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Cork F.C.

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Cork
Full nameFord F.C. (1921–1922)
Fordsons F.C. (1922–1930)
Cork F.C. (1930–1938)
Nickname(s)The Tractors
League of Nations
The Leesiders
Founded1921
GroundBallinlough Road (1921–1930)
The Mardyke(1930–1938)
LeagueLeague of Ireland
Munster Senior League

Cork Football Clubwas anIrish association football clubbased inCork.They were founded asFords F.C.and later became known asFordsons F.C..They played in theLeague of Irelandbetween1924–25and1937–38.Like several fellow early League of Ireland clubs, such asSt James's Gate,Jacobs,Midland AthleticandDundalk,the club had their origins as a factory orworks team.They were initially the football team of theFord Motor Company,a major employer in the city at the time. In 1930, however, Ford ended its association with the club and they were renamedCork.The club folded in 1938 and were replaced in the League of Ireland by a new club,Cork City.

History

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Fordsons

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Early years

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In 1921Harry Buckle,a formerIrelandinternational, settled in Cork and began working for theFord Motor Company.Finding little or no association football activity in the city, Buckle founded Ford F.C. and then helped found the Cork-based South Munster League for the team to play in. In addition to playing and coaching with the new club, Buckle also served as president of theTipperary/Limerickbased – North Munster League and helped reform theMunster Football Association.By 1922–23 Ford F.C. had become Fordsons, renamed after theFordson tractor,and the South Munster and North Munster leagues had merged to become theMunster Senior League.Fordsons also won their firstMunster Senior Cupand in 1923–24 won their first Munster Senior League title. As a result, Fordsons qualified to represent the Munster Football Association in theFAI Cup.[1]Playing as Fordsons the club would win theMunster Senior Cupfour times, in 1929–30 winning it with areserve team.[2]On 23 February 1924 Bill O'Hagan became the first Fordsons to win representative honours when he played for anFAI XIin 3–0 defeat againstCeltic.[3]

FAI Cup

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Fordsons made theirFAI Cupdebut in1922–23.After drawingRathmines Athleticin the first round they received a bye. In the quarter-finals they defeatedDublin United3–2 in an away game. Played against the background of theIrish Civil War,travelling up toDublinfor the semi-final againstAlton Unitedproved hazardous. Fordsons train came under fire while passing nearBlarney.They subsequently lost this semi-final 4–2. However, in1923–24they would go one stage further. After receiving another bye in the first round, Fordsons knocked outJacobsandSt James's Gatebefore they lost to 1–0 toAthlone Townin the final. In1925–26Fordsons reached the FAI Cup final for the second time. This time they defeatedShamrock Rovers3–2. Against the odds, Fordsons defeated Rovers in a sensational final. Fordsons had previously failed to score in nine outings against Rovers and had leaked goals with scorelines ranging from 7–0 to 3–0. Fordsons twice came from behind before beating Rovers. The final was best remembered for Rovers'Bob Fullamwithdrawing from a potential dangerous challenge with Bill O'Hagan.[4][5][6]

League of Ireland

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Fordsons joined theLeague of Irelandin1924–25,replacingShelbourne Unitedwho withdrew from the league on 7 September 1924, the day after the competition officially started. Together withBray Unknowns,Fordsons became the second and third teams, afterAthlone Town,from outside ofCounty Dublinto join the league. They also became the first club to representCork city in the League of Ireland.In their debut season Fordsons finished a respectable fourth. In1925–26they finished third and then achieved three more fourth-placed finishes in1926–27,1927–28and1929–30.[7][8]

Season Position
1924–25 4th
1925–26 3rd
1926–27 4th
1927–28 4th
1928–29 7th
1929–30 4th

Cork F.C.

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Name change

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Sponsored by theFord Motor Company,unlike laterCork teams in the League of Ireland,Fordsons did not have any financial difficulties. Even without the backing of Ford, they were reasonably self-sufficient, and regular top-four finishes provided healthy gate receipts. Despite this, at the end of the1929–30season, Fordsons were informed by the Ford management that they could continue only as a factory team and only compete in local leagues. As a result, the club parted company with Ford and changed their named to Cork Football Club.[9][10]

League of Ireland

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In theLeague of IrelandCork F.C. continued were Fordsons left off. In1931–32and1933–34they runners-up. They also won the1933–34 FAI Cup,defeatingSt. James's Gate2–1. However the1934–35season saw Cork F.C.'s form slump dramatically when they suffered the ignominy of having to apply for re-election after finishing in last position with only 10 points from 18 games. However the outstanding goal scoring performance of Jimmy Turnbull in1935–36saw Cork F.C. finish in third place in the league. They also reached the1935–36 FAI Cupfinal. Turnbull scored an astonishing 68 goals including a record 37 league goals and a further 11 in the cup campaign. However the season ended in controversy for Cork F.C. when it was revealed that two members of the Cup final team –Owen MaddenandJack O'Reilly– had agreed to sign forNorwich City.When Cork F.C., who received no fee, protested over the moves, both Madden and O'Reilly were suspended by theFootball Association of Ireland(FAI) for three years. Having already lost two forwards the club subsequently lost a third when Turnbull signed forBelfast Celticafter the Cork F.C. directors refused to pay him a £50 signing-on fee for the next season. This decision effectively marked the beginning of the end for Cork F.C. and in1936–37they finished 11th out of twelve teams. Without the draw of Turnbull, crowd attendances and gate receipts dropped and the club went into serious financial decline. In1937–38the club began to struggle to raise funds to travel to away games inDublin.Unable to travel they were forced to concede an away league game toShelbourne.The final straw came when a demoralised team, paying their own train fares, were defeated 3–0 by St James's Gate in a 1937–38FAI Cupgame. Shortly after on 8 February 1938 it was announced that Cork F.C. was going into voluntary liquidation.[11][12][13][14] [15][16]

Season Position
1930–31 4th
1931–32 2nd
1932–33 4th
1933–34 2nd
1934–35 10th
1935–36 3rd
1936–37 11th
1937–38 11th

Home grounds

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When playing as Fordsons the club played at Ballinlough Road, now the site of Pic Du Jer housing estate. However this site was owned by theFord Motor Companyso when the club became Cork F.C. they moved toThe Mardyke.[17][18]

Notable former players

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Dual Ireland internationals

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Ireland (FAI) internationals

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On 21 March 1926Frank Bradyand James Connelly became the first two Fordsons players to representIreland (FAI)when they featured in an away game againstItaly.[19]On 12 February 1928 when Ireland beatBelgium4–2 in an away game, the team featured three Fordsons players –Paddy Barry,Charlie Dowdall,andJack Sullivan.Sullivan scored the last goal with a penalty in the 79th minute.[20]BothOwen KinsellaandMick McCarthyrepresented Ireland after leaving Fordsons.

Fordsons

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Cork

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On 25 February 1934 in aWorld Cup qualifieragainstBelgiumthe Ireland team featured three Cork players – Jim Foley, Tom Burke and Tim O'Keefe.[21]

Ireland (IFA) internationals

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League of Ireland XI players

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Goalscorers

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Charlie Heinemann,Pearson Fergusonand Jimmy Turnbull were the top goalscorers in theLeague of Ireland. John Blairwas the second highest scorer in1930–31.Turnbull remains the League of Ireland record top goalscorer in a single season.

[26] [27]

Honours

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Fordsons

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Cork

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See also

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References

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  1. ^Carey, Tadhg (2009).When We Were Kings: The Story of Athlone Town's 1924 FAI Cup Triumph.Athlone:Temple Printing.
  2. ^Munster Football Association
  3. ^Cullen, Donal (2007).Freestaters: The Republic of Ireland Soccer Team 1921–1939.Dessert Islands Books.
  4. ^FAI CupRsssf
  5. ^Carey, Tadhg (2009).When We Were Kings: The Story of Athlone Town's 1924 FAI Cup Triumph.Athlone:Temple Printing.
  6. ^Cullen, Donal (2007).Freestaters: The Republic of Ireland Soccer Team 1921–1939.Dessert Islands Books.
  7. ^League of IrelandRsssf
  8. ^Graham, Alex (2005).Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005.Soccer Books Limited.ISBN1-86223-135-4.
  9. ^corkpastandpresent.ie
  10. ^The Times Are Not A-Changin’ by Brian KennedyArchived22 December 2015 at theWayback Machine
  11. ^League of IrelandRsssf
  12. ^FAI CupRsssf
  13. ^corkpastandpresent.ie
  14. ^Graham, Alex (2005).Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005.Soccer Books Limited.ISBN1-86223-135-4.
  15. ^Ryan, Sean (1997).The Boys in Green: The FAI International Story.Mainstream Publishing.
  16. ^Cullen, Donal (2007).Freestaters: The Republic of Ireland Soccer Team 1921–1939.Dessert Islands Books.
  17. ^corkpastandpresent.ie
  18. ^Niall Macsweeney (n.d.),A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921/2-1984/5.Basildon:Association of Football Statisticians.
  19. ^soccerscene.ie
  20. ^soccerscene.ie
  21. ^kickinmagazine.ie
  22. ^Northern Ireland’s Footballing Greats
  23. ^Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
  24. ^Northern Ireland’s Footballing Greats
  25. ^Northern Ireland’s Footballing Greats
  26. ^League of Ireland TopscorersRsssf
  27. ^Graham, Alex (2005).Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005.Soccer Books Limited.ISBN1-86223-135-4.
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