St Marys AFC Cork at Kilcully Park
St Marys AFC Cork brings a 1948 Gurranabraher football story into Kilcully Park, with school age, youth, junior and senior routes in black and white.
St Marys AFC Cork at Kilcully Park
St Marys AFC Cork is a black and white Cork football club based at Kilcully Park, T23 NW25. The club has senior, junior, youth and school age football around a long North Cork city football story.
The club identity uses the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne in the crest, a clear link back to the name chosen when the club began in Gurranabraher in 1948.
Founded in 1948
St Marys AFC was formed in 1948 as a single youth team based in Gurranabraher. The club took its name from the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, giving the football club a Cork city identity from the start.
The first season, 1948 to 1949, brought entry to the Munster Youth League. By 1949 to 1950, schoolboy and junior teams had also formed, and the club had entered the Munster Junior League.
First trophy and early growth
The first trophy arrived in 1949 to 1950 when St Marys won the Munster Youth Cup, beating Clonmel Town at Turners Cross. That early success quickly put the new club into the wider Munster football conversation.
The club then built out from one youth team into schoolboy and junior football. That mix still defines the club today: younger players, youth teams, junior football and senior football all sit within the same St Marys pathway.
From Gurranabraher to Kilcully
St Marys grew through a Cork city base before moving to the current home at Kilcully Park during the mid 1980s. The move gave the club a permanent setting for senior and underage football after decades of growth.
Kilcully Park is now the practical home reference for families and visiting teams. The address is St Marys AFC, Kilcully Park, Cork, T23 NW25, with the ground reached from the Blackpool and Dublin Hill side of the city.
Cork AUL and Munster Senior League route
St Marys joined the Cork Athletic Union League in 1955 to 1956 and won the AOH Cup in that first Cork AUL season. Through the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, the club became one of the strongest names in that grade.
In 1986 to 1987, St Marys moved into the Munster Senior League. The club won the second level division in 1988 to 1989 and reached the Premier Division, giving the senior side a new stage after its junior era.
Black, white and cathedral crest
The club colours are black and white. The crest brings those colours together with a blue centre panel, the cathedral landmark and the 1948 foundation year.
That visual identity matters because there are several St Marys football names around Ireland. The Kilcully Park club is St Marys AFC Cork, a distinct Cork identity from similarly named football clubs elsewhere.
Senior honours roll
The St Marys senior honours roll is deep across Cork, Munster and national competitions. It includes Cork AUL Premier titles, AOH Cup wins, Munster Junior Cup titles, Munster Senior League First Division wins and a long Keane Cup record.
The table below groups the main adult honours so families and visitors can see the club’s football standing without mixing permanent history into live match modules.
| Competition | Main adult honours |
|---|---|
| MSL Premier | Runners Up in 1992/93 and 2003/04 |
| MSL First Division | Winners in 1988/89, 2018/19 and 2023/24; Runners Up in 2008/09 |
| Munster Junior Cup | Winners in 1950/51, 1957/58, 1966/67 and 1971/72; Runners Up in 1965/66 and 1969/70 |
| FAI Junior Cup | Runners Up in 1971/72 |
| FAI Intermediate Cup | Runners Up in 1999/00 |
| Munster Senior Cup | Runners Up in 2017/18 |
| Beamish Cup | Winners in 1987/88, 1989/90 and 1999/00; Runners Up in 2004/05 and 2012/13 |
| Keane Cup | Winners in 1992/93, 1993/94, 1996/97, 2001/02 and 2008/09; Runners Up in 2000/01, 2004/05, 2007/08 and 2010/11 |
| O Connell Cup | Winners in 1992/93, 1995/96 and 2016/17 |
| Donie Forde Cup | Winners in 2009/10 and 2010/11; Runners Up in 2015/16 |
| Pop Kelleher Cup | Winners in 1987/88; Runners Up in 2023/24 |
Cork AUL honours
The Cork AUL years are a major part of the St Marys story. Six Premier titles and six AOH Cup wins show why the club became one of Cork junior football’s recognised names before the Munster Senior League era.
Those honours also explain why the move to intermediate football was a development step rather than a sudden change. The club had already built a strong Cork football base.
| Area | Cork AUL record |
|---|---|
| AUL Premier | Winners in 1965/66, 1970/71, 1974/75, 1981/82, 1982/83 and 1985/86 |
| AUL Premier | Runners Up in 1971/72, 1973/74, 1975/76, 1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81 and 1984/85 |
| AOH Cup | Winners in 1955/56, 1965/66, 1972/73, 1974/75, 1976/77 and 1980/81 |
| AOH Cup | Runners Up in 1969/70, 1970/71 and 1975/76 |
Youth honours and player progression
Youth football has been part of St Marys from the first seasons. The Munster Youth Cup was the club’s first trophy in 1949 to 1950, and the club later won the same competition again in 1984 to 1985.
The club honours list also names St Marys players capped for Ireland: Jerry O Sullivan, Finbarr Redmond, Declan Daly, Ger Long, Conor Roche, Liam Hawkins, John Healy, Finbarr Murphy, Donal Hetherington, John Murphy, Aidan O Callaghan, Anthony O Callaghan and Vinny O Brien.
| Pathway area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Munster Youth Cup | Winners in 1949/50 and 1984/85 |
| Munster Youth Cup | Runners Up in 1952/53 and 1979/80 |
| Early pathway | Schoolboy and junior teams formed by the 1949 to 1950 season |
| Current youth base | Cork Schoolboys League teams are connected at under 10 through under 16 level for 2026 to 2027 |
2026 Intermediate Cup final run
In 2026, St Marys AFC reached the FAI Intermediate Cup Final against Cobh Wanderers at Turners Cross. It was an all Cork final and only the second Intermediate Cup final appearance in the club’s long history.
The run included wins over Carrigtwohill United, Montpellier, Sacred Heart, College Corinthians and St Mochta’s. That cup run links the modern senior side back to the club’s older national cup appearances and Munster Senior League route.
School age pathway
The current St Marys school age pathway is tied into Cork Schoolboys League football. The 2026 to 2027 connected teams include under 10, under 11, under 12, under 13, under 14, under 15 and under 16 levels, with A and B teams in several age groups.
That gives parents a clear football route from younger age groups into older school age teams. It also helps explain why the club keeps separate contact routes for schoolboys, schoolgirls, youth and senior football.
- Under 10 to under 16: current Cork Schoolboys League activity across several age bands.
- Multiple squads: A and B teams give the club extra capacity in selected age groups.
- Senior link: the pathway connects younger football with youth, junior and Munster Senior League activity.
Coaching standards
St Marys coaches are directed to the FAI Player Development Plan, including guidance around pitch sizes, ball weights and playing time. That is important for younger players because coaching standards shape the match day experience as much as competition level does.
The club also sets a minimum of two grassroots courses for coaches and requires Garda vetting for people involved with teams. Those requirements keep the player pathway connected to safeguarding and coach education.
Club officers and welfare contacts
The club president is Denis Cummins, the chairman is Ken Daly and the treasurer is Rupert Aitken. The MSL and club secretary is Lee Burns, who is also listed as youth secretary.
Schoolboys contact is through John Maguire and Tim Marshall. Schoolgirls contact is Laura Power, child welfare contact is Ken Daly, the PRO is Tara Murphy and the club email is stmarysafc@gmail.com.
- Club and youth secretary: Lee Burns, 087 9592314.
- Schoolboys: John Maguire 087 9931644 and Tim Marshall 085 2182173.
- Schoolgirls: Laura Power 087 9635366.
- Child welfare: Ken Daly 086 4616274.
Membership, lotto and fundraising
The club runs season membership, a club lotto and fundraising activity through its online club system. The 2026 to 2027 membership route is active, giving players and families a direct way to join the club for the season.
A club with senior, junior, youth and school age football needs more than match day organisation. Membership, fundraising and volunteer communication all support the work that keeps Kilcully Park active.
Cork football links
St Marys sits across several Cork football settings. The club name is present in Munster Senior League football, Cork Athletic Union League history, Cork Schoolboys League activity and Cork Youth League coaching references.
For a parent or visiting team, that means the exact age group and competition matters. A younger team, youth team and senior team may all carry the St Marys name while operating in different football structures.
Visiting Kilcully Park
Use Kilcully Park, Cork, T23 NW25 as the main St Marys AFC Cork ground. The route from the city side goes through Blackpool toward Dublin Hill and on toward the An Féar Dubh side before the turn for St Catherines Cemetery and Kilcully Park.
Because the club has multiple teams and age groups, families and visiting teams should confirm the exact pitch and meeting point with the relevant team before travelling.