Los Zarcos club in Millstreet looking to bright future as numbers boom
Los Zarcos U10 girls who were runners-up in the Ringmahon tournament.
Build on success, foster the talent within the club and continue to strengthen the community spirit... they are the main aims for everyone involved with Los Zarcos FC this season.
Based in Millstreet, the North Cork club has made massive strides in Cork football in recent years and chairman Cian O'Mahony is excited to see the introduction of competitive football for the girls this coming season.
While the club was formed back in 2001, It's only been three years since the introduction of the juvenile section and now there are over 250 kids occupying the Town Park and Station Road grounds which is always a hive of activity.
Los Zarcos FC originally came into existence in the 1970s as a representative team from the Malpaso Bar in Millstreet, part of an inter-pub tournament. The name Los Zarcos translates to the Sky Blues, which is reflected in the color of their jerseys.
After the tournament, the club continued to play in the league until it disbanded in the 1980s. After a long period out of football, the club was reformed in 2001, and since then, has grown significantly.
In 2021, the club decided to expand and bring juvenile soccer to Millstreet, marking an exciting new chapter for Los Zarcos. Little did they know how big the club would grow in such a short space of time. Both pitches at the club are in constant use in order to facilitate the huge numbers.
Today, with a dedicated team of coaches in Cian O'Mahony, Niamh O’Mahony, Deirdre O’Mahony, Vincent Browne, John Fitzgerald, Noelle Healy, Marie O'Sullivan, and Tadhg O’Shea, they are committed to fostering a love for soccer in their community, especially among the younger generation.
O'Mahony was a founding member of the club alongside Ronan Galvin and Mark Neville and all of whom still play a massive role in the club. As Chairman, O'Mahony is excited about the coming season and is grateful to everyone who volunteers so much of their time to make the club grow as big as it is.
"In its early days, Los Zarcos FC didn’t see much success on the field, but the strong bonds and friendships formed during that time laid the foundation for the club we are today," said O'Mahony.
These relationships have been crucial in helping us grow and succeed. Over the years, our adult team has made significant strides.
"We've been crowned the AUL Team of the Month several times and have won the Fair Play Award twice, with the most recent being in the 2023/24 season. We've also celebrated victories as President's Cup winners, been Saxone Cup runners-up, and finished as Division 3 runners-up. Most recently, we clinched the Division 2 title, a milestone that we’re incredibly proud of.
"Our juvenile club, despite being in its early stages, has also achieved success. We were crowned CSBL U12 champions and are currently the U16 Division 6 champions, showing the promising future of our youth teams. On the girls' side, we’ve seen early signs of success as well. Our U10 team finished as runners-up in the Ringmahon tournament, narrowly losing in the final to Ringmahon on penalties. This was a proud moment for our girls' program, and we look forward to more achievements in the future.
"We're eager to see how our players rise to the occasion. We’re also focused on expanding our schoolboys' section, which is growing rapidly. However, one of the most exciting aspects of 2024 for us is introducing our girls to competitive football."
This marks a significant step forward for our club, and they can’t wait to see our girls' teams develop and thrive in this new environment. They have brought a new lease of life to the club and it's great to see the numbers grow rapidly over the past 12 months.
"Overall, 2024 is about building on our successes, fostering the talent within our ranks, and continuing to strengthen the community spirit that defines Los Zarcos FC."
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