Cork soccer club 'hamstrung' by inability to apply for vital funding 

Ballincollig AFC is left in limbo with no capital grant as other sports clubs in the town receive a total of €290k

Republic of Ireland star Liam Miller was one of the players who graduated to the international stage from Ballincollig AFC — but the club has received nothing in the current round of sports capital grants. Picture: Dan Linehan

The Cork soccer club that launched the careers of Ireland internationals Liam Miller and Colin Healy has pleaded with authorities to safeguard its future, after missing out yet again on the latest round of vital Government grants.

Ballincollig AFC claimed that, because it does not have the lease for its home, the Landing Field, it remains hamstrung in applying for grants such as the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme grants, which saw record levels of funding handed out to various clubs and associations around the country last week.

The almost 50-year-old club says that the freehold of its pitches is held by the local authority, despite a Department of Defence agreement upon the closure of the Army's Murphy Barracks in 1998 that the land be gifted to it, in order for the club to have a home of its own.

It said that, in 20 years of applying to obtain the leasehold from the locality authorities in charge, it has hit a brick wall.

We need your support! please sign the below petition and help us to continue as a club! https://t.co/KBTjRxsfwx

— Ballincollig AFC (@BallincolligAFC) February 12, 2022

Cork County Council was the local authority upon the closure of the barracks in 1998, while Cork City Council in recent years became the relevant local authority as the county boundary changed. Because of that limbo, it cannot apply for sports grants.

A record €150m in funding for local sports clubs across the country was announced by the Government last week, with just under €14m allocated to Cork clubs.

Despite Ballincollig GAA and rugby clubs receiving almost €200,000 and €90,000 respectively, Ballincollig AFC did not receive anything.

Production line of sport stars

In its 50-year history, the club has become a production line for some of Cork's greatest sporting exports, with the late great Liam Miller and current Cork City boss Colin Healy forging glittering careers with some of England and Scotland's greatest clubs after earning their spurs in Ballincollig.

Liam Miller was part of the Irish Uefa European Under-17 Championship team of 1998, when the team captured the attention of the nation when clinching an unlikely title in Scotland, beating Italy in the final.

Colin Healy, another Ballincollig AFC player who went on to a career with the likes of Celtic and Sunderland before a triumphant return to first play for and ultimately manage Cork City FC. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

He would go on to star for the likes of Glasgow Celtic, Manchester United, and Ireland before his untimely passing in 2018, which brought an outpouring of grief across the football world.

Colin Healy would use his formative years in Ballincollig to establish a career across the water with the likes of Celtic, Coventry City, Sunderland, and Ipswich, before a triumphant return home to play for, and eventually coach, Cork City FC.

A petition from fed-up members of the club this weekend saw almost 1,000 signatures demanding that the situation be resolved once and for all.

Club members called on Lord Mayor of Cork and Ballincollig native, Colm Kelleher, to intervene.