CBL Champions Super Cup Quarter-Final Preview: Fords v Youghal Yarns

Fords v Youghal Yarns, Saturday, February 27th 2021, ESB Grounds @ 3pm

The second quarter-final of the Cork Business League Champions Super Cup paired old rival Fords and Youghal Yarns at the ESB Grounds, writes Finbarr Buckley.

The teams would have first met in league competition for the first time back in 1972/73 and up to Fords’ exit due to the Marina factory’s closure in 1983, would have locked horns on thirty-three occasions in all competitions. Fords ‘panel is drawn from the early sixties through to the eighties, with players of the calibre of the superb ballplayer, Bobby Humphries, whose son Carl forged a successful career with both Cork Celtic and Cork Hibernians in the early ’70s, and former captain Jack Collins. Goalkeeper and captain Billy Noonan and Barry Terry were prominent in the late sixties while another future referee like Noonan, Paddy O’Mahony along with Johnny Clifford, Steve Heffernan, Michael Connolly, brother of Hibernians’ Frankie, goalkeeper Tony Forde, Pat O’Brien and Tony O’Leary make it onto the panel to accompany the formidable Brendan O’Keeffe, Tony Herrick and John Good.

Youghal Yarns’ panel encapsulates a twenty-year span to include players from the successful league and cup winning team of 1973/74 and the all-conquering four trophy-winning side of 1992/93. The experienced Dave Barrett leads from the goalkeeper’s position, like his counterpart in Fords, Billy Noonan, and must be confident with the array of talent before him. Davie O’Mahony, Gerry Ryan and Connie Hosford are excellent full-backs with Bernard O’Sullivan and Timmy Murray commanding at the heart of the defence. There is a huge choice to pick from in the centre of the park with names like Tommy Searls, Denis Crowley, Alan Costello and Jim Atkins while upfront Greg Cooney, Alex O’Regan, Pat Saville and Jimmy Bowen have plenty of firepower to trouble any defence.

Robbie Gregan will be the match official with Damien O’Mahony and Denis Morley his assistants. An official from the modern era, Denis Cronin is the fourth official.

Fords (Panel for  CBL Champions Super Cup)

Goalkeeper(s): Billy Noonan, Tony Forde.

Defenders: Denis Lyne, Pat Quirke, David O’Driscoll, Paddy O’Mahony, Michael Connolly.

Midfielders: Tony O’Leary, John Walsh, Johnny Clifford, Pat O’Brien, Steve Heffernan.

Strikers: Tony Herrick, Brendan O’Keeffe, Barry Terry, John Good, Bobby Humphries, Jack Collins.

Manager(s): Frank McCarthy.

Youghal Yarns (Panel for CBL Champions Super Cup)

Goalkeeper(s):  Dave  Barrett (capt.)

Defenders: Davie O’Mahony, Bernard O’Sullivan, Connie Hosford, Gerry Ryan, Timmy Murray.

Midfielders: Tommy Searls, Denis Crowley, Alan Costello, Jim Atkins, Sean Hosford.

Strikers: Alex O’Regan, Greg Cooney,  Jimmy Byrne, Pat Saville, Martin Bowen, Cyril O’Mahony, Jerry O’Connell, Laurence Murphy.

Manager: Dan Magnier. Assist. Manager: Dave Golden.