Hurley takes next step in managerial career

SKIBBEREEN AFC and West Cork Schoolboys U12 Inter-League coach Shane Hurley has accepted a new role with Cork City FC as the League of Ireland club’s new U17 women’s manager.

Hurley spent a busy week at the SFAI New Balance Kennedy Cup as part of the WCSL’S backroom team before singing on the dotted line with Cork City and continuing the upward curve of his burgeoning coaching career.

‘I can’t express how delighted I am to be involved with Cork City, a club that my father brought me to watch first when I was five years old,’ Hurley told Cork City FC’s official website.

‘I’ve continued to follow the club the whole way through and now, to be part of a coaching set-up with one of their teams is humbling. I’m over the moon.

‘I think we’ve seen with increased media coverage and the growth of playing numbers over the past few years here in Ireland that women’s football is on the rise. The introduction of a new underage national league will only further benefit (the game’s development). It’s a great opportunity for ambitious young female players.

‘I hope that we can assemble a strong squad from the academy that is already in place and other players from around the area. 

Then together, the players, coaching staff, club and I can start to play attractive football that’s enjoyable for the players, enjoyable for anyone watching and help develop those players.’

Hurley is no stranger to coaching having recently acquired his UEFA B Licence following years of dedicated service to both Skibbereen AFC the WCSL. 

Taking on such a new and exciting challenge with Cork City FC U17 Women is something Hurley is well equipped for having led the West Cork U12s to the SFAI Munster U12 Plate semi-finals this past season. 

He has been an integral part of the region’s successful Emerging Talent Programme for both boys and girls. The personal trainer and lifeguard has always been well respected within local football circles and possesses the technical ability and man-management skills to make a success of his new role. 

Before signing with Cork City, due to a spate of injuries, the Skibbereen clubman ended up being one of the busiest West Cork Schoolboys League backroom team members at the Kennedy Cup held at the University of Limerick.

‘I think it was very difficult for the coaches Johnny (Lawless) and Lorne (Edmeade) to get any level of consistency due to all the injuries the squad endured during their week in Limerick,” Hurley said.

‘In total, I think I ended up treating every WCSL squad player at least once. We had a full raft of injuries, everything from ordinary knocks, fatigue, muscle strain and a mix of everything really.

‘I think the heat and humidity the day we played (eventual finalists) Kildare saw the majority of players involved going down with cramp.

 That, more than any other game, affected those players for the remainder of the week, unfortunately.

‘It was very difficult to be the person treating players and seeing the distress some of them were in. They trained and played their entire season to get to this point only to suffer an injury. Because we were in a tournament setting, any serious knock ruled fellas out for a day or two which in turn affected their entire week. 

‘The Kennedy Cup is such a difficult tournament because tight games that would have gone our way in previous years just didn’t this time around.’

Another SFAI Kennedy Cup completed, Hurley embarks on the latest leg of his burgeoning coaching and managerial career with the best wishes of the entire West Cork football community.