CORK CITY HAVE announced that Cork City Women’s FC has now fully merged with the Turner’s Cross outfit ahead of the 2018 campaign getting underway.
While the team had previously affiliated to FORAS — the supporters group which owns the League of Ireland champions — in 2014, it remained an independently run entity over the course of the last four seasons.
Now the 2017 Women’s FAI Cup champions have united with the men’s teams under the banner of Cork City Football Club.
“We have been working more and more closely with Cork City Women’s FC since they affiliated to FORAS in 2014, and that process has now culminated in a full merger,” said Pat Lyons, Chairman of Cork City and FORAS.
The ethos of FORAS is to support and encourage football at all levels in Cork, and the merger of the Women’s team into the club is another positive step in that respect.”
Outgoing Chairperson of Cork City Women’s FC Chris O’Mahony said the move will help offer the team more stability.
“The club was first granted a licence to compete in the inaugural Women’s National League for the 2011-12 season. Since then, we have had our ups and downs.
“But over the last couple of years since the affiliation with FORAS we have made a lot of progress, culminating in the club’s first ever FAI Cup triumph last year.
We are delighted to have the support of FORAS and Cork City Football Club and we look forward to building on the success of last season.”
The news coincided with the unveiling of new adidas jerseys to be worn by both sets of teams next season — with the club sporting a new red away jersey and a white third kit in 2018.
Coupled with the unveiling of @CorkCityFC away jersey and third choice jersey #CCFC84 #WeAreOne #ClonakiltySausages pic.twitter.com/62v1R029nN
— Clonakilty Food Co (@ClonakiltyBP) January 28, 2018
News of the merger also comes during a week in which Limerick FC announced it would be entering its own women’s team into the 2018 Women’s National League for the very first time.
Cork’s men’s side get their Premier Division title defence underway on 16 February away to St Pat’s in Richmond Park, while the club’s women’s team begin their campaign three weeks later away to Galway on 11 March.
Cork City Women’s FC finished the 2017 season in fifth place, but secured the team’s first ever Women’s FAI Cup by defeating UCD Waves at Landsdowne Road on the same day John Caulfield’s side secured a historic double against Dundalk.
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