CLUB STORY

A Cork soccer resource. This is an archive of mini club histories that I have published over the years. To find your club, check the label list on the left side or else use the "search the blog" box above. If you spot any errors (esp. in dates) contact cork.billy@gmail.com
Showing posts with label Coachford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coachford. Show all posts

Monday, October 5, 2009

COACHFORD 1993

THE COACHFORD STORY:




1969: Con Murphy, Sean Touhy, Tommy Stack, and Michael O'Callaghan,

got together on Good Friday and founded the club. John O'Keeffe was

the manager in the early years and the team became known as "Keffo's

Army".



1981/82: The club's first youth team, managed by Steve Wallace, had a

great season and finished second in the Second Division.



1982/83: Using quite a few of the previous season's youths, a team,

managed by Nick Martin and captained by Thady Delaney, succeeded in

bringing the first honour to Coachford: the title in League Three.

The same season, they lost on penalties to Corkbeg in the semi-final

of the President's Cup in Turner's Cross.



1984/85: A determined bid was mounted to take the pennant in League

2, the aim achieved much easier than expected. The successful side

was managed by Barry Murphy and captained by Mick Walsh.



1985/86: The success story continued. A new manager, John Hogan,

signed two ex Temple players - Frankie Thornton and goal poacher Dan

Greene - and led Coachford to the title in Division One. Not an easy

triumph this time, the title won after a play-off against Castleview,

the Coachford goals in a 2 - 1 victory provided by Timmy Buckley and

Micky Walsh.



1986/87: Hopes were high early on but real life intervened. Young

men left the area in search of work abroad and the panel was

decimated, no fewer than eight first choice players departing.

Relegation inevitably followed.



1989/90: The club's youths won their first ever trophy as they beat

Bosco's in the final of the Second Division Cup. That successful side

was managed by that great clubman Martin O'Mahony.



1990/91: A blend of youth and older players (some returned from

abroad) proved the perfect mix as Coachford bounced back to the

Premier League by once again winning the First Division. They came

very close indeed to making it a double but lost on penalties to

Leeside in the final of the County Cup.



1992/93: Coachford had appointed Finbarr Murphy as manager the

previous year when they finished third in the Premier and were

prominent in the cups. Confidence was high for this season and was

not misplaced as they went on, with Murphy again at the helm, to take

the AOH Cup, the most coveted trophy in Cork junior soccer.

COACHFORD PASSAGE 1993

INFO FOR AOH FINAL

Passage panel:


Robert Cole, goalkeeper, 32 years, draughtsman.

Jason Tracey, defender, 17, leaving cert. student at Chriost Ri;

John Flaherty, defender, 26, storeman, AUL representative;

Derek O'Brien, defender, 19, trainee mechanic;

Paul Cronin, defender, 25, fabricator, AUL representative;

Brendan Murphy, midfielder, 36, painter, AUL representative;

Paul Coughlan, midfielder, 20, mason, AUL representative, trials at Newcastle

and Glasgow Celtic;

Thomas Hanlon, midfielder, 26, painter;

Ger Curtin, midfielder, 19, RTC student, AUL youths representative;

Conor O'Connell, midfielder, 23, music teacher;

Aidan Whitty, forward, 19, trainee electrician, AUL youths representative;

Tony Leahy, forward, 20, trainee accountant, AUL representative, trial at West

Ham;

Brian Hennessy, forward, 30, carpenter;

Declan O'Callaghan, defender, 24, butcher;

John Coughlan, midfielder, 22, painter;

Thomas Farrell, goalkeeper, 20, bar tender;

John McIntyre, goalkeeper, 29, fitter.

Florrie Mehigan, manager, painter; current AUL junior manager.



Passage mascots are: Gavin Flaherty (5), Trafford Murphy (3), and Catherine

Mehigan (11).



Passage route to the final:

2nd round: Greenmount Rangers 0 Passage 4 (Paul Coughlan 2, Thomas

Hanlon, and Conor O'Connell)

3rd round: Passage 3 (Hanlon, Aidan Whitty, Paul Coughlan), Crescent

Athletic 2;

4th round: Corkbeg 0 Passage 1 (Conor O'Connell);

5th round: Hibernians 1 Passage 2 (Paul Coughlan, John Coughlan);

semi-final: Passage 4 (Brian Hennessy, Brendan Murphy, Paul Coughlan, Paul

Cronin), Shandon Celtic 0.



Coachford panel:

Mick Murphy, keeper, 29 years, AUL representative;

Toss O'Regan, defender, 30, assistant player manager;

Jim Martin, defender, 23, vice captain;

Mick O'Connell, defender, 28, great in the air;

Derry O'Connell, defender, 23, good reader of the game;

Declan Casey, defender, 31, longest serving player;

Mick Walsh, midfielder, 25, AUL representative;

John McGrath, midfielder, 26, outstanding ball player;

Paddy Martin, midfielder, 21, great balance and two good feet;

John Moynihan, midfielder, 28, powerful midfield anchor man;

Noel Looney, midfielder, 21, recent addition to junior panel;

Timmy Buckley, forward, 25, blistering pace, AUL representative;

Declan Murphy, forward, 28, the club's most consistent scorer;

Paul Neilon, midfielder, 22, AUL youths representative;

Kevin O'Connell, midfielder, 21, versatile performer;

Laim Casey, goalkeeper, 26, valuable reserve;

Shane Lucey, defender, 18, still playing youths;

John Linehan, forward, 18, still playing youths;

Vincent Buckley, midfielder, 18, still playing youths.



Finbarr Murphy is in his second season as the player-manager. He has vast

experience at all levels and is a former schoolboy and youth international.

The ex St Mary's man is a very committed and respected manager and includes in

his honours two AOH Cup medals and two Premier League medals with St Marys and

a MSL 1st Division Medal with Mallow Utd.



Coachford's path to the final:

2nd round: Coachford 1 (Paddy Martin), Corinthians Athletic 0;

3rd round: Fourth Battalion 0 Coachford 0; replay - Coachford 3

(Declan Murphy 2, Paddy Martin) Fourth Battalion 0;

4th round: Coachford 3 (Derry O'Connell, Declan Murphy, and Mick O'Connell)

Bandon 1;

5th round: Coachford 2 (Paul Neilon, Mick Walsh) Casement Celtic 1 , after

extra time;

semi-final: Coachford 0 St John Bosco's 0; Coachford 2 (Declan Murphy,

Timmy Buckley) St John Bosco's 1.

Monday, September 28, 2009

COACHFORD 1995

COACHFORD 27/1/95:




Coachford are the latest club in the Cork AUL to announce its

intention of acquiring a place of its own. Indeed, 1994/95 has

been quite a year for progress in this regard: Leeside,

Buttevant, Wilton Utd, and Macroom (hopefully), are all in the

process of putting down roots.



The œ50,000 site at Coachford, in startling contrast to their

current enclosure, will have room for two pitches, a training

area, dressing rooms, and car park.



Coachford's current base, which they have used since 1982, may

well be small, often too small for the comfort of visiting teams,

but it was a valuable asset to the club and they never cease to

express their appreciation of Judie Dineen, who allowed them the

use of the field at Old Town. The club has quite a few backers

in the area, one of the most prominent being Roger Cooney with

whom they have enjoyed a long term relationship.



The ambitious club is also going well on the field. Manager

Finbarr Murphy has led the Premier team to success in the AOH

(1993) and the FAI area final (1994). Their appearance in this

season's FAI area semi-final is their fourth in as many years.



Finbarr is now into his fourth season as player-manager. The

former underage international has vast experience at all levels.

Most of his honours, including two AOH, two Premier, and three

FAI area, medals came while playing with St Mary's. He has also

enjoyed FAI and AOH success with Coachford.



Keeper Mick Murphy, one of the better known Coachford players,

has shared in most of their successes over the years but still

needs one league medal to complete his collection which includes

winners medals from the third division, the second, the first,

the AUL Senior Division (while with Temple) and the MSL Premier

Division (with Tramore Athletic).



The one he is now chasing is the AUL Premier token. But that has

been put on the back-burner for the time being as Coachford

concentrate on the FAI Junior Cup. Mick has played with the AUL

representative team as has midfield ace Mick Walsh. Walsh was my

man of the match in the AUL's recent Oscar Traynor Cup triumph

over South Tipperary.



Coachford's first taste of success came as runners up at youth

level and the club soon came to recognise the value of fielding a

team at this grade. The main aim was not so much to win trophies

but to provide players for the juniors squad. It is a policy

that has been demonstrably successful over the years and indeed

quite a few of the current Premier side have come up through the

ranks.



Coachford in brief:



1969: Con Murphy, Sean Touhy, Tommy Stack, and Michael

O'Callaghan, got together on Good Friday and founded the club.

John O'Keeffe was the manager in the early years and the team

became known as "Keffo's Army".



1981/82: The club's first youth team, managed by Steve Wallace,

had a great season and finished second in the Second Division.



1982/83: Using quite a few of the previous season's youths, a

team, managed by Nick Martin and captained by Thady Delaney,

succeeded in bringing the first honour to Coachford: the title

in League Three. The same season, they lost on penalties to

Corkbeg in the semi-final of the President's Cup in Turner's

Cross.



1984/85: A determined bid was mounted to take the pennant in

League 2, the aim achieved much easier than expected. The

successful side was managed by Barry Murphy and captained by Mick

Walsh.



1985/86: The success story continued. A new manager, John

Hogan, signed two ex Temple players - Frankie Thornton and goal

poacher Dan Greene - and led Coachford to the title in Division

One. Not an easy triumph this time, the title won after a play-

off against Castleview, the Coachford goals in a 2 - 1 victory

provided by Timmy Buckley and Micky Walsh.



1986/87: Hopes were high early on but real life intervened.

Young men left the area in search of work abroad and the panel

was decimated, no fewer than eight first choice players

departing. Relegation inevitably followed.



1989/90: The club's youths won their first ever trophy as they

beat Bosco's in the final of the Second Division Cup. That

successful side was managed by that great clubman Martin

O'Mahony.



1990/91: A blend of youth and older players (some returned from

abroad) proved the perfect mix as Coachford bounced back to the

Premier League by once again winning the First Division. They

came very close indeed to making it a double but lost on

penalties to Leeside in the final of the County Cup.



1992/93: Coachford had appointed Finbarr Murphy as manager the

previous year when they finished third in the Premier and were

prominent in the cups. Confidence was high for this season and

was not misplaced as they went on, with Murphy again at the helm,

to take the AOH Cup, the most coveted trophy in Cork junior

soccer, the winner scored by Timmy Buckley.



1993/94: Coachford again met and beat Passage, this time in the

area final fo the FAI Junior Cup but they lost their 7th round

tie against Renmore of Galway. Jason Murphy scored the winner

against Passage. The FAI triumph was tinged with sadness as,

shortly before, the club had bene shocked by the unexpected death

of chairman Gene Neilon.

COACHFORD 1994

THE COACHFORD STORY:




1969: Con Murphy, Sean Touhy, Tommy Stack, and Michael O'Callaghan,

got together on Good Friday and founded the club. John O'Keeffe was

the manager in the early years and the team became known as "Keffo's

Army".



1981/82: The club's first youth team, managed by Steve Wallace, had a

great season and finished second in the Second Division.



1982/83: Using quite a few of the previous season's youths, a team,

managed by Nick Martin and captained by Thady Delaney, succeeded in

bringing the first honour to Coachford: the title in League Three.

The same season, they lost on penalties to Corkbeg in the semi-final

of the President's Cup in Turner's Cross.



1984/85: A determined bid was mounted to take the pennant in League

2, the aim achieved much easier than expected. The successful side

was managed by Barry Murphy and captained by Mick Walsh.



1985/86: The success story continued. A new manager, John Hogan,

signed two ex Temple players - Frankie Thornton and goal poacher Dan

Greene - and led Coachford to the title in Division One. Not an easy

triumph this time, the title won after a play-off against Castleview,

the Coachford goals in a 2 - 1 victory provided by Timmy Buckley and

Micky Walsh.



1986/87: Hopes were high early on but real life intervened. Young

men left the area in search of work abroad and the panel was

decimated, no fewer than eight first choice players departing.

Relegation inevitably followed.



1989/90: The club's youths won their first ever trophy as they beat

Bosco's in the final of the Second Division Cup. That successful side

was managed by that great clubman Martin O'Mahony.



1990/91: A blend of youth and older players (some returned from

abroad) proved the perfect mix as Coachford bounced back to the

Premier League by once again winning the First Division. They came

very close indeed to making it a double but lost on penalties to

Leeside in the final of the County Cup.



1992/93: Coachford had appointed Finbarr Murphy as manager the

previous year when they finished third in the Premier and were

prominent in the cups. Confidence was high for this season and was

not misplaced as they went on, with Murphy again at the helm, to take

the AOH Cup, the most coveted trophy in Cork junior soccer.



end of story

COACHFORD NOV 1999

COACHFORD AFC




Win or lose this has already been a memorable season for the progressive Coachford club who field three teams each week in the Murphy's Stout Cork AUL: this has been the season that they started playing on their own impressive grounds at The Glebe.



The ground was purchased in 1995 and, to date, between purchase cost, plant hire work, field preparation and drainage, entrance to grounds, fencing, floodlighting, and erection, over £120,000 has been invested in the grounds, with assistance of £15000 from National Lottery funding. The club has also benefited from Cork County Council amenity grants.



The busy committee are already planning the next phase which is to include dressing rooms and car park. Plans are currently being drawn up and under discussion. Financing the running of the club has been also facilitated by way of sponsorship and they are lucky to have such supporters as O'Mahony Packaging, Dineen's Bar, Kellehers Ford Dealers Macroom, Hogs Bar, Dawn Meats, Coachman's Inn, Murphy Electrical (lighting for floodlights), Lee Valley Windows (sponsors of dressing-room windows).



Weekly lotto tickets are solely responsible for loan repayments, both in purchase of ground (which the club has fully paid off) and new developments including construction of dressing rooms and other plans. The weekly Lotto return speaks volumes for the amount of support and goodwill for the club in the village and in the surrounding area, support which the club appreciates and treasures.



The Premier team, with Finbarr Murphy back as manager, have just one point after seven league games but they haven't enjoyed the best of luck as evidenced by a string of one goal defeats. Now they have a battle on their hands to gain mid-table safety and that process can begin on Sunday next when they take on fellow strugglers Springfield in a six pointer. Kick off in The Glebe is 10.45.



The team has been playing quite well in the cups and has progressed in the Munster and AOH. Bandon are their next opponents in the provincial trophy while they have been unlucky in the AOH, being drawn against Greenmount. Indeed, they were pipped on spotters by Greenmount in the FAI so there is not much between them.



Murphy picks from: Noel Looney (captain), David Merrick, Aidan Hartnett, Michael O'Connell, Jim Martin, Paddy Martin, Dan Kelleher, Mick Walsh, John Linehan, Donal Moynihan, Brian Forde, Niall Buckley, Peter Kelleher, Paul Downey, Graham Kelly, Darren O'Brien, Michael Murphy.



The third division juniors are also finding life difficult in the league but manager Tim Delaney is quietly confident of being in mid-table before the season is out.



The best news on the playing front is being provided by the youths who play in AUL Division One. Managed by Martin O'Mahony and Sean Delaney, they currently lead the division and are still involved in all the cups. In addition, Brian McElroy and Rob O'Keeffe have made their premier debuts. The club also fields two teams in the Schoolboys League at U15 and U14 and the managers here are John Hogan and Kevin Watts.



The Management Committee consists of Chairman Derry Murphy, Vice chairman John Hogan, Hon Secretary Richard Martin, Assistant Secretary Brian Murray, Treasurer Patrick O'Callaghan, Assistant Treasurer Sean Delaney, PRO Declan O'Connell, Liam Casey, Desmond Murphy, Dan O'Connell, Declan Casey, Tim Delaney, Declan Murphy, Paddy Martin, Sean Delaney, David Merrick, Martin O'Mahony, Brian Murray.

COACHFORD APR 2002

COACHFORD'S CRAZY GANG ARE CHAMPS




A good start is half the battle. The truth in the old saying was again confirmed as Coachford "B" built on a brilliant opening sequence to go on and win the title in Murphy's Stout AUL 3 with a game to spare. It did look for a while against Ballinhassig that Coachford would need that last game, against rivals Lakewood. They were down 2-0 but fought back well to draw 2-2 and take the championship winning point.



Secretary Declan O'Connell also reported that the football knowledge of the team management of Micky Walsh, Thady Delaney, Richard Martin and Brian Murray was a major factor: "They got the mixture of youth and experience right."



Like most divisions in the AUL, this was a competitive league. And good start notwithstanding, there was the other half of the battle to negotiate. Walsh, the team's Mr Motivator, recalls the key victories.



"There was that 1-0 derby win over Ballincollig, secured thanks to a great individual goal by Ross Donovan and solid defending by Tim Hallissey and Mossie Mooney. Tower Street were also formidable opponents and we beat them 2-1 courtesy of two John Linehan goals and great displays by Denis O'Leary and Ken Donovan.



The next big one was away to Bellmount. Man of the match William Harrington scored the only goal with an excellent header in the first half and did the business at the opposite end by heading off his own line with only a minute to go.



Then came the home tie against Tower Street Athletic. Eric Mulligan scored from a "Zinedine" Twomey pass. Good displays by Declan Kiely and Jack Ahern also helped. Promotion was secured with a 1-0 away win against Ballyphehane. Aaron Newstead cracked the winner after a foul on Donal "Vinnie" Moynihan. Keeper Merrick made a couple of top class saves to keep yet another clean sheet.



The Coachford panel

Goalkeeper: David Merrick - Possibly player of the year for the team.



Defenders: Tim Hallissey, Mossie Mooney and Brian Murray along with Declan Kiely, Jack Ahern and Ken Donovan who were members of last year's victorious youth league winning team.



Midfield: The experienced John Linehan and Donal Moynihan, plus Eddie Twomey and the ever present Cornelius Fitzgerald and two more of last year's youths, William Harrington and Eric Mulligan.



Strikers: Denis O'Leary, Ross Donovan and leading scorer Aaron Newstead.

 Brian Buckley and the energetic Shane Martin who were also products of last years youth team.