UCC all set for new FAI National League: Pathway for combining elite soccer with academic achievement
Manager David Moore with chairman Brian Lennox, president John McCarthy and members of the first team squad at the UCC Soccer National League Launch at the Mardyke. Picture: Doug Minihane
League of Ireland football is set to return to the Mardyke this year when UCC line out in the inaugural FAI National League, a new competition designed to be the third tier of the Irish pyramid.
It is set for a confined condensed season this autumn and winter before a full rollout in 2027, with promotion to the First Division set to be introduced at some point in the foreseeable future.
The league will be structured into three groups, with the Mardyke-based UCC in the southern section. The Students will play CK United, Villa FC, Newbridge Town, and Killarney Celtic in a round robin group.
Their first game is in Kerry on September 5 and that will be followed by a trip to Waterford. The first League of Ireland game at the Mardyke in the 21st century will take place on September 26th with CK United coming to the old ground.
The Students will also play in the Munster Senior League First Division this season, with that squad now their second team. This is part of a complete realignment for a club that was first offered League of Ireland football in the 1990s, an idea that was turned down by all involved.
UCC Soccer Development Officer Greg Yelverton believes that this will raise the standard for the college, as they set out to play in the League of Ireland for the first time in the club’s history.
“These are exciting times for UCC,” he said.
“Our ambition is to deliver a programme that prioritises education, performance, and personal growth, ensuring UCC Soccer remains a model for holistic development in Irish football.
“This initiative will provide a clear pathway for players, combining elite soccer with academic achievement, and we hope it will position UCC as a leader in nurturing soccer talent within a university environment.
“Participation in the Third Tier will raise the standard of football for our players and coaches, strengthen pathways for talented student athletes to progress to national senior levels, and enhance UCCs sporting profile nationally, aligning with our strategic vision for soccer development.
“Our three guiding principles for joining the league are clear; creating enhanced player development opportunities for student athletes to compete at a national level and gain exposure to progress to the next level in soccer, exposing our coaches to national competition and investing in education and resources to raise coaching standards and methodologies, and strengthening governance and operational structures to meet national league requirements and ensure sustainability throughout the club.”
The Students have been growing in stature as a destination for young players in Cork since their promotion to the Munster Senior League Premier Division in 2012.
The club went on to win the Premier Division in 2014, 2017, and 2019, in addition to numerous Collingwood Cups and other intervarsity honours like the Crowley and Harding Cups.
The Students’ finest hour was arguably the 2015 season as the club got to the League of Ireland Cup quarter finals by defeating Wexford Youths and Cobh Ramblers, and lost to Dundalk at the Mardyke.
One of the stars from that era was Sean McLoughlin, who went on to win a league and cup double with Cork City. The defender went on to play for Hull and Blackburn Rovers in England, while featuring on extended Republic of Ireland national team training camps.
UCC rebuilt once again and managed to go through a round in the FAI Cup proper, a journey that ended with a defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park.
The club were relegated last season from the Munster Senior League Premier Division, while plans were made to join the new FAI National League. The Students first team will now compete in the third tier, with a squad containing of a number of graduates from the Cork City and Cobh Ramblers academy.
Every single one of them is attending the university, something that is woven into the ethos of their new national league team. Small exceptions can be made to alumni, but it is expected that the squad will be composed of those attending classes.
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