Eva Mangan focusing on Cork City's FAI Cup semi-final after 'really nice' Liverpool trial

RISING STAR: Eva Mangan and head coach Eileen Gleeson during a Republic of Ireland women's training session at Turners Cross in Cork Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

He may himself have signed a new two-year contract with Cork City but manager Danny Murphy’s admits Eva Mangan’s days as a Cork City player are numbered.

Given her performances and development since breaking into the City senior side back in 2021 at the tender age of 16, it appears to be only a matter of time before a move into a professional set-up transpires for the talented playmaker, as the coach alluded to in a recent interview with the club’s media team.

Liverpool have emerged as a potential destination for the Cork native, whose father happens to be a fan of Arne Slot’s side, as she recently spent a five-day trial with the club at their Melwood training base.

But while Mangan, who just turned 20 last Sunday, admits she enjoyed her brief stint on Merseyside, there is only one thing currently on her mind.

“This is my biggest game for City, it’s my first semi-final with the club so I’m nervous already but look it’s just a game of football so we just have to go out and do what we can,” admitted the City captain, the day before they face Shelbourne at Tolka Park in the last four of the Women’s FAI Cup.

“But it was really good (the trial). It was really nice to see the standards over there, the professionalism and just being around really high-quality players from different countries.

“It was a nice experience to take away, I think it’s just made me a bit more hungry that that’s what I want to do with my future.

“Hopefully it does come around but I still have a lot of hard work to do to get there. But now all my focus is with Cork City now and for tomorrow’s game.

“I’m finishing the season with City anyway and I’m hoping to finish strong.”

Ballygarvan's Eva Mangan on the attack against Castlemartyr at the Spar Schools 5-a-side blitz at Turners Cross. Pic: Des Barry

Mangan watched from the stands at Tallaght Stadium as City suffered a significant loss to Peamount United in their last FAI Cup final appearance back in 2020.

Less than two weeks later she helped the City U17s land the league title for the first-time in their history with a 2-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers, just two days before Christmas.

So, while this will be the biggest game of her promising young career, she already has enough experience in the bank to try and help her side secure another landmark victory.

“it wasn’t a great result, but it was still a great occasion and hopefully we can win tomorrow and we will have our time in Tallaght then,” she continued.

“Getting to the final… at the start of the season we said it was something we wanted to work towards and definitely, for myself, getting there now would be unbelievable.

“I couldn’t imagine how good of a feeling it would be to play the final at senior level, especially captaining the team and being from Cork, it would be very special.

“We have shown how good we are this season against the top teams, like we beat (Shamrock) Rovers, we drew against them, we beat Peamount.

“When the Cork City that we all know and we see at training turn up, that’s when we are effective.

“It’s just all about turning up tomorrow and making sure we get the job done but it’s going to be tough, they are a quality side with some top, top players but we are confident, and we can’t wait to get going.”