Frank Kelleher appointed Cork City W.F.C. manager

Frank Kelleher has been unveiled as the new Cork City W.F.C. manager as Niall O’Regan has taken up a new position with the Football Association of Ireland.

Kelleher was assistant manager with the Leesiders this season has been part of a long-running team with Niall O’Regan at a number of clubs with the latest being City. Frank created, develops and co-ordinates the Cork Youths League Academy, a first of its kind in Ireland at its level. Frank has an excellent track record in youth football having managed the Cork Youths Team to a victorious campaign in the 2012 FAI Umbro Youths interleague final as well as claiming victory with the Munster U-18 inter-provincial team in 2013 and in 2015.

Speaking on his appointment, Frank had this to say “It is with great pleasure that I take over the role of manager of Cork City W.F.C. My aim is to ensure that this is a seamless transition as Niall O'Regan moves forward in his career working with the FAI. I will be continuing a project that we both began last July and in that time, in my opinion we have made tremendous progress in bringing together some of the best players in Cork and Munster at the club.”

“The squad has been strengthened by the addition of 5 more players in the recent transfer window and we know there’s some great talent within this group, we’re really looking forward to continuing to work with them for the rest of the year and boost ourselves up in the league. Our group of players are hard working, committed and ambitious. I am looking forward to working with them and developing my style of football.”

He continued “The committee have been a great support to this project and I am committed to working with them closely to ensure we achieve our goals. On behalf of myself, the coaching staff, players and supporters I would like to wish Niall O' Regan every success in his future career with the FAI.”

Speaking on Frank Kelleher’s appoint O’Regan had this to say “We have the best players now playing for us a club, and I have no doubt the club and Frank will help these players to develop to the next level and then be able to compete with the best clubs at the highest level. I hope that the people of Cork continue to support and help the club grow as it is the start of something special and I look forward to watching this group of players, coaches and club continue to develop and I cannot wait for their continued success!”

Niall O’Regan has taken up the role of Coach Education Manager with the FAI  and due to the immediate start of the role, has had to step aside from his position as Cork City W.F.C. manager “Sadly due to my new role with the Association I have had to make the decision to step down as Manager. The FAI have to be acknowledged in doing everything in their power to allow me to finish the season but sadly I work on the ethos of commuting 100% and with so much time to be spent in Dublin - I would be absent too often for my liking and I feel it would be a disservice to the girls to only commit half heartedly when I always request 100% commitment from my players. The decision was not taken lightly but after a number of talks with the club, the coaching staff, and my own personal mentors I felt the decision was right to step aside. It was always my plan to do this but never so early into the role but when the position as Coach Education Manager became an option it was one I could not say no to.”

“I’m delighted with the progress we have made in the past 6/7 months of me being in the role here in Cork – I have seen some excellent players coming into the club and we’re now up to 5 current underage Internationals, 8 additional players that have been capped for Ireland and 12 players that have won major honours locally. Not alone has the quality of player on the pitch progressed but also the dynamic of the club of it, securing a main sponsor in Jeff Devine Just Cuts and having everyone of the players attaining individual sponsors and in recent weeks two excellent fundraisers which brought in invaluable financial support. There was always a likelihood that my work with the association would require me to step aside from the role so from the beginning we’ve been cultivating a strong management team  to continue the development of the club and thankfully I was able to convince Frank Kelleher to come on board as my assistant with the agreement that when I left he would take over the helm as Manager. Neither of us expected this to happen until the end of this season at least but we both are pleasantly delighted with the progress we have made and really the transition to Frank taking over will be seamless. “

“I have to thank everyone at Cork City WFC for this opportunity - especially Chris O Mahony who I have worked closely with and who have supported me in every aspect of the role since I came in. To my staff, Frank Kelleher, Richard Holland, Kieran Dunlea, Ivan Bevan, Paul Hunt, Andrew Doyle and Eileen Ring I can't thank them enough, to Niall Kelleher, Richard O Regan for their help when needed. I’d also like to highlight the good work done by the Mardyke Arena & Kieran for the excellent video analysis, F1T & Eoin Fehily for the phenomenal physical fitness group and individual sessions, as well as Eric Marah in CIT for their phenomenal support throughout the season. Most of all to the players, the senior players for believing in what I wanted to achieve and having the faith to sign for me, the younger players and their parents for trusting me and believing in me, for the clubs that supported us locally and helped us start to show what Cork football is all about.”

Speaking on the appointment of Frank Kelleher, Chairman Chris O’Mahony had this to say “We are delighted to have someone of Frank’s calibre to step into Niall’s shoes midway through a season like this. It was always the long-term intention for Frank to take up the manager’s position eventually so we’ve been preparing for this day for a period of time but it’s just been a little accelerated with Niall’s appointment to his new position in the FAI. We’d like to thank him for his excellent stewardship since coming in as manager and wish him every success in his new role. The club is continuing to make strides forwards and we know with the players, coaches, sponsors and administrators we have here that we’ll continue to push on in trying to establish Cork City W.F.C. as one of the premier clubs in Ireland.”