John Herrick will be fondly remembered for role in great Cork Hibernians teams of Bacuzzi era

John Herrick, (78), an outstanding football defender of the sixties and seventies, passed away in Galway on Wednesday. 

He will be fondly remembered for his pivotal role in the great Cork Hibernians teams of the Bacuzzi era.

John came from a family deeply rooted in soccer, particularly in the history of Glasheen and Cork Hibernians. 

Glasheen has an unmatched record in nurturing talent for League of Ireland football, and John had the distinction of being their first schoolboy graduate to achieve full international recognition. 

His grandfather was a founding member of Glasheen, while his cousins, Johnnie and Willie Molony, made history as the first brothers to play on opposite sides in an FAI Cup final in 1953, when Cork Athletic faced Evergreen.

John was among several 16-year-olds on the Glasheen team that narrowly lost 2-1 to Southend (Dublin) in the 1964 FAI Minor Cup final. However, the year’s highlight was their revenge victory over a strong Limerick C side in the Munster Minor Cup final. 

He experienced another heartbreak in 1965 when Glasheen lost to TEK in the FAI Intermediate Cup final.

A few months later, in August, the 17-year-old Herrick embarked on a career spanning ten seasons when he made his Cork Hibs debut against Drogheda. 

By the 1969/70 season, he had become the backbone of Hibs’ defence, helping them to their most successful season yet, finishing third in the league. He was the only player to feature in all 49 games that season. 

His game improved significantly in 1970 when he became a full-time professional, training alongside Hibs’ cross-channel imports. 

With Hibs, he won nearly every major domestic honour, including the League Championship in 1971, and the FAI Cup and Blaxnit All-Ireland trophies in 1972.

A fair yet tough-tackling defender with a creative edge, John made a huge impact at Hibs. 

In October 1971, he became the club’s first player to earn a senior international cap, playing against Chile. 

He later toured Brazil and won his second cap as a substitute in the Brazilian Independence Cup Tournament, again facing Chile. 

His final international appearance came in a commendable performance against France, where he replaced an injured Tommy Carroll early in the game. Ireland secured a well-earned 1-1 draw in Paris.

John also took great pride in representing an All-Ireland League XI against English League runners-up Leeds United in a League of Ireland Golden Jubilee Celebration match at Dalymount Park. 

His stellar performance against Leeds’ winger Peter Lorimer likely played a role in his selection for the Irish international panel.

In 1973, John was transferred to Shamrock Rovers for £3,000, but Hibs re-signed him a year later for a slightly higher fee. 

After nearly 200 appearances, he moved to Limerick in 1976, where he became a key signing. His presence paid immediate dividends as he helped Limerick reach the 1977 FAI Cup final. 

Later appointed player-manager, he led them to a respectable sixth-place league finish, just nine points behind champions Dundalk.

John continued his career with Drogheda United in the 1978/79 season before joining Galway as player-manager the following term. 

He concluded his League of Ireland career with Galway United, and the city left such an impression on him that he made it his home. 

After retiring from football, he put his artistic skills—honed at Cork School of Art—to use by establishing a mural painting and sign-writing business in Galway.

In his native Cork, John was honoured alongside the legendary Sunderland and Ireland great Charlie Hurley when inducted into the Cork Soccer Hall of Fame. 

While his painting talents may not have been passed down to the next generation, his footballing prowess certainly was. 

His son, Mark, enjoyed a successful League of Ireland career, playing for Galway United before joining Cork City, where he won the FAI Cup in 1998.

John Herrick will be deeply missed by family, friends, and the footballing community. 

May he rest in peace.