University College Cork A.F.C.

UCC A.F.C.
Full nameUniversity College Cork A.F.C.
NicknamesThe Academicals
The Acas
Founded1952
GroundThe Mardyke
The Farm
OwnerUniversity College Cork
LeagueFAI National League
Munster Senior League
Cork Athletic Union League
FAI College & Universities Football League
Websitesoccer.ucc.ie

University College Cork Association Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Cork. It was founded in 1952 by students at University College Cork. Its senior men's team plays in the third national tier FAI National League and in the regional Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division. They have also previously competed in the Collingwood, Crowley and Harding Cups, the FAI Intermediate Cup, FAI Cup and FAI Junior Cup. As of 2023, UCC A.F.C. was also fielding teams in the Munster Senior League, the Cork Athletic Union League, and the FAI College & Universities Football League.

History

Intervarsity

UCC A.F.C. is affiliated to the Irish Universities Football Union and competes in three annual intervarsity competitions – the Collingwood Cup, the Crowley Cup and the Harding Cup. UCC A.F.C. first won the Collingwood Cup in 1974. Then, during the 1990s, they won it twice in a row – 1990 and 1991. The club won it again in 2000 and then between 2002 and 2005 retained it four times in a row. In 2011, with a team managed by John Caulfield, UCC won the Collingwood Cup again. In 2015, UCC A.F.C. had one of its most successful intervarsity seasons. In addition to winning the senior Collingwood Cup, they also won the Crowley Cup, the reserve team competition, and the Harding Cup, featuring teams made up of freshers or first year students. UCC A.F.C. actually entered two teams in both the Crowley Cup and the Harding Cup. In February 2015 UCC A.F.C. hosted the Harding Cup. The UCC freshers team defeated teams representing Dublin City University, NUI Galway and University of Limerick over three consecutive days to claim the cup. In the final played at The Mardyke on 8 February, UCC defeated Limerick 1–0. Later in the same month the UCC senior team won the Collingwood Cup. In the quarter finals they defeated defending champions Maynooth University, managed by Ger O’Brien, 7–6 on penalties. In the semi-final they defeated NUI Galway 1–0. The final, which was played at Eamon Deacy Park on 26 February, saw UCC defeat Dublin University 3–1. In March UCC completed an Intervarsity treble when they also won the Crowley Cup. In 2015 they completed an Intervarsity treble – winning the Collingwood Cup, the Crowley Cup and the Harding Cup.

MSL and National Cups

In addition to Intervarsity wins, UCC A.F.C. has had some success in the Munster Senior League. In 2011–12, they won the Senior First Division and as a result were promoted to the Senior Premier Division. In 2013–14,2016–17 and 2018–19 they were the Senior Premier Division champions. As a result, they qualified to compete in the 2015 League of Ireland Cup. After knocking out League of Ireland First Division teams Wexford Youths and Cobh Ramblers in early rounds, they reached the quarter-finals where they were defeated by the holders, Dundalk, at The Mardyke.

Following the club's MSL Premier Division win in 2017, they qualified for the 2018 League of Ireland Cup, losing 4–1 to Premier Division side Waterford in the first round at the RSC. In July 2025, they faced St Patrick's Athletic in the 2025 FAI Cup, losing 8–0 at Richmond Park.

FAI National League

In 2025, the club was announced as one of the 15 teams participating in the inaugural season of the FAI National League, the third tier of the Irish football system.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of May 2026[needs update].[citation needed]

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  IRL Robert Barry
— GK  IRL Kacper Reszka
— DF  IRL Garvan Twomey
— DF  IRL Shane O'Neill
— DF  IRL Ross Cunningham
— DF  IRL John O'Donovan
— DF  NGR Oluwafisayo Tonade
— DF  IRL Ronan Murphy
— DF  IRL Daniel McCarthy
— DF  NGR Ramsey Miller
— DF  WAL Samuel Bailey
— MF  GER Elias Zippel
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  IRL Darragh Bowdren
— MF  IRL Evan Lynch
— MF  IRL Ronan O'Shea
— MF  IRL Noah Sowinski
— MF  IRL D.O'Brien
— MF  IRL Éanna Fitzgerald
— FW  IRL Conor O'Sullivan
— FW  IRL Conor O'Sullivan [citation needed]
— FW  IRL Emmanuel Olawuni
— FW  IRL Derry Howard
—  ESP Jorge Ismael García Díaz
—  IRL Finn Bond-Smith

Home grounds

UCC A.F.C. play their home games at two grounds. Their traditional home has been The Mardyke. However they also played at the UCC Sports Grounds at Curraheen Road, Bishopstown. This ground is commonly referred to as The Farm. [dead link]

Quarry Cup

The club hosts an annual tournament known as the Quarry Cup as a means to raise funds. It is a knockout competition featuring nine-a-side teams made up of University College Cork students playing forty minute games.

Honours

Notable former players

Notable former managers

References

  1. ↑ "UCC Soccer steps onto a new stage with launch of FAI National League". University College Cork. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Tables 2015/16". Murphy's Stout Cork Athletic Union Football League. 27 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Irish Third Level Football - Cufl.php - League.php". thirdlevelfootball.ie. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Irish Third Level Football - Iufu.php - Clubs.php - Profile.php". thirdlevelfootball.ie.
  5. ↑ "Irish Third Level Football – Irish Universities Football Union – Competitions – Collingwood Cup – History And Winners". thirdlevelfootball.ie. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "UCC's Historical Soccer Year". Student Sport Ireland. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  7. ↑ Adrian Russell (26 February 2015). "UCC claim Collingwood Cup title with impressive final display". The42.
  8. ↑ "Munster Senior League – Official Website". sportsmanager.ie.
  9. ↑ "EA SPORTS Cup First Round draw made". sseairtricityleague.ie.
  10. ↑ "Wexford Youths v UCC – Ferrycarrig Park – Extratime.ie – League of Ireland Fixtures". extratime.ie.
  11. ↑ "UCC v Cobh Ramblers – The Farm – Extratime.ie – League of Ireland Fixtures". extratime.ie.
  12. ↑ "UCC v Dundalk – The Farm – Extratime.ie – League of Ireland Fixtures". extratime.ie.
  13. ↑ "Dundalk demolish UCC in the EA Sports Cup". RTÉ Sport. 18 May 2015.
  14. ↑ Buttner, Paul (20 July 2025). "St Pat's equal club record win in FAI Cup rout". The 42.
  15. ↑ "St Patrick's Athletic hit UCC for eight in FAI Cup clash as Longford strike late to sink Castlebar". www.independent.ie. 20 July 2025.
  16. ↑ Limegreentangerine. "15 clubs confirmed for new FAI National League". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "UCC AFC to Host the Harding Cup 2015". ucc.ie.
  18. ↑ "John Caulfield named as new Cork City boss". The Irish Independent. 5 November 2013.
  19. ↑ "College Corinthians AFC". College Corinthians. 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  20. ↑ "History – UCC Wandsworth Celtic". clubwebsite.co.uk.
  21. ↑ "CBSL Premier Division Champions 2017 – 2018". facebook.com.