Barry Ryan steps down as Cork City women's manager after a poor start to the new season
Barry Ryan pictured with Munster and All-Ireland schools cups
Cork City FC Women's manager Barry Ryan has stepped down from the club on Monday morning after a winless start to the season.
This sequence has left the Rebel Army stuck at the bottom of the Women’s Premier Division table, with just one goal scored.
City have not won a competitive game in over 12 months, with their last victory on April 12th 2025 against Waterford at the Munster FA Turner’s Cross Stadium.
The Rebel Army are now searching for their third manager in three seasons, following the tenures of Danny Murphy and Frank Kelleher.
The overarching theme is the club’s long-term struggles to establish a competitive unit, after finishing bottom for the third time in four seasons last year.
The last time that Cork City were in the top end of the table was 2020, the year when a Saoirse Noonan inspired squad reached the Women’s FAI Cup final and lost to Peamount United at Tallaght Stadium.
Ever since that day in Dublin, it has been a string of failed projects as various coaches looked to re-establish a competitive women’s team for Ireland’s biggest county.
Murphy was the longest person in the dugout during that period and he oversaw a brief uptake in form while overseeing the development of players like Republic of Ireland underage internationals Niamh Cotter and Kiera Sena.
The squad reached the semi-finals of the Avenir Sports All-Island Cup during the coach’s first full season in charge and narrowly lost to a quadruple chasing Cliftonville side in Belfast.
The Rebel Army regrouped during the winter of 2023 into 2024 and slowly introduced experience into the squad by signing striker Coleen Kennedy O’Connell, and midfielders Becky Cassin, Dorothea Greulich, and Orlaith O’Mahony.
The investment paid dividends as City started their season with victories over Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians, and Sligo Rovers.
Their most impressive results were in the Women’s FAI Cup as the club reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2020 after defeating Douglas Hall and Bohemians.
Shelbourne ended their dreams of a national trophy and Murphy left the club in December 2024.
That was followed by a number of senior players leaving for pastures new as Alix Mendez was signed by Aberdeen, Casin signed for Wexford, and O’Mahony went to AFC Flyde.
Kennedy O’Connell and Greulich went midway through the campaign, before new coach Kelleher stepped down due to ill health.
Ryan oversaw the tail end of the 2025 campaign, after stepping up from the academy, and he oversaw a basement finish in a season that was over by midsummer.
This winter was down as the start of a new rebuilding phase, where U19s would be integrated into the senior team.
City have struggled on all fronts, and that continued on Sunday with a 4-1 loss to Wexford, with Eva Mangan scoring.
