EARLY DAYS

It all began in the summer of 1968 and was borne out of frustration for the lads playing soccer on the roads around Magazine Road and Wilton gardens. The fun on the road had run its course and something more competitive was required, in step Pat Bowdren and Jim Hennessey, spokepeople for the frustrated teenagers. They were sent foward to approach the Cork Aul down at the Parochial hall to ask about the possibility of entering a youths team into the league. With an old 5 pounds in his back pocket for regristration purposes, the Cork AUL commitee met the nineteen year old Bowdren and were won over by his youthful exuberance.
A team was entered into 2nd division youths section and were allocated to play their games like many other teams at that time out in church road, Blackroad. Wilton United were up and running. A set of gear was secured from Sean O Flynn, a man that was to play a huge part in the early development of the club.

The first colours worn by the Wilton youths were red and white hoops, they were borrowed from a shipping league team that represented the butchers from the old english market. A new set of gear was ordered from Matthews and for the following few years, the club wore the green and white hoops of Glasgow Celtic.The youths team finished their first season a respectable 4th.
That youth team lined out as follows: VINCENT TOHER, DENIS QUAID(RIP), JOHN O CONNELL, MICHAEL CLIFFORD, HUMPHREY MURPHY, PAT HARRINGTON, MARTIN O CONNELL, HUGHEY BOWDREN, PAT GRANT, AIDAN O CONNELL BARRY BARRYMURPHY.

A commitee was set up with Pat Bowdren as secretary, Jim Hennessey as treasurer and Sean O Flynn as the clubs first chairman. Training in these days was done on the old commercial grounds and on a hurling field the Capuchian brothers used on Farranlea Road. One Sunday morning the youths were training under the watchful eye of Sean O Flynn, when the Father guardian of the order was taking a stroll, strong words were exchanged and accusations flew of tresspassing, while been escorted to the gate; Sean O flynn, a witty and bright character, turned to the Father guardian and uttered the legendary words that would go down in Wilton folkelore; "Would your order be as quick to throw us out of heaven." It struck a chord and a few days later an invite was issued to return to train and this eventually led to the full use of the facilities. Farranlea Road was to become the new home for Wilton United up until to the mid Nineties.

The decision was made by the commitee to enter an u13 and u14 schoolboys team; our present chairman, John Leonard was a member of this U13 team.The first trophy that the club delivered was the Aul 3 junior title, the team managed by ex Cork Hibs player Paddy Noonan, they had amongst unders, the Gaa legend that is Jimmy Barry Murphy playing a starring role up front. Colaiste an Sprioaid Naoimh secondary school opened its doors in 1973 and this led to a swelling of club numbers, by the mid 70's, Wilton had 21schoolboys teams in action and two junior teams.Another striking feature of the schoolboys teams was the swanky and stylish gear supplied by Br. Alphonus of the order, they consisted of New York cosmos and the Brasilian strips.

Ian Mc Gilton brought the honour of been the first schoolboys international for the club in 1974; capped at U15 level.Willie Hennessey brought didtinction to the club in 1975, by been named schoolboy of the year; this year also brought the first schoolboys title, a league and cup double at u12. In 1976, the honour of an U15 schoolboys cap fell to Liam Murphy who would go on to become the clubs first player to play League of Ireland football.In the same season an u13 cup and u16 league were secured for the club. In 1977 the club won the Saxone cup, the cup for Aul 2 teams. In 1978 an U15 cap was handed out to Brendan Lucey, a talent that Pat Bowdren rates with anything he has seen in his long tenure at the club; and u13 league was won this year and the saxone cup was retained.

80'S AND 90'S

The club finished off the 70's with the AUL 1 league cup wrapped up in 1979. They had to wait until 1982 for the u14 cup to end back at headquarters and this was followed up in 1983 by the u15 league. This was also the year Dave Walsh picked up a schoolboy cap at u15 level.The following year the Barry cup was secured. In 1985 the club hit the jackpot with a collection of talent that heralded in the most successful period not alone in Wiltons history but left a mark in all likelihood; in Cork schoolboys history. This golden crop of youngsters under Pat Bowdrens stewardship lifted the u12 league in 1985 and went onto to secure a trophy, doubles and trebles right up till Youth level. They wrote themselves into youths history by getting to both the u17 and u18 FAI national finals, and falling unfortunately at the final hurdle. Phil haly won the u15 schoolboys of the year, Ken Healy got capped at u16 level, Fergal Giltinan played league of Ireland football and Anthony Buckley got capped at u21 level and played professionally in the UK and in the League of Ireland.

The mid eighties saw the club secure one of the prized assets offered to the cork soccer fraternity, the AOH cup. The club secured their first in 1987 and remarkably retained it in 1988, with Cormac Cotter securing the winner, he would in turn go on to have a fruitful career in the league of Ireland. Another talented bunch of youngsters spearheaded by Stephen Daly, Neal Horgan and Colin Healy went on to secure back to back Munster Youth cups in the mid nineties; Neal horgan went on to play and is still playing league of Ireland alongside Colin Healy who had the distinction of been capped by his country at Senior level, the only Wilton United player to have achieved this highest of honours. The mid eighties was also the first time that the club ventured overseas to the United Kingdom to participate in the Portsmouth international cup. Sinead Forde went on to create history in 1992-1993 by becoming the first girl in schoolboys history to captain a Cork U12 side in a game against a Limerick representative side. Farranlea Road had been home for the club for the last 20 years but this was to come to a sad and bitter end. The capuchins had given the club an informal understanding that if they were ever to leave, that the fields would be passed onto the club.

The nineties was spent fighting for the right to stay;thankfully the matches were still been played, but a gloomy cloud of uncertaintity prevailed over the club. The final outcome was a fond farewell with a few bob and the aquisition of a field on the lee road which needed an awful amount of work, but the club fought and survived and moved to their new home at the end of the nineties. Ladies and schoolgirls soccer really took off at the club at this particular time under the guidance of Ray Claffey and Pat Bowdren. Sinead Forde and Sue Cuneen went on to receive the highest honour and received caps for their country. In the early 2000's Paul Honohan got capped at U16 level as did Shane O Connor at U17 and U18 level and is currently on Liverpools books.

Work continues at upgrading the Lee Road facility and is still a work in progress, the club continues to grow, the present U15 team under the watchful eye of Stephen Daly and John O Donovan got to their local cup final and the two junior teams won their respective leagues. ( authors note: I'm presently in the process of writing a more comprehensive and complete history of the club, which will appear in binded form, it will give a fuller and more detailed account of all sections of the club, roll of honours, boys, girls, Men and Ladies, Watch this space, as they say: Calla.)

Website Powered by