Cork City FC celebrates 40 years in football

When Avondale United officers Jim Hennebry and Chris O’Herlihy sat down in the spring of 1984 to formulate a plan to enter a team to the League of Ireland, they could have never foreseen that their ambitious idea would provide Cork with its longest serving club.

The city was left without a league club for the first time since 1924 when Cork United were expelled at the end of the 1981/82 season. 

And so, following non-league Cobh Ramblers’ heroics in reaching the FAI Cup semi-final in 1983, the drive was on to get a representative from Cork back in the league before the deadline of July 1st 1984. 

The city was abuzz when three applicants threw their hats in the ring. 

Along with Mr. Hennebry and Mr. Herlihy’s application, former Cork United director Jerry Harris and Cork Hibernians’ Amby Fogerty also applied. However, when the dust settled the Avondale duo prevailed after strengthening their hand by entering into talks with Mr. Harris, who also wanted his team to be called Cork City, about an amalgamation which severely hampered Mr. Forgarty’s application.

The new club conducted a superb exercise in public relations when they invited all footballing bodies in Cork to a ‘get together’ at Beamish and Crawford on South Main Street where they outlined their policy for the coming season. 

With an ambitious target to recruit 1,500 members on the basis of 500 at £100 per person, 500 at £40 and 500 at £15, the initial target to raise £50,000 by June 1st sealed the newcomer’s application at the league’s AGM in Bundoran. 

This paved the way for the club to seek a team manager, a squad and a ground before the kick-off to the new season on August 19th with the League Cup competition.

The directors didn’t have to look no further than their old club Avondale for their first team manager.

Former Chelsea, Crystal Palace and England international Bobby Tambling had been in the hot seat at the Munster Senior League club since 1980 and was the ideal choice to take club into their first season along with his assistant at the Dale, Gene Buckley. 

As well as recruiting local players, Tambling looked across the Irish Sea for available talent and quickly snapped up 19-year-old John Taylor from Colchester and 20-year-old Bobby Woodruff from Newport County.

On the local front, eight players agreed terms by August 1st: Clem Mahon, Donal Madden and Don Curtin (Avondale Utd.), Tony Neiland and Jim Leahy (Tramore Ath.), Tommy O’Brien (Greenmount Rangers), David Waters (Fermoy) and Paul Crowley (Cobh Ramblers) all signed on the dotted line. 

The Glasheen pair of Donal O’Donovan and Pat Healy along with Crosshaven’s Jim Mulcahy and St Finbarr’s GAA star Dave Barry expressed interest in coming on board. 

Another under consideration was Rockmount’s youth star Ian Hennessy, son of the legendary Tony (aka Mr. Football).

Flower Lodge, now Pairc Ui Rinn, was selected as the club’s home ground in time for the club’s first competitive encounter, the Munster Senior Cup tie against, it could only be, Avondale on Sunday, August 19th. 

After Michael O‘Leary set up Billy O’Sullivan for the lead for the Carrigaline outfit in the 41st minute, goals from sub Jim Leahy and Donie Madden (penalty) sealed City’s first win.

Cork City: Mulcahy (J) : Neiland (B), Curtin; Madden Keane; Waters, Donovan, Bleasdale, Neiland (T), Crowley (Ashton), Woodruff (Leahy).

Avondale United: Ryan : Kavanagh, Turner; Gorman, Smith; O’Leary, Griffin (O’Keeffe), O’Sullivan;

O’Donoghue, Mulcahy (B), Collins.

Referee: Mr. Sean Weir.

FOOT-NOTE: The following week City travelled to Athlone in their first League Cup tie and came back from two down at half-time to level through Leahy and Woodruff, only for the hosts to score a later winner. 

Following defeats to Shamrock Rovers ( in the League Cup) and Dundalk (in their first league match) and a draw with Limerick City in their final League Cup group tie, Tambling had to wait till Sunday, September 23rd for his first win in the League of Ireland at Flower Lodge, a 3-1 win over Waterford Utd. And as they say, the rest is history.