Page 42 - COBH WANDERERS V SLIGO ROVERS FAI CUP 3RD ROUND 2015

The 1998/99 team before facing Fermoy

25 year Overview of Club History 1981 / 2006 by Tim Stack
Cobh Wanderers Football Club has just completed its 25th season and has come a long way
from its humble beginnings. Starting off with no home and little facilities to what is now a
top class pitch and magnificent dressing rooms at Old Church Park has indeed been a great
achievement. The club is now catering for up to 50 players and also has close ties with the
schoolboys and youth sections in the town.
The club was founded in 1981 when a number of Cobh based players who were playing with
College Corinthians decided to form their own local team. The name Cobh Wanderers was
taken from the Cove Wanderers club which existed from the mid 1920’s to the 1940’s.That
clubs colours of black and amber were also adopted as the colours of the new club.
The first A.G.M. was held on 22.6.1981 in the Rinn Ronain Hotel, Rushbrooke.The first Com-
mittee elected was: Chairman: Kevin Moynihan. Secretary: Andrew O’Reilly. Treasurer: Noel
Keane. Committee: Milo O’Shea, Vincy Keating, Paddy Horgan.
The main aims of the club were to (A) Purchase its own playing pitch (B) To gain Senior sta-
tus.

The team entered the 1st Division of the Cork A.U.L. Junior League. Home games in the early
days were played in Whitegate, near Midleton, and later the club was lucky enough to have
the use of the Cobh V.E.C’s excellent pitch and dressing rooms. A floodlighting system was
installed a few seasons back and has since been upgraded.

The first few seasons did not yield any material success in terms of silverware but the
groundwork was being laid for future achievements. Under the dedicated manager Noel
Keane, whose name became synonymous with the Wanderers, the team improved season
by season until the first trophy was won 1n 1985/1986, the AUL 1st Division Championship.
Wanderers triumphed after a very hard fought battle with main rivals Ballyvolane. The next
few seasons at a higher level did not bring any further success but in 1989 the cherished
ambition of Senior status was achieved when the club was invited to join the inaugural AUL
Intermediate League.