Derek Coughlan backs young Cork talent after City women end long search for a win

City legend Coughlan, who came in to the vacancy left by Barry Ryan last month, was thrilled as Cork City women clicked at Turner's Cross on Saturday, beating Peamount 6-0.

Cork City's Heidi Mackin celebrates scoring against Peamount. Pic via Cork City Facebook

New Cork City Women manager Derek Coughlan said the club's first League of Ireland Women's Premier Division win in more than a year is just the foundation. 

City legend Coughlan, who came in to the vacancy left by Barry Ryan last month, was thrilled as his side clicked at Turner's Cross on Saturday, beating Peamount 6-0.

Eva Mangan, Shaunagh McCarthy and Fiona Doherty had City three up at the break, with Heidi Mackin, Nadine Seward and Lauren Homan rounding off the victory. Though the clean sheet pleased Coughlan as much as the six different goalscorers.

City remain rooted to the foot of the table, but following a creditable 3-3 draw at Cliftonville in the All-Island Cup, a first win of the campaign can be a springboard, Coughlan insists.

Speaking to Cork City TV, Coughlan said: "To be honest, I don't know is there any team in Europe after going through that period of a drought without winning a game. For the girls, this is fantastic. This is just the foundation.

"We'll enjoy it. The girls will enjoy this. It's something they probably haven't felt for a while.

"This is the start. This is to show them what they can do and we build from here.

"I'm so happy for those girls. Since we've come in, they've been so good, even how they play football.

"I wasn't sure what it was going to be when we came in, but straight away once we came in, we knew that they were players. We knew they had this in them, we knew that they could play ball. To be fair to them, since we came in, they've been outstanding, they've tried to do the right things all the time.

"That's what we asked beforehand. Can you just do what you do in training and bring it onto the pitch today? That's what they did."

Coughlan managed the club's U17 side last season, guiding them to the FAI Cup final, so is familar with the talent coming through the club. It was a youthful City team that faced Peamount, particularly at the back. 

"I think we have a 15, 16, 17, 18 (year-olds). I think we covered most of the teenage years there. You'd never known it from seeing them.

"I have fierce belief in this group of players and not only this group of players but the girls coming up behind them.

"We've got savage talent coming up and these girls are going to lead the way for that."