O'Callaghan happy to fill Cole's boots

CORK CITY'S hot-shot centre forward George O'Callaghan, accorded much of the credit for his dynamic start to the season to a pair of Andy Cole's white boots.

“I got them from a lad at Port Vale who found them too small,” he said. “He took them from the boot room at Old Trafford when he was transferred but when he could not wear them he passed them on to me. They have been lucky for me.”

O’Callaghan, 22-years-of-age and rapidly building a cult following amongst the Cork City faithful, spent seven seasons at Port Vale and played 84 league matches for them in first and second divisions.

When he came home to Cork this summer he found the boots just as useful when he played hurling.

“I love hurling,” he said, “and I jumped at the chance to play with Glen Rovers. I scored 1-4 from corner forward when we beat Ballyhea in the championship and was picked for the Cork intermediate team.

“We played Kilkenny in a challenge and I scored four points in the first half before I was taken off as they wanted to rest me for the Munster championship match against Waterford in Thurles.

“But then I signed for Cork City and in fairness to them, because they were paying my wages, I had to pull out of the hurling.

“But I love the game so much that I hope I can get back to it. I still go down to the field to watch the Glen training on Tuesday and Thursdays and if the soccer does not work out for me then I will go back playing hurling.

“I’ll be at the Glen championship match on Saturday.”

O’Callaghan was capped for Ireland at under-age level and enjoyed a lot of success at Port Vale. He played in cup matches against Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton but changes of manager did not always work to his advantage. He played little first team football over the past two seasons.

This was a puzzle to many for he was voted ‘young player of the year’ at the club in 1998 and was voted ‘player of the year’ the following season.

But managers differ in the type of player they want in their team and the young Corkman suffered before he came home. Now everything is on the up-beat again.

“I love it,” he said of his brief time with Cork City. “I’ve played two matches and we’ve won the two, so hopefully we can begin a run in the cup by beating Glenmore on Friday at Turner’s Cross.

“We have a fantastic bunch of players and there’s a great atmosphere at Turner’s Cross. I scored on my debut so it has been a dream start and I’m looking forward to the season.

“I was not too happy over the last couple of seasons, things were going pear-shaped, but since I came home I’ve got the fire in my belly again and it’s great.”

O’Callaghan has a great sporting background for his father enjoyed draghunting and his uncle Jackie was a noted long-distance athlete with St Finbarr’s and Cork in the 1960s.

Young George has put thoughts of a cross-channel career on hold and is enjoying his partnership so much with Cork’s other new centre forward, John O’Flynn, that he is only thinking in terms of the current season and winning something with Cork with the help, of course, of Andy Cole’s boots.

“The first day I wore them I scored two goals for Port Vale,” he said. “They brought me good luck then so I hope they continue to do so.”