The First Division: It's not just a Cork City story

Ask not what you can do, ask what the First Division can do for you.

With first Ruairí Keating and now Seáni Maguire heading to the First Division, there must be something about the so called ‘graveyard’ which is enticing players to travel to such far flung and exotic outposts as Stranorlar, Strokestown Road and South (well mid) Kerry.

To those among you who believe money to be the root cause, read no further as this author is a dreamer at times and believes in the unspoilt nature of the second tier of professional men's football.

To those who also want to believe, close your eyes. Picture yourself seated in the stand at a football game with a programme in your hand, there's a crowd of people around you cheering.

This is their pitch, these are their players and you are one of them. This is your team, your home ground and this could be your afternoon.

Now open your eyes, the programme is a folded photocopied A4 sheet, the crowd is more of a family and the stand which you had visualized opposite you is gone.

It's now a field with a cow eyeballing you with his mates from behind barbed wire which sits just beyond the far touchline.

Welcome to Gortakeegan, the place where my love for the First Division began almost 30 years ago.

Sadly, the mighty Mons no longer exist in the League of Ireland but hopefully this piece will convince some readers to pay a visit to their local side still competing in the most entertaining division of The Greatest League in the World.

Think of the Premier Division as one of the Marvel series- the same band of characters go out to solve a problem and ultimately end up the heroes. We know the result but still flock in hordes because of the blockbuster action and the strength of the actors on show.

Now the First Division is a new play debuting in your hometown theatre- the accents are local, no one is sure exactly how it's going to turn out and there's always a chance that you're going to see the next Paul Mescal, Charlene McKenna or Barry Keoghan.

There's also the chance that it could be a wholly amateur production and halfway through lines are forgotten, the set collapses and there's a fire alarm because the lad on the lights is smoking at the back of the room.

But it's live, it's real, you don't know what is going to happen next and everyone has an opinion based on their own favourite character. Ok the links are getting tenuous here so let's play that thought out in First Division parlance.

The league leaders (Premier Division title winners 2017)

For those unfamiliar with the First Division table, Cork City are strolling to the title while Kerry languish in ninth position without an away win all season.

Yet the hosts of The Kerrymen Podcast enthuse over their local heroes as they've doubled their points tally since their maiden season last year and striker Ryan Kelliher is amongst the top scorers in the league. 

If it's striking talent you're after, Cork City are after snapping up their former goalscoring hero, Ireland international Maguire, who plundered a half century of strikes in his previous time at the Leesiders when they last won the Party Division title in 2017.

This less than a week after Keating’s return to the club where he netted over a dozen times in 2023.

For City, there's also a distinctly local flavour to their side however it's tempered with the fact that their best talents are snapped up before they leave their teens (Jaden Umeh to Benfica the most recent) and most likely won't get a chance to shine in the Premier Division next season - 17 year old Cathal O’Sullivan's goal reel should be enough to tempt anyone within an hour’s drive of Turner's Cross to see him in action before he leaves. 

The Cross itself is worthy of visiting, as the flagship pitch of the Munster FA, and it was the first press box in which I was able to access 5G in 2019. 

The young ones- dropping in for a while before flying to foreign lands or bigger clubs

Those who have watched Bray Wanderers in action this season may share similar views on Freddie Turley- the Shamrock Rovers loanee has been swept over the sea to the Derby County Academy before dipping his toes in the Premier Division waters.

Keep an eye out for his name in the Rams’ midfield in years to come.

Another temporary arrival to the second tier of Irish football is Derry City striker Sean Patton.

The striker has popped across the Foyle to line out for Finn Harps this term and managed to squeeze in a trial at an English outfit over the summer before returning to sharpen his goalscoring talons ahead of taking flight in the near future.

That Harps side has a distinct Donegal personality with a recent league encounter against Cork City featuring seven starters from the area along with two subs.

Gavin McAteer (16), Darragh Coyle (17), Max Johnston (18) and Aaron McLaughlin (18) are four fruits of the Harps Academy regularly on view in Finn Park this season. 

Also on view in Finn Park is an Aldi sign poking out from behind a goal, a First Division version of the Square Shopping Centre at Tallaght Stadium if you will. However, the soup at Finn Park is without comparison and a necessary sample if you're in Stranorlar.

When discussing youth in the First Division, UCD have to be right in the mix. With the majority of their squad under 21 and taking their first steps in the League of Ireland under Donegal native William O’Connor - himself a former Centenary Shield winning manager with the Republic of Ireland Schoolboys. 

Most of the players are engaged with the UCD Scholarship scheme and are provided with the security of a three year playing contract alongside a degree. 

Security is one of the unique features when parking at Belfield as it's on the university campus itself and space is rarely a problem - whether that's in the car park or the stadium itself. Unfortunately crowds are in short supply at the ground, especially during university holidays.

However, that just means that there's a greater chance of getting good seats in one of the most modern stands in the First Division.

Back to the current status of the division itself and if you're after more than fleeting glimpses of soaring stars, why else should you be bothered with the First Division? 

The new kids on the block- Munstermen abound in the Market's Field.

If you're after fairytale stories with an ending yet to be written, pop to the Market's Field to watch Treaty United. As has been well documented, the Limerick based outfit were only granted a First Division licence mere days before the start of the 2021 league campaign and went on to reach the Play Offs and an FAI Cup semi final in the following two seasons.

Perched almost midway between Cork City and Galway United, they have a number of former Academy graduates from both clubs and the vast majority of the squad are from the Munster region.

Under the stewardship of Limerick County Council Social Regeneration Officer Tommy Barrett, they are very much an amateur side with one of the smallest budgets in the league and have a couple of highly rated youth prospects including 17 year old goalkeeper Michael Dike who recently saved two penalties in an FAI Cup shootout victory.

Wexford’s Local Model

At the other side of the country lie Wexford FC.

Another community based club who have a core squad of players from the locality with former Premier Division stalwarts Ethan Boyle from Wexford Town and Enniscorthy’s Aaron Dobbs the spiritual leaders of the squad alongside the electric Mikie Rowe of Campile.

Tucked just off the main road, Ferrycarrig Park itself needs a sharp set of eyes to pick out the entrance to the park.

Athlone Town - Mystery in the Midlands

Aside from being right bang in the middle of Ireland, is there much else you know about Athlone? Well for fans of the League of Ireland, the club is on an upward trajectory and the Athlone Community Stadium is worth a visit if you're passing.

Having recently established a partnership with American based soccer coaching outfit Valeo, the Midlanders overhauled their playing staff last season with a plethora of arrivals from far flung lands.

Their top scorer in 2023 was Haitian forward Frantz Pierrot who subsequently landed himself a move to Premier Division outfit Drogheda United for 2024.

A week after the Haitian played his first 90 minutes for Drogheda United, his former teammate and current Athlone Town defender German Fuentes Rodrigues was debuting for El Salvador with Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez in direct opposition.

The same weekend another Town player Charles Mujaguzi sat on the Ugandan bench as they drew 2-2 with a Ghana side featuring Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew.

Meanwhile, back in Athlone their teammates include Americans Amardo Oakley, Matthew Leal, Gabriel Padilla and Jamar Campion-Hinds with Dutchman Noah van Geenan, Portuguese winger Ruben Candal and Brian Torre adding some Italian flavour to proceedings in a squad captained by Ballinasloe’s Oisín Duffy. 

Add into the mix a number of Louth, Meath and Dublin natives and recent arrival Leo Gaxha- a Tralee native with underage Albanian appearance and you get a team unlike any other in the division.

Under the guidance of Portuguese coach Dario Castelo they are well placed for a tilt at promotion this season and recreate memories for a club who once drew with the mighty AC Milan.

Why land with the Seagulls or take a Ramble in Cobh?

Bray Wanderers are also in the Play Off places at the moment but why would you bother going to the Carlisle Grounds? The simple answer is that there is no one single reason- there are a few and the same is true at Cobh Ramblers. Both clubs are in the shadow of larger outfits based in neighbouring cities so suffer from not having the glamour of the Premier Division.

Their respective squads are both formed primarily of players in their early 20s with a smattering of experience in the league, some signings from the junior leagues (Paul Murphy, Regix Madika and Matt McKevitt) and Academy graduates.

Both the Carlisle Grounds and St Colman's Park are tight grounds and the respective home sides are capable of an upset no matter the opposition- second place Athlone Town have only lost twice in their past 17 league games, both at the Carlisle Grounds. For their part, Ramblers have picked up 16 of their 27 points at home this season. 

If potential upsets, homely grounds and seaside towns are your thing, set your satnav for Cobh or Bray.

Worth a stop on the Strokestown Road? Surely.

And finally, we end up with Longford Town. Pinned to the bottom of the First Division lie The Midlanders.

The team at which Stephen Kenny launched his League of Ireland senior career over twenty years ago and built a stadium for European football is a long way away from such adventures at the moment.

Fresh from being the lowest rated team on FIFA 22, the Midlanders dropped to the First Division and have lingered there without much fanfare for the past few seasons.

Skipper Shane Elworthy is the longest serving member of a squad which has seen plenty of change over the past twelve months.

So why pencil Bishopsgate in as a stop? 

For a start, you'll most likely see goals (34 in 12 home games and one goalless draw in the league dating back to May 27th 2023). However, if there's one reason to watch Longford Town this season, it's Bastien Héry. 

The mercurial Madagascan midfield maestro is one of the most talented players in the league on his day.

Alongside the tenacious Ukrainian Victor Serdeniuk, the Longford engine room is worth a Saturday night of your time.

And thus ends almost 2,000 words on what the First Division can do for you - try it out some time, it won't let you down.