IAFC: Glanmire trying to find their feet again

It was 15 years ago when Glanmire reached the last four of the Cork PIFC, it was supposed to have been the start of a new dawn for the club.

They were close to the senior ranks. Instead, it went the other way and got relegated the following season which was in 2010 and since then, the Imokilly outfit have been stuck in the IAFC (previously called IFC). When every new championship season comes around, Glanmire are always spoken about in some shape or form. Given their underage success, population and unlimited potential, people have been waiting for Glanmire to get motoring.

The harsh reality is that they haven’t done anything of note in the championship since coming down in 2010, not even making a final. Since the new championship structure was brought in before the start of the 2020 season, Glanmire have failed to finish in the top two in their group.

There is a feeling now though that they are slowly turning the ship around in the right direction. The green and gold had a strong league campaign this year narrowly missing out on Division 4 promotion and started their McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC with a credible draw against a strong St Finbarr’s second team.

Their second group outing is this Saturday against Na Piarsaigh in Mayfield at 7pm followed by Boherbue on Saturday, September 14 in Mourneabbey at 4.30pm.

Glanmire are guided by one of their own in Mark Hopkins who played for the team for many years with former Cork footballers Michael Cussen and Colm O’Neill as well as former Cork hurler Kieran ‘Fraggie’ Murphy all part of the management ticket. Also involved are Wayne O’Donnell, Kieran Sheehan, Eanna Falvey, Stephen Knowles and Brian Lotty. A big management team indeed.

“Since we have come in, the players have been working very hard in training,” Hopkins says.

“It’s our first season as a management team. There weren’t too many candidates when it became available so I had a chat with lads who I played with and they said to go for it. I think there’s a good group of players here and we are pleased with how it has gone so far. We had a very good league, with the majority of teams premier intermediate clubs so it was good preparation for us. The games we lost were against Naomh Abán and Iveleary and both went up so we weren’t far away. The main thing is that the players out on the pitch know that the management have Glanmire at heart. The lads have a lot of faith in us which means a lot.” 

Glanmire are a sleeping giant of Cork football, flattered to deceive for far too long at this stage, but why has that been the case?

“It’s always a transition between getting lads to go from minor to adult football,” Hopkins said.

“The club have had a number of successful minor teams and there is a large population base of juvenile players coming through at present. I was involved with the minor team a few years ago so hopefully we can see some of them join us next year, but getting the players mindsight right is important. Glanmire should be in a better place but you have to go out there and earn it.

“We have to start winning championship games regularly. For whatever reason, that hasn’t happened on a consistent basis for a number of years. Glanmire have had good results in group games but the biggest thing is we haven’t backed it up and that’s what we are trying to change.“ 

When a new management team comes in, it’s natural that they would want to stamp their own authority on the team. Suttle changes can make all the difference.

“From my perspective, the players have bought into what we are trying to bring across in terms of coaching,” the Glanmire manager said.

“What the lads do off the pitch has been a big part of what we are trying to instill. We only get to see the lads a few times a week so what they do off the pitch is just as important. The fact that the players have taken it upon themselves to buy into this, take on the information and try to be a bit more structured in how we approach every game is reflected in the results we have had.

“Having people on the line with Glanmire at heart has been a big plus for the players. The bottom line for me is we need to get as many players as possible playing football for Glanmire. That’s the basic fundamental piece that I have looked at. You have to set the standard. We have set our goals internally but getting the best players out is the biggest thing for me and to build on that then.”