Throwback Thursday: When Cork Celtic took on the best in Europe
Cork Celtic squad and officials board Aer Lingus EI-AJI prior to their historic departure to play crack Bulgarian side Slavia Sofia in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1964.
Former League of Ireland club Cork Celtic made their European debut 60 years ago on this coming September 30, when they were drawn to play crack Bulgarian side Slavia Sofia in the first round of the European Cup Winners’ Cup competition for domestic cup winners.
Despite having lost agonisingly to Shamrock Rovers, 2-1, in the FAI Cup Final replay back on Wednesday, April 29, Celtic qualified for Europe for the first time by virtue of Rovers having won the league and cup double. The Leesiders started out as Evergreen United in the early 1950s and changed their name to Cork Celtic in 1957. With their neighbours Cork Hibernians also vying for honours the two clubs endured heartbreak in the early '60s.
Hibernians lost out to Shelbourne in cup finals in 1960 and 1963 while Celtic were pipped to the title by the Reds in a replay in 1962 with arguably the team’s finest 11.
The Turner’s Cross outfit had played their fifth match in the opening competition of the League of Ireland season, the Shield, the Sunday before travelling to Sofia. A fine 5-2 win over archrivals Shelbourne was only tarnished by the sending off of manager Paul O’Donovan who disputed a decision by referee John Carpenter which led to his dismissal.
The two would lock horns again 10 years later as the distraught manager would once again dispute a decision, this time the non-awarding of a goal, which would eventually lead to Celtic’s defeat in a cup tie against Drogheda United at Turner’s Cross.
And so, a travel-weary Celtic, given no hope beforehand, entered the cauldron of the imposing Vasil Levski Stadium three days later on Wednesday, September 30. Before a highly partisan home crowd Celtic were greeted by a deafening noise which rung around the vast stadium, so much so, that Hungarian referee Shop Karoi’s whistle was barely audible.
Player-manager, O’Donovan, who had taken over from Liam O’Neill before the start of the season, made one change from the cup final line-up.
Clifford would later play with distinction in the CBL with Cork Shoe Company and Cork Examiner, winning a cup medal with the latter in 1981, before losing his life in a tragic accident. Celtic approached the contest with dour determination and although pinned back in their own half for most of the first half, still managed to create two decent opportunities through Al Casey and captain Austin Noonan.
The pressure of defending heroically would eventually tell as the hosts deservedly went in front in the 64th minute through Krastev who appeared to push Pat O’Mahony in the back before crashing the ball past Kevin Blount.
It looked as though the visitor’s brave resistance might crumble but the Leesiders hung on to draw level with 10 minutes remaining.
O’Donovan’s renowned artistry on the wing saw him beat Largov and Panagov before releasing Noonan who in turn set up centre-forward Donie Leahy to fire past Pashoolov for an equaliser which would bring the curtain down on a magnificent performance and create history in the competition for an Irish team to draw away from home.
Pashoolov; Salaman, Largov; Kostov, Panagonov; Velichkov, Mishev, Maralampie; Krastev, Hristov, Jugalov.
Blount; O’Flynn, O’Mahony; Cowhie, Clifford; Millington, O’Donovan, Noonan; Leahy, Casey, F McCarthy.
A week later 13,000 packed into Flower Lodge in the hope if witnessing the hosts becoming the first team to qualify for the second round of a European competition.
However, a combination of bad luck and a more clinical performance by the Bulgarians sealed the tie on a 2-0 scoreline, striker Christov scoring in both halves.
Having won the championship for the only time in 1974, the Leesiders lost out home and away to Russian champions Ararat Erevan in the European Cup.
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