35 years ago today, Cork City shook the mighty Bayern Munich

Cork City 1 Bayern Munich 1 

In an extract from the book, The Game Of My Life: Cork City, John Caulfield remembers an historic day for the club when they faced the mighty Bayern Munich.

"For generations afterwards looking back, it is hard for them to imagine how we could have played a club that big and got a 1-1 draw in Musgrave Park... against one of the biggest teams in the world.

"It was a Roy of the Rovers story... how do you tell people nowadays, or those who started following the club in the mid-2000s or whatever, that you drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich, who they see winning the German league and playing in Champions League finals?

"At that time, they had so many German internationals... and a Brazilian international. They had already won three or four European Cups. Sometimes I think when you tell people the stories, they even find it hard to believe you. 

"But that is the way it was at the time and it was such a unique occasion. That is why it is such a fantastic memory in Cork City history.

"Who do you compare Bayern Munich to? Do you compare them with Juventus, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Man United? 

"So, when you think of it that way, it must be considered one of the greatest results. I know League of Ireland clubs have had good results against Celtic and Rangers. But I think Bayern Munich are a totally different level.

"There used to be a programme on BBC on a Wednesday night called Sportsnight. Basically, it was like Match of the Day, but they used to cover all the midweek and European soccer. 

"On the show that night they ended up showing the goal we scored against Bayern Munich and the celebrations afterwards. They said it was probably the greatest result of the day.

"When you think of it, the BBC in England finishing up with a League of Ireland club as they are finishing on the programme... I think it showed what type of reaction it created across Europe on that particular day. 

"Absolutely, they would have expected an easier match and, to be fair, in the bigger scheme of things, they are one of the top 10 biggest clubs in the world.

"I’d say Noel O’Mahony didn’t sleep for a week before the match... knowing Noel. 

He’d have been fearful that we’d have taken a battering. But still, he would have been excited by how big the draw was.

"Noel played with Cork clubs all of his life and he was a real passionate Cork soccer person. Knowing Noel, he’d have been biting his nails and going to church praying.

"He liked us to be aggressive and he liked us to be very fit. But at the same time, he recognised we had a lot of very good players, as well.

"Certainly, there was not lots of work done on shape; it wouldn’t have been to the same level things are done nowadays, which is understandable. "At the same time, we had a lot of intelligent players. They knew what to do and their knowledge of the game and how to defend was very good.

"Coaching at that time was in some ways better than nowadays, because it was more simplistic. Noel was very good at getting teams set up and organised from that point of view.

"We all know how huge German football is. So, I think they thought it was going to be a stroll in the park. I am not sure Bayern Munich would have been very impressed with the surroundings in Musgrave Park either, at the time.

"The dressing-rooms were small, and the pitch would have been a bit bumpy. It would not have been the ideal surface for them.

"But there is no doubt that for us... we wanted to go out and give it our best. You couldn’t imagine, however, that you were going to get a draw in the match.

Right man

"When it fell to Dave Barry, he struck it brilliantly. It might have taken a slight deflection, but it fell to the right man at the right time. 

It certainly is a huge and iconic goal in the history of Cork City Football Club.

"For a number of years that Cork City team had been challenging at the top, and afterwards won the league. I think it showed we had a very strong built team, a very committed and passionate team. I think that day against Bayern Munich showed a lot of those characteristics.

"There is no doubt I think that Bayern Munich got a massive shock and there is certainly no way they would have expected that the game was going to end 1-1.

"Our enthusiasm and our intensity playing that day certainly upset them."