Avondale United F.C. (Cork)

Avondale United F.C.

Full name	Avondale United Football Club
Founded	1972
Ground	Avondale Park, Carrigaline Beaumont Park, Ballintemple Bessboro Cross, Blackrock
Coordinates	51°49′21″N8°22′46″W / 51.82250°N 8.37944°W / 51.82250; -8.37944  (Carrigaline)
League	Munster Senior League Cork Athletic Union League Cork Schoolboys League Cork City & County Youths League
Website	www.avondaleunited.com
Home colours Away colours

Avondale United F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Carrigaline, County Cork. Their senior team play in the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division. They also regularly compete in the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the Munster Senior Cup. Avondale has won the FAI Intermediate Cup a record eight times and have been Munster Senior League champions on eight occasions. After winning the 2012–13 Munster title, they were also invited to play in the 2014 League of Ireland Cup. The club also fields reserve, intermediate, junior, youth and schoolboy teams in the Munster Senior League, the Cork Schoolboys League and the Cork City & County Youths League. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

History

Avondale United was formed in Ballintemple, Cork in 1972 with one junior team. They originally played in the Cork Athletic Union League and remained members of this league until 1989. Youth and schoolboys sides were added in 1973–74 and 1974–75 respectively and in 1977–78 Avondale joined the Munster Senior League. The club originally played on privately rented pitches or public spaces until they secured a long term lease on Beaumont Park. ^{[1] [4]} This ground is now the headquarters of the club's schoolboys section. ^{[1] [5]}

In 1986, Avondale purchased land in Carrigaline and developed the grounds into Avondale Park. ^[1] After finishing runners up to Limerick City reserves in the 1985–86 Munster Senior League, Avondale won their first Senior Premier Division title in 1987–88. ^[6]

In addition to winning an assortment of intermediate, junior, youth and schoolboy honours, Avondale has also enjoyed success at senior level, both nationally and provincially. They were quarter-finalists in the 1994–95 and 2014 FAI Cups. They have also been Munster Senior Cup finalists on three occasions. ^{[1] [7]}

Avondale were in the First Division of the Munster Senior League when John Caulfield was appointed player/manager in 2002. He subsequently led them to the First Division title and, over the next five years, Senior Premier Division and FAI Intermediate Cup trophies. ^{[8] [9]}

Avondale United became the first club from Cork to win back-to-back FAI Intermediate Cups in 2007, beating Bangor Celtic 1–0 in the 2006–07 final. ^{[10] [11]} The 2013–14 final saw Avondale win the cup for the fourth successive time, equalling a seventy two-year-old record held by Distillery. The victory also meant that between 2006 and 2014, Avondale reached the final on seven occasions, winning six of them. ^[12]

Home grounds

Originally based in Ballintemple, in 1986 the club moved to Avondale Park in Carrigaline. The adult and youth teams are based at Avondale Park. ^{[1] [5]}

A short time before this the use of Beaumont Park in Blackrock, Cork was made available to the club by the Blackrock Community Association. The club now holds a ninety nine-year lease on this venue. This ground is now the club's schoolboy headquarters. In recent years the club has also used another private ground at Bessboro Cross, Blackrock. ^[1]

Notable former players

Republic of Ireland international

• Damien Delaney

Republic of Ireland U21 international

• Eoghan O'Connell

Others

• Tom Cashman – Cork GAA hurler and manager
• Simon Zebo – Ireland rugby union international
• Alan Kelly (referee)

Source: ^[1]

Notable former managers

• John Caulfield ^[13]

Honours

• FAI Intermediate Cup
  • Winners: 1977–78, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19: 8
  • Runners-up: 2009–10: 1
• Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division
  • Winners: 1987–88, 1992–93, 1995–96, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013-14: 9
  • Runners-up: 1985–86, 1988–89, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2005–06, 2007–08: 7
• Munster Senior League Senior First Division
  • Winners: 2002–03: 1
• Munster Senior Cup
  • Runners-up: 2004–05, 2012–13, 2014–15: 3

Source: ^{[1] [14] [15]}

References

1. "Brief History of Avondale United". avondaleunited.com. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
2. Junior Soccer Portal
3. "corkschoolboysleague.ie". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
4. "RL3423". An Coimisiún Pleanála . 29 February 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
5. "Avondale United Contact Page". www.avondaleunited.com. Retrieved 15 August 2025. We have a Pitch for Academy Games in Beaumont Park Blackrock, Cork and Adult Games Played in Avondale Park out side carrigaline[sic].
6. "Ireland - List of Munster Senior League Champions". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
7. "Ireland - FA of Ireland Cup 1921/22-1993/94". Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
8. Newman, Edward (12 May 2007). "Caulfield focused on the big prize". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
9. "Avondale into Munster Senior Cup final". RTÉ . 1 May 2005. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
10. "Avondale Celtic retain FAI Intermediate Cup". RTÉ . 13 May 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
11. "Cotter strikes for Avondale". Irish Independent. 13 May 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
12. Rooney, Tom (11 May 2014). "Avondale Utd win fourth FAI Intermediate Cup in a row with ruthless win over UCD". Junior Soccer Portal. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014.
13. "Avondale into Munster Senior Cup final". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
14. "Munster Football Association – Previous Winners". munsterfa.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
15. FAI Intermediate Cup, Rsssf