Stephen Henderson announced as new Cobh Wanderers manager 

FORMER Cobh Ramblers and Longford Town manager has taken over Munster Senior League side Cobh Wanderers ahead of the 2024-25 season.

This was announced on Monday evening by the club on their Facebook page, and his backroom team will contain Darragh Burke, Ian Ryan, and Timmy O’Shea, and John Meade.

Henderson’s first game in charge will be against Sligo Rovers in the FAI Cup at the Showgrounds next month.

The statement released by the club said: “Cobh Wanderers would like to officially welcome Stephen Henderson back to the club, where he once wore the No.1 jersey with distinction, as our new senior manager along with his backroom team of Darragh Burke, Ian Ryan, Timmy O’ Shea and John Meade.

“Stephen brings a wealth of experience of management at League of Ireland level while his coaching staff include names synonymous with Wanderers; being former players and coaching staff at our club.

“We wish the new management team and all the players the very best of success into the future. The team will start this new era with a big game away to Sligo in the senior men’s F.A.I. cup 2nd round in mid July.” 

The Dubliner goes to the Wanderers five years after he left Cobh Ramblers and took up a coaching position at Shelbourne.

This was followed by a spell with Longford Town and that came to an end with the club at the bottom of the League of Ireland First Division in April 2024. 

De Town were winless, after recording three draws and five losses, a situation made worse by their showing in the Leinster Senior Cup.

Longford finished bottom of a group containing Maynooth University Town, Athlone Town, and Shamrock Rovers.

Henderson will be taking over a Cobh Wanderers team that finished fifth in the 2023-24 edition of the Munster Senior League Premier Division.

They also reached the Round of 16 of the Beamish Stout Senior Cup, and lost to Ringmahon Rangers at Oldchurch Park.

College Corinthians were Cobh Wanderers’ biggest nemesis last season, as they knocked their rivals from the island out of the Beamish Stout Senior Cup and FAI Intermediate Cup.

All of this did was heighten the need for major trophies at Oldchurch Park, a feeling enhanced by historic losses to Liffey Wanderers in the FAI Intermediate Cup final and UCC in a title decider in the Munster Senior League Premier Division, with both games taking place in 2017.

The last trophy of note won by their senior team was the Senior Centenary Cup during the 2022-23 season and that was preceded by the Keane Cup in 2018, during another season where they finished second in the Munster Senior League Premier Division.