When Marlboro Trust and Tile King dominated Business League soccer proceedings

With the Cork Business League’s historic calendar season about to commence it’s fitting to recall how great rivalries of the past paved the way ahead for teams to be inspired.

When Marlboro Trust came to the fore midways through the first decade of the 2000’s, their closest rivals MCM and EMC kept the pressure on in the search for silverware. 

When it looked like their remarkable run of premier title, cup and shield successes would continue uninterrupted, a new rival, Tile King, had other intentions as to who would be the top team going into the second decade.

Marlboro got a taste of what lay ahead as Tile King reached the Mooney Cup Final for the first time on Sunday, April 18th 2010. 

Trust had already collected their first shield success on March 19th following the two-nil win over EMC and were well on their way to a third title win when they locked horns with an emerging Tile King at Turner’s Cross with a first domestic treble at stake.

After Tile King keeper Kevin Irwin did well to deny Paul Draper twice and Arainn McGrath early on, the underdogs grabbed the lead in the 33rd minute. 

Gearoid Collins met Matt Tiffney’s cross to direct a header out of the reach of Paudie Morris. Trust response was to equalize though Dave O’Brien within six minutes. 

Marlboro introduced the experienced David ‘Spooky’ McCarthy and Shane O’Riordan from the bench but it fell to striker Eric Montgomery to net the decisive penalty in the resultant shoot-out. 

There was a small token of consolation for Tile King afterwards when Keith Riordan was awarded the man-of-the-match accolade.

The following season, 2010/11, Marlboro Trust were strongly fancied to become only the second team in the league’s history up until then to win all four competing trophies. 

The shield holders reached a consecutive final after accounting for first division QC Data, 5-2, in the semi-final at Pfizer Park. 

Their opponents Tile King had began the season well only losing once in the league while making it through to a first shield final showdown after Tony Cummins struck the match winner against EMC.

The team’s first meeting of the season took place on a bitterly cold morning at Turner’s Cross on Sunday November 28th. 

First time shield finalists Tile King dominated the opening half without extending Marlboro keeper Paudie Morris. 

The holders worked their way back into the tie early in the second-half with Miguel Santos forcing a fine save from Kevin Irwin and minutes later Eric Montgomery firing over from the edge of the area. 

As the clock moved into the final twenty minutes the influential Cummins set up Adrian O’Shea to pick his spot and secure the first silverware of the season for the underdogs.

In the league an early 3-2 win for Tile King set out a marker for the campaign ahead. 

By the time early leaders Cork Airport well overhauled in January, Tile King went on to open a seven point lead over Marlboro in early May, clinching a first title triumph with a 2-1 win over Cork Airport at Alsaa Park. 

In the Mooney Cup, holders Trust were back at headquarters courtesy of a penalty shoot-out win over Nissan Fermoy while Anthony Kelly secured Tile King’s final berth with the decisive goal in their one-nil semi-final win over Premier Autoparts.

Marlboro turned the tables on their opponents in the final on Friday, April 22nd at Turner’s Cross. 

In an explosive opening, Eric Montgomey opened the scoring for the holders, Tile King had their goalkeeper Zoltan Banke dismissed and Jason Coughlan missed from the penalty-spot for Marlboro. 

Despite Tony Cummins going close to an equalizer in the 65th minute, Coughlan atoned for his earlier penalty miss when his pinpoint cross was headed in by Pat McSweeney in the 72nd minute to secure a fourth cup success for the holders.

There was still business to be done in the Premier Cup Final as amazingly both teams met once again. 

It was Marlboro who prevailed 2-1 at Turner’s Cross on Sunday, June 12th, Miguel Santos curling a beauty into the top corner with four minutes remaining.

The stage was set for the two titans to go head to head in 2011/12 and resulted in Tile King holding off their rivals to retain the championship by a solitary point. 

Marlboro had to endure a Mooney Cup Final loss to Anglers Sports Lounge and defeat in the Shield Final to Cork Eagles before salvaging their season with victory over Deady Security in the Premier Cup Final.

And so, a great rivalry came to an end but there was no doubting the entertainment and high standard of football served up by the best two teams in the league will live long in the memory.