Part 1
In 1930 the
area where the present Greenmount housing estate now exists was a vast green
area dominated by Sullivan’s Gardens and Deasy’s Field. The boys from the local
National School entered a team named Greenmount Rangers in the Cadden’s League
and other juvenile competitions. In 1933 they entered the Munster Minor League
and enjoyed instant success when winning the coveted Munster Minor Cup at the
first attempt. They retained the trophy the following year. This was also the
year the Free State Minor Cup was inaugurated and the record books show that
Greenmount were the first winners. Against all the odds they overcame the
challenge of mighty Home Farm, who had Johnnie Carey of Man Utd and Ireland in
their team, in the semi-final. They went on to defeat Drogheda in the final
after a replay in Dalymount Park with a team which read Des Curtin, Jim
Barrett, Eugene McCarthy (capt), Michael O’Keeffe, Sean O’Connell, Donal
Murphy, Nobby Kelly, Denny Browne, Dandy Dick Delea, Jimmy Corcoran, Paddy
Ring. Jim Cotter played in the drawn game and was replaced by Kelly for the
replay. Scorers were Dandy Dick and Paddy Ring. Before a ball was kicked the
following season, a boardroom dispute resulted in a major split and a breakaway
team Rockwell emerged from the debris. One of the stars of the new team was the
legendary Florrie Burke of Cork Utd, Cork Athletic and Ireland. Rockwell
emulated Greenmount when qualifying for the Free State Minor Cup final by
beating Home Farm in the penultimate round. This time the Dubliners protested
to an overage Rockwell player and their objection was upheld with the result
that the Bandon Road team’s brief flirtation with soccer came to an end leaving
Greenmount to continue as before. Greenmount competed in the minor and junior
leagues with little success for a few years.
From 1952 on
Greenmount residents enjoyed their soccer in the colours of Crusaders,
Southview, Rock Rangers, Glasheen and Tower and from 1958 Everton filled the
void. Greenmount Utd (1955-57) and Greenmount Celtic (57-59) sampled the AUL
League without any thoughts of permanency.
Part 2
In 1965 the
increasing teenage population in the eastern side of Greenmount prompted locals
Billy “Shack” O’Sullivan, Richard Gould, Sean Walsh, Paddy Ahern, Seamus Long
and Plunkett Carter to launch the reformed Greenmount Rangers who entered the
Cork AUL. It was obvious from the beginning that they were a little bit better
than third division standard and won the Shield at the first attempt. But, it
was their FAI Cup giant killing escapades which propelled them to the forefront
of local soccer. Four Premier scalps were taken before the fairytale ended when
beaten in the semi-final replay by eventual national finalists Everton.
Greenmount filled the bridesmaids role regularly until the big break-through
came in 1970 when they won the coveted AOH Cup defeating St Mary’s after a replay
in the decider at Flower Lodge. Val Hackett ran away with the Man of the Match
award, netting all three Greenmount goals in the Flower Lodge showpieces.
Greenmount were Cork’s representatives in the closing stages of the FAI Junior
Cup in 1974 and 1975 but on each occasion exited to very strong Limerick opposition in away territory.
Youth teams
were entered only when Junior side recruitment was becoming an issue and Tommy
O’Brien, signed from Casement, one of its stars in 1973 transferred to Coventry
City and was capped seven times by the Republic of Ireland youths. A second
adult side made their debut in 1977. For them it was beginners luck and the
Dunlop Cup made a journey up Mount Sion Road. When Church Road, grounds the
spiritual home of Cork soccer, was sold for housing Greenmount rented pitches
in Blackrock and Topps Park, Ballincollig before moving to the ESB Grounds as
tenants when the complex opened in the middle eighties. A superb Player Manager
Tim Healy who blew away the cobwebs introduced new disciplined structures to
the club in the late seventies and his squad – a mix of youth and experienced
which included Alan Ramsell, Pa Mulcahy (who went on to complete 54 years
service with the club), John Lyne, Cal O’Leary and Dave McCarthy was rewarded
with promotion to the Premier League. Greenmount’s first 20 years had been
dotted with some minor successes such as the Div 1 League and Cup (Enterprise)
double in 1983 when Harry Speight skippered a team which included Tommy
“Tucker” O’Brien (Cork Celtic), Matt O’Donovan (Cork Hibs), Michael “Blondie”
Dorney (Ringmahon), Eddie O’Connor (Dunbar), Tim McCarthy (Basketball
International) and the usual reliables.
A major breakthrough was made in 1990 when the Alan Ramsell captained
and Denis Lyne managed side won the Premier League Championship for the first
time and for good measure added the St Michael’s and Champions Cups to the
cabinet. The AUL formed an Intermediate
League in 1990 and Premier champions Greenmount upgraded in ’91 to compete
amongst senior clubs. The Intermediate League lasted just four seasons during
which Greenmount had victories in the Intermediate Shield and Corinthians Cup.
When the
experiment ended in 1995 a disappointed Greenmount returned to junior football
and resumed where they left off - as
champions. The following year they swept the board, retaining their League
title and ended a barren eight-year spell for Cork teams when, against the
odds, defeating Clonmel in the final of the Munster Junior Cup at the
Showgrounds Clonmel. Greenmount were then the dominant force in Cork Junior
soccer and established themselves as one of the most successful AUL sides of
all time when adding three more Premier titles and three AOH Cups to their
impressive CV. We also distinguished ourselves in the Munster Senior Cup
suffering a narrow late defeat by Cork City after having earlier eliminated
National Leaguers Cobh Ramblers at St Colman’s Park. Managers Denis and John
Lyne, Ger Long and John Shine each had the distinction of lifting the coveted AOH. Flying winger Brendan Cronin became the first
player to be capped while playing with the club when selected for his country
on five occasions in 2001 and 2002. An honour emulated by Gearóid O’Leary two
years later.
On the
negative side Greenmount, now long established, are still un-rooted in terms of
playing pitches and in this respect the future is far from rosy. Attempts to
secure land for development have failed repeatedly. We still have to rely on
the generosity of long-term landlords at the ESB Curraheen Road and the shared
tenancy provided by the local council at Murphy’s Farm. Every year begins with a promise to rectify
the unsatisfactory situation but unless some Fairy Godmother waves the magic
wand or we win the lotto the nomadic ways will continue. And they did for a few
more years. The closure of our home ground at Sportsco was a hammer blow not
just to our club but to the football leagues in Cork who all used the popular
venue regularly. Thankfully, Murphys
Farm (our present home) became available shortly afterwards – a fine pitch but
too late for the aging stars of the 90s and later who had moved into
retirement. However, great credit is due to the thirty somethings who, despite
a few relegations, kept the flag flying for almost a decade. Eventually the
unchanging group with an average age closer to forty than thirty, burdened with
the addition parental responsibility of
their own kids sporting activities, went into honourable retirement. Sadly, for the first time in 55 years
Greenmount failed to enter the AUL in 2019. However, the absence was a brief
one as former stalwart and prolific goal scorer Greg Cooney returned to the
club to manage an enthusiastic new team who until the interruption because of
Covid 19 had displayed some promise. Maybe in the future we will unearth a few
like Shane McSweeney, Eddie Cotter, Conor Fitz, Greg the Boss, Dougie Browne,
Jimmy O’Connor, Anthony O’Brien, Dougie Twomey, Seanie Walsh, Pat Tynan, Bertie
Lane, Kevin McTiernan, Mick O’Leary, Ger Long, Davy Cooke, Barry O’Leary, Pat
O’Keeffe, Darren Gubbins, Fionán Murray, Gearóid O’Leary,
Martin Murphy, Mick Long, Alan Murphy, Ger McGreevy, Alan Ramsell, Deckie O’Regan, The Hennessy’s, The Cahills, McGreggors,
Matt Carter, the great Val Hackett, Bernie Browne, Dinny Joe Ellard, Billy
Shack, Pa Mull (owner), Micky Falvey, John Lyne, Sean Long, Paddy O’Callaghan, ,
Eamon Corcoran, Leneord Corcoran, the Byrds, Pat Harris, John Tighe and not
forgetting Ian Mull, Hogey, Lenny Mac, Graham O’Donovan and their gang
Greenmount Rangers AFC (Cork) - Originally founded 1932 -1952 - Reformed 1965
Honours: FAI Minor Cup winners 1935, Munster Minor Cup winners 1934 & 1935, Beamish Senior Cup 1947, Elvery Senior Cup 1947, Munster Junior Cup winners 1997, AUL Premier League 1990, 1996,1997, 1998, 1999, 2001. AUL Intermediate Shield 1991, Corinthians Cup 1995,1996 and 2002. AOH Cup 1970, 1999, 2002 and 2003, Champions Cup 1990, St Michael's 1990, Premier Shield 1996, FAI Area 1974, 1975 & 1997, Linnane Cup 1998, 1999 & 2005 Youths League 1969, Div 3 Shield 1966, Div 1 League 1983, Enterprise Cup 1983, Dunlop Cup 1978, Div 2 League 1995, 2001. Saxone Cup 2004. Internationals: Brendan Cronin and Gearoid O’Leary. Former player later capped: Tommy O’Brien. Player capped with other club: Ger Long.
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