| Clubname: | UCC A.F.C. |
| Fullname: | University College Cork A.F.C. |
| Founded: | 1952 |
| Ground: | The Mardyke The Farm |
| Owner: | University College Cork |
| League: | Munster Senior League Cork Athletic Union League FAI College & Universities Football League |
| Website: | http://soccer.ucc.ie/ |
| Pattern La1: | _blackshoulders |
| Pattern B1: | _thinblacksides |
| Pattern Ra1: | _blackshoulders |
| Leftarm1: | C50C14 |
| Body1: | C50C14 |
| Rightarm1: | C50C14 |
| Shorts1: | 000000 |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
| Leftarm2: | 000000 |
| Body2: | FFffff |
| Rightarm2: | 000000 |
| Shorts2: | 000000 |
| Socks2: | 000000 |
University College Cork Association Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Cork. It was founded in 1952 by students at University College Cork. Its senior men's team plays in the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division. They have also previously competed in the Collingwood, Crowley and Harding Cups, the FAI Intermediate Cup, and FAI Junior Cup. They have also played in the FAI Cup. As of 2023, UCC A.F.C. fields teams in the Munster Senior League, the Cork Athletic Union League,[1] and the FAI College & Universities Football League[2]
UCC A.F.C. is affiliated to the Irish Universities Football Union and competes in three annual intervarsity competitions – the Collingwood Cup, the Crowley Cup and the Harding Cup.[3] UCC A.F.C. first won the Collingwood Cup in 1974. Then, during the 1990s, they won it twice in a row – 1990 and 1991. The club won it again in 2000 and then between 2002 and 2005 retained it four times in a row.[4] In 2011, with a team managed by John Caulfield, UCC won the Collingwood Cup again. In 2015, UCC A.F.C. had one of its most successful intervarsity seasons. In addition to winning the senior Collingwood Cup, they also won the Crowley Cup, the reserve team competition, and the Harding Cup, featuring teams made up of freshers or first year students. UCC A.F.C. actually entered two teams in both the Crowley Cup and the Harding Cup. In February 2015 UCC A.F.C. hosted the Harding Cup. The UCC freshers team defeated teams representing Dublin City University, NUI Galway and University of Limerick over three consecutive days to claim the cup. In the final played at The Mardyke on 8 February, UCC defeated Limerick 1–0. Later in the same month the UCC senior team won the Collingwood Cup. In the quarter finals they defeated defending champions Maynooth University, managed by Ger O’Brien, 7–6 on penalties. In the semi-final they defeated NUI Galway 1–0. The final, which was played at Eamon Deacy Park on 26 February, saw UCC defeat Dublin University 3–1. In March UCC completed an Intervarsity treble when they also won the Crowley Cup.[5] [6] In 2015 they completed an Intervarsity treble – winning the Collingwood Cup, the Crowley Cup and the Harding Cup.
In addition to Intervarsity wins, UCC A.F.C. has had some success in the Munster Senior League. In 2011–12, they won the Senior First Division and as a result were promoted to the Senior Premier Division. In 2013–14,2016–17 and 2018–19 they were the Senior Premier Division champions.[7] As a result, they qualified to compete in the 2015 League of Ireland Cup. After knocking out League of Ireland First Division teams Wexford Youths and Cobh Ramblers in early rounds they reached the quarter-finals where they played the holders, Dundalk, at The Mardyke. Dundalk were also the 2014 and 2015 League of Ireland champions and proved too strong for UCC.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
Following the club's MSL Premier Division win in 2017, they qualified for the 2018 League of Ireland Cup, losing 4–1 to Premier Division side Waterford FC in the first round at the RSC.
UCC A.F.C. play their home games at two grounds. Their traditional home has been The Mardyke. However they also played at the UCC Sports Grounds at Curraheen Road, Bishopstown. This ground is commonly referred to as The Farm. [3] [13]
The club hosts an annual tournament known as the Quarry Cup as a means to raise funds. It is a knockout competition featuring nine-a-side teams made up of University College Cork students playing forty minute games.
Ger Canning – RTÉ sports commentator John Meyler – Cork GAA hurler Sean McLoughlin – Hull City FC footballer