Mixed year for Cork soccer with Adam Idah and Caoimhín Kelleher shining bright

This was a mixed year for soccer in the Republic of Ireland, and it was compounded by a defeat to Wales in the Women’s Euro 2025 play-off.

There were still moments that brought people to their feet, and at the centre of everything was Cork.

2024 started with a bang as Caoimhín Kelleher helped Liverpool defeat Chelsea in the EFL Cup final at Wembley.

The goalkeeper recorded a clean sheet on a day that saw Jurgen Klopp lift his last trophy as manager on Merseyside. That was followed by a memorable run in the team as the Reds pushed for the Premier League title, only to fall short in the final few weeks of the season.

Kelleher built on these performances under new boss Arne Slott after Allison was sidelined for two months with an injury. The goalkeeper stepped up during a period that saw the club compete on three fronts, including the expanded and gruelling league phase of the UEFA Champions League.

The accumulation of everything was one week in November, when Kelleher kept clean sheets against Manchester City and Real Madrid, with the goalkeeper topping all this by saving a Kylian Mbappe penalty at Anfield.

Adam Idah stole the headlines at the start of summer by scoring the winning goal for Celtic against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final.

The Hoops were aiming to win a second successful league and cup double and it looked like the tie was going to extra-time with the two teams deadlocked at 0-0 as the clock started to turn red. Paolo Bernardo tried to get the winner, and his shot from midfield was palmed into the path of Idah by Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland. 

The striker hit the back of the net from right in front of the posts and Celtic held on through eight additional minutes to become the undisputed kings of Scotland once again.

At a local level, Ringmahon Rangers finally got to an FAI Intermediate Cup final after years of trying to make the breakthrough.

Aidan Foley’s team got to the biggest day out for amateur football in Ireland by defeating local rivals Rockmount, but the trophy was just out of reach at Weavers Park in Drogheda as the Cork side were downed 3-2 by Glebe North.

Cork City also reinvented themselves through the Women’s FAI Cup by reaching the competition’s semi-finals for the first time since 2020.

The Rebel Army opened their campaign with a memorable match-up with local side Douglas Hall and they won 9-0 at Turner’s Cross.

That was followed by a meeting with Bohemians on home soil and the quarter-final sparked to life in extra-time when Orlaith O’Mahony scored into the Shed End from distance. The Gypsies quickly equalised and City got the win with a dramatic close-range finish from Barret Eidson in the 120th minute.

The Rebel Army also made their mark on the national team with Eva Mangan appearing in the senior squad for games with Sweden, England, and France. Niamh Cotter and Kiera Sena also featured for the U19s during a successful Euro 2025 qualifying tournament earlier this month in Bulgaria.

Sena scored three times during that compressed window, with her haul including a brace during a 3-1 victory over Finland.

BOUNCED BACK

This year also saw Cork City win promotion back to the League of Ireland Premier Division.

The Rebel Army went into this campaign with the sole aim of bouncing back and making up for their defeat to Waterford last year in the promotion/relegation play-off final at Tallaght Stadium.

Tim Clancy was brought in and tasked with rebuilding the first team and the former Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic manager delivered with City leading the pack from opening day.

The title was eventually secured in September following a 1-0 victory over UCD in Dublin, with a squad that welcomed back former players Seani Maguire and Ruairi Keating during the summer.

The strike force will be back at Turner’s Cross in 2025, alongside the majority of the group that won the First Division at a canter. They will return to action against Galway United on February 14 in Cork.