Cork City's 1998 FAI Cup winners honoured at 2023 showpiece

25 YEARS ON: The 1998 FAI Cup-winning Cork City team, with FAI President Gerry McAnaney, who were honoured at the Sports Direct FAI Cup Final between Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Cork City may have marginally missed out on a place in Sunday’s FAI Cup final but the 1998 winners were reunited to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

Seventeen members of the jubilee squad and staff were guests of the FAI at the Aviva Stadium led by manager Dave Barry and match-winner Derek Coughlan.

The 1-0 victory at Dalymount Park – secured in a replay following a scoreless draw – marked the first-ever Cup for the club in its present iteration, ending a 25-year wait for the trophy to return to Leeside since Cork Hibernians’ 1-0 win over Shelbourne. 

Hat-trick hero from the previous year Miah Dennehy – whose life was honoured yesterday following his passing on Friday – had moved to Nottingham Forest but a late Carl Humphries goal settled matters for Hibs.

As remarked from the podium on Sunday, there was a diverse spread to the 1998 team, with three players from Tipperary, a pair of Galwegians and another two from England. Welsh FA supremo Noel Mooney, who played in goal that day, travelled over for the occasion.

Ironically, the crestfallen manager of Shels that day, Damien Richardson, had spent a brief spell in charge of Cork City. He would return to Turner’s Cross to replace sacked boss Pat Dolan two weeks before the start of the 2005 season and lead the team to a famous final-day title victory.

The team that won the Cup on 17 May 1998 was: Noel Mooney; Fergie O'Donoghue, Derek Coughlan, Declan Daly, Gareth Cronin; Kelvin Flanagan, Patsy Freyne, Dave Hill, Ollie Cahill; John Caulfield, Noel Hartigan. Subs: Johnny Glynn for Hartigan (55 mins), Philip Long for O'Donoghue (76 mins).