Coachford aim to end Cork's 81-year barren junior streak

At the 2026 FAI Junior Cup Final Media Day is, Mark Murphy of Coachford AFC, left, and Mikey Drennan of Evergreen FC at the FAI HQ, Abbotstown in Dublin. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Coachford AFC are hoping to become the first Cork team since Rockville in 1945 to win the FAI Junior Cup when they face Evergreen of Kilkenny this Saturday at the Munster FA Turner’s Cross Stadium, kick-off 2:00pm.

The last 81 years has seen nothing but heartbreak for Cork sides in the competition, while the Intermediate Cup has been a regular visitor to Leeside.

Temple United are the last Cork team to make it to the decider in 1987.

Coachford aim to go one better, after getting a taste of what is possible by claiming five trophies across the 2024-25 season.

This included the Munster Junior Cup and the Cork AUL Premiership title, and the team went on to lift their fifth consecutive AOH Cup last January by defeating Mallow Town 4-1 at Turner’s Cross.

The spine of that squad are well established, with the most prominent name being Republic of Ireland amateur international Luke Casey. The striker was on the all-conquering Rockmount side under Eddie Kenny across 2022-23 that claimed successive Intermediate Cups and Munster Senior League Premier Division titles.

Casey also had a brief stint at Cobh Ramblers, where he featured in a team pushing for promotion to the Premier Division under Shane Keegan in the second of half of the 2023 season.

The striker has been a key part of Coachford’s run to the Junior Cup final, a journey played out through the summer since the rejigging of tournament structures by the FAI.

The Cork AUL side have had to do it the hard way as they have played just one home game in the competition, against Mungret Regional in the Round of 32.

Their reward was a trip to Roscommon to face Ballyheane FC and that was followed by a game in Donegal with 2025 Junior Cup champions Cockhill Celtic. Coachford passed both tests before getting the better of Trim Celtic in the semi-finals at the beginning of September.

Evergreen have been on a similar adventure after taking on Colga in Galway, Pike Rovers in Limerick and Castlebar Celtic in Mayo.

The Kilkenny side have never won the Junior Cup. They have reached two finals in their history, in 2017 and 1984, and lost on both occasions to Sheriff YC and Beggsboro.

Evergreen are the dominant force in the Marble County, with an academy that boats current Cork City striker Sean Maguire as a graduate.

Their current squad includes former Aston Villa striker Mikey Drennan, the teenage sensation that helped the club win the precursor to the UEFA Youth League in 2013. That was followed by spells with Carlisle United and Portsmouth and time in the League of Ireland with Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers, and St. Patrick’s Athletic.

All attention will be the forward, while all of Cork will be looking at Coachford come Saturday afternoon.