Cork City F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cork City

Full name	Cork City Football Club
Nickname(s)	Rebel Army, City
Founded	1984; 41 years ago (1984)
Ground	Turners Cross
Ground Capacity	7,485
Owner	Dermot Usher
Chairman	Declan Carey
Manager	Tim Clancy
League	League of Ireland First Division
2024	League of Ireland First Division, 1st of 10 (promoted)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Cork City Football Club (in Irish: Cumann Peile Chathair Chorcaí) is an Irish football team based in Cork. The club started and joined the League of Ireland in 1984.

Cork City was one of the first clubs in Ireland to have professional footballers. This helped them grow a lot. They also improved their home stadium, Turners Cross. The club became one of the biggest and most supported teams in Ireland. In 2020, a survey showed they had the most fans in the League of Ireland.

Cork City won their third League of Ireland Premier Division title in 2017. That same year, they also won the FAI Cup, achieving a "double" for the first time. In 2022, they won the League of Ireland First Division and were promoted. However, after losing a play-off in 2023, they went back to the First Division for the 2024 season.

The team's main colours are green and white, with some red. Their club badge is a version of the Cork city coat of arms. Cork City plays its home games at Turners Cross.

Club History

Before the 1980s

The name Cork City was used by other football teams before the current club. In the 1920s, teams called Cork City played in local leagues and cups. Another team named Cork City F.C. also played in the League of Ireland from 1938 to 1940.

The 1980s: Starting Fresh

After another Cork team, Cork United, went out of business in 1982, a new Cork City FC was formed in 1984. This new club was started by people from other Cork teams. They were accepted into the League of Ireland. Bobby Tambling was the first manager, but he was replaced by Tony 'Tucker' Allen after only 13 games.

In their first two seasons, the club almost got relegated (moved down to a lower league). They didn't win any home games at Flower Lodge but avoided relegation because of goal difference. They reached the semi-finals of the FAI Cup but lost to Shamrock Rovers.

In 1986, the club moved to their new home, Turners Cross. New manager Noel O'Mahony helped them finish in the middle of the league table. The next year, former Ireland player Eamon O'Keefe became manager. He led Cork to win the Munster Senior Cup and the League of Ireland Cup. This was the club's first national trophy!

By 1988, O'Mahony was back as manager. The team finished eighth in the league. They lost to Derry City in the FAI Cup final, but this earned them their first chance to play in a European competition. Torpedo Moscow knocked them out of the 1989–90 European Cup Winners' Cup. City finished fifth in the league and won the Munster Senior Cup again.

The 1990s: First League Title

The early 1990s were a great time for Cork City. They had long unbeaten runs in the league and finished high up the table. They also kept winning the Munster Senior Cup for four years in a row. They played in many European games. One famous game was a UEFA Cup match against Bayern Munich. City drew 1-1 at Musgrave Park before losing 0-2 in Germany.

In 1993, Cork City won the League of Ireland Premier Division title for the first time. This happened after a special three-team play-off. Manager O'Mahoney left, and the club moved to a new stadium in Bishopstown.

Damien Richardson became the new manager. In the 1993/94 season, City came back from three goals down to beat Welsh team Cwmbran Town in the UEFA Champions League. In the next round, they lost to Turkish team Galatasaray. City finished second in the league that year.

The 1994/95 season was tough financially. Richardson had to leave, and the Bishopstown stadium wasn't ready. Games were played at different grounds. Noel O'Mahony returned as manager, but the team couldn't win the league. They did win the Munster Senior Cup and League of Ireland Cup that season.

Cork City returned to Turners Cross in 1996

At the start of the 1995/96 season, Rob Hindmarch took over. The club was in serious financial trouble and had to leave their stadium. A new board was put in place, and the club moved back to Turners Cross. With little money, Hindmarch struggled, and relegation was a risk. After losing in the FAI Cup, Dave Barry became manager. The team finished ninth in the league.

In 1996/97, City finished fourth. They also lost in the League Cup final to Galway United. More fans started coming to games, and they won the Munster Senior Cup again. The next season, Cork played well in the InterToto Cup and finished third in the league. Dave Barry's best moment was winning the 1998 FAI Cup. Cork started the next season with eight wins in a row but finished second. After finishing second again in 1999/2000, Barry left, and Colin Murphy took over.

The 2000s: League Champions Again

Colin Murphy left after just one game to join Leicester City. His replacement, Derek Mountfield, lasted less than a season. Former player Liam Murphy then became manager. Under Murphy, City had a 13-game unbeaten run. They also earned a spot in the Intertoto Cup and won their tenth Munster Cup.

In 2001, there was a plan for Cork City to link up with English club Leicester City. Fans protested, and the plan didn't happen. Also in 2001, the club's directors stepped down. Businessman Brian Lennox took over, leading the club into a new professional era.

The year 2002 was a time of change. Many older players who had been with the team for a long time left or became coaches. Younger players like George O'Callaghan, John O'Flynn, and Dan Murray joined the team.

In February 2003, Pat Dolan became the new manager. He led City to third place in the league. Dolan's second season was also good. City beat Malmö FF and NEC Nijmegen in the Intertoto Cup and finished second in the league.

Dolan was replaced by former manager Damien Richardson in 2005. In 2005, Richardson led Cork City to their second league championship. They won on the last day of the season by beating Derry City 2-0. That same year, Cork City finished second in the FAI Cup.

2006 UEFA Champions League qualifier- Cork City v Crvena Zvezda

In 2006, more work began at Turners Cross. City played against Apollon Limassol and Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Champions League. The club lost to Drogheda United in the Setanta Cup Final. They finished fourth in the league, earning a spot in the Intertoto and Setanta Cup.

At the start of the 2007 season, two new players couldn't play because of rules. This led to a mixed start to the season. In August 2007, Roy O'Donovan moved to Sunderland for a record fee of €500,000 for a League of Ireland player. In 2007, the club's ownership changed from Brian Lennox to a company called "Arkaga." Even though they won the FAI Cup, manager Damien Richardson left the club.

In January 2008, Alan Mathews became manager. The club signed new players. However, City lost in the first round of European competition to FC Haka. They finished fifth in the league. The club did win the Setanta Sports Cup by beating Glentoran. Off the field, the club faced big financial problems in August 2008. They had debts of €800,000 and had to cut costs. They were docked 10 points in the league. In October 2008, Tom Coughlan took over the club.

Paul Doolin became manager for the 2009 season. The team had some good results, including beating Roy Keane's Ipswich Town 2-0. However, the club's future was still uncertain due to unpaid taxes. A court order was issued to close the club. After several delays, the club managed to pay its taxes and avoid closure. Doolin left at the end of 2009, after leading the club to a third-place finish.

The 2010s: Supporters Take Over

Financial problems continued into the new decade. Roddy Collins was appointed manager for the 2010 season. Pressure on owner Tom Coughlan led to him resigning. The club almost didn't get a license to play in the Premier Division.

Eventually, the club failed to get a license, and the company that owned Cork City was closed down by the courts. Cork City fans then started a new company called Cork City FORAS Co-op. They entered the 2010 League of Ireland First Division. The club's original name, Cork City FC, was restored on June 1, 2010, when a supporters' trust called FORAS bought the rights to the name.

Tommy Dunne became the manager for the 2010 season. Several players were called up to play for Ireland's U23 and U21 teams. Graham Cummins was named First Division Player of the Year and was the joint top scorer. Cork finished sixth in the First Division in 2010.

In 2011, the club won the First Division on the very last day of the season, earning promotion back to the Premier Division. They also reached the League Cup final but lost to Derry City. In 2012, they were knocked out of the 2012 FAI Cup and finished sixth in the Premier Division.

Poor results in early 2013 led to Tommy Dunne being replaced by Stuart Ashton as interim manager. The team finished sixth. Former player and record scorer John Caulfield became manager in 2014. His team had long unbeaten runs and pushed Dundalk for the league title until the final day, finishing second. They also finished second to Dundalk in 2015 and 2016. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds, where they reached the third round, their best European result since 1997.

In November 2016, Cork City beat Dundalk in the 2016 FAI Cup final. Sean Maguire scored a goal in extra time to win Caulfield his first major trophy.

The 2017 season started with a 22-game unbeaten run. Even with some tough results and Sean Maguire leaving, Cork City won the 2017 League of Ireland Premier Division title on October 17, 2017, with games to spare. A few weeks later, on November 5, 2017, they won the 2017 FAI Cup Final, completing their first ever league and cup "double."

City started 2018 by winning their third President's Cup final against Dundalk. This game was special because former player Liam Miller had passed away earlier that February. Dundalk were Cork's main rivals in 2018, winning both the league and the FAI Cup.

A series of bad results at the start of the 2019 season led to John Caulfield leaving as manager. Neale Fenn took over in August 2019. Cork City finished the 2019 season in eighth place.

The 2020s: Ups and Downs

With five games left in the 2020 season, and the club at the bottom of the table, Neale Fenn was replaced by Colin Healy. The club was relegated to the League of Ireland First Division on October 24, 2020.

In late 2020, the supporters' trust agreed to sell the club to Preston North End owner Trevor Hemmings. However, the sale didn't go through because they couldn't agree on a lease for Turners Cross. Hemmings, who had helped Cork City before, passed away in 2021. The club finished sixth in the First Division in 2021, missing out on promotion.

After winning the 2022 League of Ireland First Division title in October 2022, Cork City was promoted back to the Premier Division. In late 2022, the FORAS supporters' trust voted to transfer ownership of the club to businessman Dermot Usher. Liam Buckley became sporting director in May 2023, and Colin Healy resigned as manager. In September 2023, Richie Holland was named manager. In November 2023, Cork City finished ninth and lost a play-off game, meaning they were relegated back to the First Division for the 2024 season.

Tim Clancy replaced Richie Holland as coach in late 2023 and became first team manager for the 2024 season. A young Cork City team was knocked out of the 2023-2024 Munster Senior Cup early on. The club started the 2024 League of Ireland First Division season with a 17-game unbeaten run. In August 2024, Cork City re-signed former players Ruairí Keating and Sean Maguire. With six games left, Cork City won the First Division title and automatic promotion after beating UCD in early September 2024.

Who Owns the Club?

Until 2022, Cork City FC was owned by its fans through a supporters' trust called Friends of the Rebel Army Society (FORAS). FORAS was created in 2008 when the club had financial problems. In 2010, the old company that owned the club was closed down. FORAS then entered a team into the 2010 League of Ireland First Division. They later bought back the rights to the name "Cork City Football Club" and were promoted to the Premier Division in 2012. In December 2022, FORAS members voted to transfer ownership of the club to businessman Dermot Usher.

Where They Play: Turners Cross

Cork City plays its home games at Turners Cross. This stadium has 7,365 seats and is located on the south side of Cork City. The club rents the stadium from the Munster Football Association as part of a long-term agreement.

Trophies and Records

Trophies Won

One of Cork City's crests

Club Records

Hall of Fame

League Finishes

Playing in Europe

European Competition Overview

Cork City has played many games in European competitions. Here's a summary of their record:

European Matches Played

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home Score	Away Score	Total Score
1989–90	European Cup Winners' Cup	First Round	Torpedo Moscow	0–1	0–5	0–6
1991–92	UEFA Cup	First Round	Bayern Munich	1–1	0–2	1–3
1993–94	UEFA Champions League	Preliminary Round	Cwmbran Town	2–1	2–3	4–4 (away goals win)
		First Round	Galatasaray	0–1	1–2	1–3
1994–95	UEFA Cup	Preliminary Round	Slavia Prague	0–4	0–2	0–6
1997	UEFA Intertoto Cup	Group 4	Standard Liège	0–0	N/A	4th in Group
			Maccabi Petah Tikva	N/A	0–0
			Köln	0–2	N/A
			Aarau	N/A	0–0
1998–99	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Qualifying Round	CSKA Kyiv	2–1	0–2	2–3
1999–00	UEFA Cup	Qualifying Round	Göteborg	1–0	0–3	1–3
2000–01	UEFA Cup	Qualifying Round	Lausanne Sports	0–1	0–1	0–2
2001	UEFA Intertoto Cup	First Round	Liepāja	0–1	1–2	1–3
2004	UEFA Intertoto Cup	First Round	Malmö	3–1	1–0	4–1
		Second Round	Nijmegen	1–0	0–0	1–0
		Third Round	Nantes	1–1	1–3	2–4
2005–06	UEFA Cup	First Qualifying Round	Ekranas	0–1	2–0	2–1
		Second Qualifying Round	Djurgården	0–0	1–1	1–1 (away goals win)
		First Round	Slavia Prague	1–2	0–2	1–4
2006–07	UEFA Champions League	First Qualifying Round	Apollon Limassol	1–0	1–1	2–1
		Second Qualifying Round	Red Star	0–1	0–3	0–4
2007	UEFA Intertoto Cup	First Round	Valur	0–1	2–0	2–1
		Second Round	Hammarby	1–1	0–1	1–2
2008–09	UEFA Cup	First Qualifying Round	Haka	2–2	0–4	2–6
2015–16	UEFA Europa League	First Qualifying Round	KR	1–1	1–2 (a.e.t.)	2–3
2016–17	UEFA Europa League	First Qualifying Round	Linfield	1–1	1–0	2–1
		Second Qualifying Round	Häcken	1–0	1–1	2–1
		Third Qualifying Round	Genk	1–2	0–1	1–3
2017–18	UEFA Europa League	First Qualifying Round	Levadia Tallinn	4–2	2–0	6–2
		Second Qualifying Round	AEK Larnaca	0–1	0–1	0–2
2018–19	UEFA Champions League	First Qualifying Round	Legia Warsaw	0–1	0–3	0–4
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	Third Qualifying Round	Rosenborg	0–2	0–3	0–5
2019–20	UEFA Europa League	First Qualifying Round	Progrès Niederkorn	0–2	2–1	2–3

Players

Current First Team Squad

No. Position Player 2 MF Harry Nevin 4 MF Cian Coleman (Captain) 5 DF Charlie Lyons 6 MF Greg Bolger 7 MF Malik Dijksteel 8 MF Evan McLaughlin 9 FW Ruairí Keating 10 MF Barry Coffey 14 DF Conor Drinan 16 MF Sean Murray

No. Position Player 17 DF Darragh Crowley 18 DF Niall Brookwell 20 MF Josh Fitzpatrick 22 MF Cathal O'Sullivan 23 FW Jaden Umeh 26 GK Daniel Moynihan 31 DF Sam Bailey 32 MF Arran Healy 35 MF Colin Henderson 42 FW Sean Maguire

Retired Jersey Numbers

12 – This number is retired to honour the club's amazing supporters, who are often called the "12th man" because they cheer so loudly.

Coaching Staff

As of 2024, the people who help coach and support the first team include:

Managers Through the Years

Year/s	Manager
1984	Bobby Tambling
1984–1985	Tony 'Tucker' Allen
1986	Noel O'Mahony
1987	Eamon O'Keefe
1988–1992	Noel O'Mahony
1992–1993	Damien Richardson
1993–1994	Noel O'Mahony
1994–1995	Rob Hindmarch
1995–2000	Dave Barry
2000	Colin Murphy
2000	Derek Mountfield
2000–2003	Liam Murphy
2003–2004	Pat Dolan
2005–2007	Damien Richardson
2008	Alan Mathews
2009	Paul Doolin
2010	Roddy Collins
2010–2013	Tommy Dunne
2013	Stuart Ashton (interim)
2014–2019	John Caulfield
2019–2020	Neale Fenn
2020–2023	Colin Healy
2023–present	Tim Clancy

Team Kits and Colours

Original kit 1984–1989	Recurring black Away kit
Red Home kit 1997–2002	v. Nijmegen 2004
Per corkcitykits.com

Graphic of a Cork City shirt decorating a bar on Grand Parade

The club's colours usually include green and white, which are traditional football colours in Cork. Since the club started in 1984, their kits have also had red trim. This was influenced by the traditional colours of County Cork in Gaelic games. Over the years, these colours have been used in different ways. For example, in 1984, they had green and white hoops. In 1989, they wore white shirts with green and red trim.

In 1997, the club changed to a red and white kit, similar to the Cork County GAA teams. Later, in 2002, they went back to the green and white theme.

In 2004, during an Intertoto Cup game against NEC Nijmegen, the referee decided that both of Cork City's kits looked too similar to NEC's kits. So, Cork City had to quickly find a different kit. They ended up wearing borrowed all-white kits with a temporary badge and sponsor.

The team often uses black for their away kits, sometimes with yellow trim. This is a nod to the kits of older Cork football clubs. In 2004, a Cork team with many City players played against Bolton Wanderers wearing yellow and black. Black became the colour of the away jersey again in 2008.

In 2010, the club stuck with tradition, wearing a green home kit with red and white trim. The away kit for 2010 and 2011 was red with white trim, like the Cork GAA kits. On September 10, 2010, City wore red at home for the first time since 2001/02. This was to show support for the Cork Gaelic footballers who were playing in a big final that weekend.

In November 2011, Umbro Ireland became the club's official kit partner. For the 2015, 2016, and 2017 seasons, Nike supplied the kits. Since the 2018 season, Adidas has been the club's kit provider.

Fans and Rivalries

Colour from "shed-end" supporters ahead of a near-capacity game in April 2015

Cork City has one of the largest fan bases in the League of Ireland. For example, in early 2017, about four to five thousand fans came to each home game. This was much higher than the league average of about 1,500. In 2015, their average attendance was 4,453, the highest in Ireland. A 2020 survey showed that Cork City had the most supporters among League of Ireland clubs. They were also the sixth most supported football club in Ireland overall.

"The Shed" is a special seating area in the Curragh Road stand. This is where Cork City's loudest fans gather to cheer on the team. Before it was rebuilt in 2005, it was a standing area called the 'Shed End'. The Family Enclosure is a specific area for families and children. It's a quieter place to watch games than the Shed End.

There isn't a big rivalry with Cobh Ramblers F.C., the only other league team in the Cork area. However, Cork City has had some historical rivalries with Dundalk. These two teams were the biggest clubs in Ireland between 2014 and 2017. Games against Limerick F.C. are sometimes called the 'Munster Derby'. Before 2010, this name was also used for games against Waterford FC. There has also been rivalry with some Dublin clubs, like Shamrock Rovers. After a game in May 2023, some unacceptable chants were directed at Shamrock Rovers' manager Stephen Bradley from outside Cork City's ground. The club and local businesses strongly condemned this. Bradley later thanked the "genuine fans of Cork City" for their support. The club gave lifetime bans to those involved.

Some fan magazines (called fanzines) for Cork City have included "FourFiveOne", "No More Plastic Pitches", and "I was out there once!" (IWOTO).

More to Explore

In Spanish: Cork City Football Club para niños

• League of Ireland in Cork city
• List of Cork City F.C. players