

 from:1984  till:1986 shift:($dx) text:Tony 'Tucker' Allen

 from:1986 till:1987 shift:($dx) text:Noel O’Mahony

 from:1987  till:1988 shift:($dx) text:Eamonn O’Keefe

 from:1988 till:1992 shift:($dx) text:Noel O’Mahony~FAI League Cup Winners 1988~UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1989~UEFA Cup 1991~League of Ireland Champions 1992

 from:1992  till:1993 shift:($dx) text:Damien Richardson~UEFA European Cup 1993

 from:1993  till:1994 shift:($dx) text:Noel O’Mahony~UEFA Cup 1994~FAI League Cup 1994

 from:1994  till:1995 shift:($dx,) text:Rob Hindmarch

 from:1995  till:2000 shift:($dx) text:Dave Barry~UEFA Intertoto Cup 1997~FAI Cup 1998~FAI League Cup 1998~UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1998~UEFA Cup 1999

 from:2000  till:2000 shift:($dx) text:Derek Mountfield~Colin Murphy

 from:2000  till:2003 shift:($dx) text:Liam Murphy~UEFA Cup 2000~UEFA Intertoto Cup 2001

 from:2003  till:2005 shift:($dx) text:Pat Dolan~UEFA Intertoto Cup 2004

 from:2005  till:2008 shift:($dx) text:Damien Richardson~League of Ireland Champions 2005~UEFA Cup 2005~UEFA Champions’ League 2006~UEFA Intertoto Cup 2007~FAI Ford Cup 2007

 from:2008  till:end shift:($dx) text:Alan Mathews

In 1986 the club moved to a new home at Turners Cross, where new manager Noel O’Mahony brought Cork to a midtable finish. The following year the club strived to inject a degree of professionalism, and former Ireland striker Eamon O'Keefe arrived as manager, delivering the Munster Cup, and the League Cup (the club’s first national silverware).

Poor form and attendances cast doubts over O’Keefe’s tenure and there was an acrimonious parting of the ways in 1988. With Noel O’Mahony re-installed the side finished eighth in the league, and a loss to champions Derry City in the FAI Cup final earned the club its first European ticket.

They experienced gained in a 0-6 on aggregate defeat against the Russian side Torpedo Moscow inspired a fifth-place finish in the Premier Division, and the Munster Senior Cup was reclaimed.

1990s

Damien Richardson took the helm and the 1993/94 season began with City coming from three goals down to beat Welsh side Cwmbran Town in the UEFA Champions League. Their reward was a trip to Istanbul and odd-goal defeats both home and away to Galatasaray. City ended up finishing in runners up position in the league.

1994/95 was a tumultuous season for Cork City. After a bright start to the season, financial pressures forced Richardson to resign and with Bishopstown not being developed to plan, games were switched to Cobh, Turners Cross, and even an enforced trip to Tolka Park. O'Mahony was re-appointed as manager but the title challenge collapsed and neither Munster nor League Cup successes could ease the sense of foreboding.

At the start of the 1995/96 season Rob Hindmarch took the reins, but the club was in trouble. With the stadium dragging it under, the receiver was called in and the club left homeless. Efforts to save the situation saw a new Board installed and a move back to Turners Cross. Penniless, Hindmarch had skimmed along but relegation still threatened, and a Cup exit saw Dave Barry appointed. The team scrambled to ninth in the league, and for the first time in five years City lost the Munster Cup - to junior side Waterford Glass.

1996/97 saw City finish fourth place. The club narrowly lost out on League Cup glory with an unexpected loss to First Division Galway United. Crowds began to increase, and the Munster Cup was recaptured. The following season Cork performed admirably in the InterToto Cup and the team improved to third in the league. Dave Barry's reign reached its high point in that year, when City won the 1998 FAI Cup, beating Shelbourne 1-0 in a replayed final at Dalymount Park. Cork began the following season with eight straight wins but in the end had to settle for second place, as three defeats to champions St Patrick’s Athletic cost them dearly. After finishing runner up for the second season in a row in 1999/2000, Barry resigned to be replaced by Colin Murphy.

2000 - present

In 2001, Colin Murphy returned to the headlines in Cork when a controversial link-up between City, English Premier League side Leicester City and local outfit Mayfield United was proposed. Fans protested the idea and it never materialised. After a poor season, the board of directors stepped down and local businessman Brian Lennox assumed full control of the club. Lennox was to lead the club to a new professional era.

2002 was most notable as a time of transition as older players, the mainstay of the team in the 1990s, left the club or joined the coach staff, replaced by younger players such as new signings George O'Callaghan, John O'Flynn and Dan Murray. As midfielder, striker and defender respectively, these players were to represent the new backbone of the team for several successful years.

In February 2003 ex-St. Patrick's Athletic manager Pat Dolan was unveiled as the new boss and he led them to third place in the new summer season. Dolan's second season as City manager proved successful, both on a European and domestic level. City surpassed Malmö FF and NEC Nijmegen in the Intertoto Cup and second place in the league was secured.

Dolan was controversially sacked in pre-season 2005 and replaced by former manager Damien Richardson. He would lead Cork City to their second league championship. winning the league on the final day of the season with a 2-0 victory over second place Derry City. Cork City finished runners-up in the FAI Cup, losing to Drogheda United in the final at Lansdowne Road.

The 2006 season saw further work begin on the upgrading of Turners Cross, and performances in the UEFA Champions League against Apollon Limassol, and Red Star Belgrade, who would put them out of the competition. The club lost to Drogheda United in the Setanta Cup Final, finished 4th in the league, and (owing to Derry City's F.A.I. Cup final win) secured a place in the Intertoto and Setanta Cup.

The 2007 season started with some controversy, as new signings Colin Healy and Gareth Farrelly were deemed ineligible for play by F.I.F.A. in a controversial dispute. This contributed to an inconsistent season start, with elimination from the Setanta Cup by Linfield, a home win against St. Pat's and a record-equaling 4-1 defeat to Sligo Rovers. In August 2007, star striker Roy O'Donovan joined FA Premiership side Sunderland for an eircom League record fee of €500,000. 2007 also saw the club's ownership change hands, not uncontroversially, from Chairman Brian Lennox to venture capital firm Arkaga, appointing Arkaga's Aidan Tynan (formerly of Bord na gCon) as General Manager. A mixed season was topped however by an FAI Cup win over Longford Town at the RDS.

However, manager Damien Richardson's future at the club was already in doubt, and after some controversy involving threatened high-court proceedings for unfair dismassal, and a financial settlement, Richardson and the club parted ways in December 2007. In January 2008, he was replaced by former Longford Town boss Alan Mathews.

In 2008, Mathews put the club's improved financial resources to use with early signings of Dave Mooney, Dave Mulcahy and Patrick Sullivan. The club also took advantage of FIFA's changes to the "3 club" rule by re-signing George O'Callaghan from Ipswich Town. However, after a slow start to the 2008 campaign and apparent dressing-room conflicts, Mathew's dropped O'Callaghan and in June it was announced that he was to be released. City did not enjoy any success in Europe in 2008, being knocked out by FC Haka of Finland in the first qualifying round. In the league, City fared well, with Dave Mooney retaining the league's top scorer spot. However, after failing to take any points from Bohemians or St. Pats, City themselves remain some way off the top league spot.

Examinership

Current squad

Honours and records

Honours

Records

CCOSC Hall of Fame

League placings

European competition

Cork City managers

Kit and colours

In 1997, the club broke with tradition to use a red and white kit reminiscent of the popular Cork County G.A.A. hurling and Gaelic football kits. These G.A.A. teams were both popular and successful at this time and some saw this as a marketing move to closer associate soccer with other sports in County Cork. Subsequently, the club reverted to the green and white theme in 2002, initially with white sidings rather than stripes, but eventually returning to green white and red stripes.

Since 1984, the team has only worn a kit with a single solid colour once, and at that not by choice. In 2004, when visiting Intertoto cup opponents NEC Nijmegen, the referee deemed both Cities' kits to clash with both of NEC's, and the club was forced to hurriedly source a viable alternative while en route to the Netherlands. The team wore all-white with a makeshift crest and sponsorship. The match was also notable for the "second debut" of former City youth player Joe Gamble on his return from the English league, and as one of the League of Ireland's most credible results in European football to date; a hard fought draw away from home allowed City to progress to the third round after the home leg. This was the first time any Irish club had progressed to the third round of a UEFA competition.

There has been a recurring theme of black away kits, often with yellow trim, in reflection of former Cork football clubs. In 2004 a Cork XI selection featuring many City players faced Bolton Wanderers, wearing yellow and black. Black again became the colour of the teams away jersey for the 2008 with a jersey from Danish sports outfit Hummel. A large collection Cork City Jerseys from current jerseys to kits from the 80s and 90s can be viewed at CorkCityFC.tk

Supporters groups and fanzines

Commandos84 are the club's supporters' group. Founded in 2005 the group has organized many displays in the Shed End of Turners Cross. The group's logo shows a dragon wrapped around the initials "C84". Commandos 84 also provides Cork City with travelling support around Ireland and Europe.

City also have a support network outside of the Cork area, and City Exiles were formed in 2003 to organise transport to away games, meet for televised games, source merchandise and tickets for non-Cork based fans, and also to sponsor players and contribute to distributing fanzines. Mainly based in Leinster, there are also groups in New York and London.

See also

• Football League of Ireland in Cork city
• Former Cork City FC players

References

External links

• Cork City F.C. Official Website
• Cork City Unofficial Forum
• Cork City Supporters Trust
• Cork City on FAI.ie
• Cork City F.C. Jerseys