THE decision for John O’Donovan to pursue a degree in PE and History teaching at University College Cork meant stepping away from Cobh Ramblers and lining out instead for the college side.

It was a move the Ardfield native had long considered, despite making 27 appearances for Ramblers in 2025.

‘It was always on the back of my mind. It’s tough to juggle both soccer and college. It came to a stage where I wanted my degree. You have to have something to fall back on. That’s very important. You don’t know what could go wrong in soccer,’ O’Donovan explained.

‘There could be an injury that could finish you or keep you out for a long time. I wanted to go back to college. I did a PLC in Carrigaline and got full marks in that. I got into UCC then. I’m now in the course I wanted to do. I’m delighted to be here.’

Taking the college route doesn’t signal the end of his playing ambitions. O’Donovan is viewing the decision through a long-term lens, believing his studies can enhance his sporting life as well as prepare him for the future.

‘Doing PE, I can bring that experience into soccer once I’m fully qualified. I’m learning new information about my body and diet. It’s very interesting because you’re learning about how your body works, how it moves and your muscles.

‘There is a lot of learning about recovery. I can bring that into my soccer. It’s working hand-in-hand. That’s the part I am enjoying because you can focus on both sides at the same time,’ the UCC student said.

John O’Donovan played for Cobh Ramblers last season.

The switch has not halted his League of Ireland involvement, either.

A new FAI National League, overseen by the Football Association of Ireland, is set to begin in August, with teams divided into northern and southern sections. UCC is one of 15 founding members, with hopes that five more clubs will join to make up a 20-team competition.

O’Donovan has already featured regularly for Cork City and Cobh across the League of Ireland Premier and First Divisions, underlining his growing experience at national level.

‘I’m after building up to over 50 appearances in the League of Ireland, which I’m delighted about. Joining UCC this year has made it handier to juggle both sport and academics. You have more leeway to do your training and you have something to do in college.

‘Having the experience of the League of Ireland is definitely helping me. There are another few lads that have played higher-level soccer too,’ O’Donovan added.

‘I can’t wait for it to start. I can use my experience in this league because some of the players haven’t played in the League of Ireland. My aim was to do my degree and go back into the League of Ireland afterwards. Now, I’m going to play in it while doing my degree.’

The new competition will begin with a shortened introductory season, before establishing a clear pathway for promotion to the League of Ireland First Division from 2027 onward.

Among the sides likely to face UCC in the southern section are clubs from Kerry, Waterford, Carlow and Kilkenny, as the league looks to broaden opportunities outside the traditional structures.

O’Donovan believes University College Dublin – long established within the League of Ireland system – provides a blueprint for what UCC can achieve.

‘If the team is good enough to be there, then why not have more clubs? You are going to have to work hard in this new league to get to the First Division. If you look at UCD, they’re the same as UCC. They are a college team and have been playing in the League of Ireland for a while now, so I don’t see why UCC can’t do that,’ he said.

‘The aim for the team is to do as well as you can in the National League. Suddenly, you could end up in the First Division. You always look at UCD being students, but UCC are well capable of achieving those heights too.’

O’Donovan’s journey began locally with Ardfield FC before progressing through the West Cork Schoolboys League and onto the national stage, including a formative spell with College Corinthians and participation in the Kennedy Cup.

‘I wanted to push myself and see how far I could go. Playing in Ardfield brought me to the Kennedy Cup. Then I moved to College Corinthians. Everything moved fast.

‘I needed to play with the best players that I could. Going from team to team has made me learn. I never expected to get to the level. I made my debut with Cork City and wanted to push on from there. It’s about getting my degree now. I’ll be 25 once I’m fully qualified. If I wanted to get back into the top two divisions, I have loads of time to do that – with my degree,’ he noted, embracing this new chapter.