CORK CITY Football Club have appointed Danny Murphy as the new manager of their Women’s National League side.

The Echo reported on Monday that Murphy was to be announced as the new City women’s manager — taking over from Jess Lawton, who had been in interim charge for the last three matches — and the club took to social media on Tuesday to confirm the appointment.

Murphy has spent the last six years coaching in women’s football, most recently including two years as manager of Welling United, and he told CorkCityFC.ie that he is excited to return to the club where he played.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking on this new role,” said Murphy.

“Since retiring from playing, I have really enjoyed coaching and particularly enjoyed coaching in the women’s game.

“I have had a number of very constructive conversations with the club about the direction we want to go in; I believe there is huge potential in the players at the club and in the women’s game in general in Cork. I want to build on the good work being done at underage level by the coaches that are already at the club.

“I am ambitious to succeed and I want to play my part in translating the good work being done at underage level into success at senior level.

“There are some very talented players at the club and I look forward to working with them to help them, and the team as a whole, to achieve their potential.

I have a clear idea as to what I want to achieve, not just in the short-term, but longer-term also, and I cannot wait to get started.” 

Murphy is to take charge for City’s next game, against Peamount United, at Turner’s Cross this Saturday evening at 5pm. Peamount have failed to win in their last five games, although their last triumph was the 8-1 demolition of the Leesiders.

Cork City chairman Declan Carey added: “We are delighted to announce Danny as the new manager.

“Danny is, of course, well-known to City fans, but we have appointed him due to his knowledge of, and experience in, the women’s game. We are ambitious to succeed across all areas of the club, and we believe that Danny has the calibre to help us achieve significant progress in the Women’s National League.

“He has outlined his vision for development and progression to us, and we were very impressed by that.

“We are committed to working with him to target the progress and improvements that we all desire.” 

SIGNINGS

The club is also exploring the possibility of re-signing striker Lauren Egbuloniu, who has returned to Cork for the summer from college in the US.

Goalkeeper Maria O’Sullivan has done likewise recently and has impressed since rejoining.

The hope is that Egbuloniu will follow her example and spearhead the City attack for the next few weeks, before she and O’Sullivan return to the US to continue their studies and college soccer careers.