INTRODUCTION
The story of Cork City Football Club begins in the Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran, Co. Donegal on the 1st of July 1984, for that was when the club was elected to the League of Ireland. Just a few weeks later they were playing a Munster Senior Cup tie at Flower Lodge against Avondale United. Jim Leahy scored the club's first ever goal and Donie Madden scored the winner, from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win.
The club's league debut was a 1-0 defeat away to Dundalk, a game in which City great and former manager Dave Barry suffered a broken leg. A week later Waterford United were beaten 3-1 in Cityıs first home league game at Flower Lodge with Bobby Woodruff scoring the clubıs first ever league goal.
In December of that first year manager Bobby Tambling was replaced by Tony Allen. That first season also saw former England international Terry McDermott play a number of games for City. The club had a disappointing showing in the FAI Cup going out 5-3 away to Drogheda, having beaten non-leaguers Bank Rovers 2-0.
However, perhaps the most important aspect of that first season was the fact that the club justified their top-flight status by staying clear of relegation.
1985-86
City's second season proved a lot tougher as the club narrowly avoided relegation, finishing above Shelbourne on goal difference. Poor home form, a return of only 3 points from all 11 games, didn't help attendances and neither did the brief appearance of Trevor Brooking in the club's colours.
On a positive note City enjoyed a good Cup run, beating Bray, Limerick and Derry before losing to eventual winners Shamrock Rovers in the semi-final.
1987-88
August '87 saw another change in manager with former Irish international Eamonn O'Keeffe arriving as player-manager and Bill Haydock as coach. Before the end of the month City had collected their first trophy - the Munster Senior Cup as they beat Cobh 1-0 thanks to a Dave Barry goal.
In October there were scenes of joy at Turner's Cross as Shamrock Rovers were beaten 1-0 in the League Cup Final, Kieran Myers the hero on this occasion.
Despite some impressive wins in the FAI Cup against Galway United (4-0) and Monaghan United (1-0) City were knocked out by eventual winners Dundalk in a quarter-final replay. In the league the team improved on the previous season by finishing 7th.
1988-89
There was disappointment at the start of the '88/'89 season as neither cup was retained, the Munster Senior Cup being surrendered to Limerick in the final while Dundalk knocked City out of the League Cup at the semi-final stage.
League form was poorer and O'Keeffe was out of a job by December with Noel O'Mahony once more taking charge. His return had the desired effect as City rose above the relegation zone and embarked on a Cup run that only ended in a 1-0 reversal at the hands of Derry City in a final replay. Derry did the treble that year so Cork were set for a European debut the next year in the Cup Winners Cup.
|