Cork City's Cathal O'Sullivan ruled out for several months with ACL injury

“We are all absolutely gutted for Cathal to have suffered this injury," City manager Ger Nash told the club's official website.

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025 - 15:04

John Fallon

Cork City’s teenage tyro Cathal O’Sullivan has suffered another anterior cruciate ligament rupture, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

The winger left the Turner’s Cross pitch after 20 minutes of last Friday’s defeat to Sligo Rovers clutching his left knee and scans have confirmed the grim news of a prolonged layoff.

The Leesider only returned from a long ACL layoff last year to help City win the First Division in his first senior season, securing an immediate top-flight return.

Tim Clancy branded O’Sullivan as the best young player in the country. His then City boss caught the headlines in April after he came up against St Patrick’s Athletic’s Mason Melia, who is heading to Tottenham Hotspur in January.

“You’re looking at the most expensive player ever in the League of Ireland in Mason Melia up top,” said Clancy.

“Cathal O’Sullivan played up top. If Mason Melia is going for €2m, Cathal O’Sullivan should be going for about €10m.”

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Despite a season of struggle for City, in which they remain 11 points adrift at the foot of the table with 11 games left, O’Sullivan’s displays have been a rare bright spot. He made his Ireland U21 debut against Croatia during the summer window.

Crystal Palace were leading the race to recruit the 18-year-old after he’d visited the club recently with his family but any move will be put on hold while he recuperates from this latest devastating blow.

“Cork City FC can confirm that Cathal O'Sullivan suffered an ACL injury in last Friday’s game against Sligo Rovers,” read a club statement.

City manager Gerard Nash said of the player who’d made 21 Premier appearances this season: “We are all absolutely gutted for Cathal to have suffered this injury.

"As everybody knows, he is a really talented player with a very promising future, so this is a big setback for him, but we will all rally around him and support him.

"I have no doubt that he will come back stronger from this, and we will all support him in doing so.”