City’s Sporting Student
John Kavanagh is one of two UCC students who face the challenge of balancing college studies with togging out for Cork City. Alongside Rob Lehane, the full-back has now been playing first-team football with City since summer 2013 and has progressed over the two years to an established member of the match day squad.Being the league’s runners-up last year, Kavanagh is hoping for the squad to go one step further, while additionally hoping to increase on his 22 competitive appearances last season.“The whole team wants to build on last year. We have a strong, experienced squad who want success. I haven’t been involved in the last few games but it’s important for me to stay focused and keep training hard as it’s a long season ahead and over the season there is bound to be opportunities, so it’s important for me to make the most of them.“We’re just going to have to go one step further as a team for this season and hopefully, at the end of the season, we’ll have something to show for it.”This year Cork City will be playing in Europe and it is something that excites Kavanagh:“I can’t wait for it – like it’s been seven years since we were last there so it will be a new thing, a new experience and it is something that I’m really looking forward to playing in.”
“The whole team wants to build on last year. We have a strong, experienced squad who want success."
It was under current Galway United manager Tommy Dunne that Kavanagh made his breakthrough with the team in July 2013 in a 2-1 defeat away to Shelbourne. The opportunity arose due to an injury and suspension crisis in the squad and, as a result, Kavanagh is grateful to Dunne for giving him the chance in the first team.“Tommy Dunne gave me my chance up in Tolka for my debut when we’d a few injuries and suspensions so he was a positive influence on my career in the short spell I played under him.”This coming Tuesday, the pair will reunite as Cork City entertain Galway United at Turners Cross in the clubs 1,000th League of Ireland game and the full-back is well aware of the hurdle facing his team:“Every team is a tough challenge. They might be in the bottom half but you can’t take anything for granted in this league. They have some quality players in Colm Horgan, Andy O’Connell and Dave O’Leary, who I’ve played with or against over the years. They are a newly promoted team so people might expect them to struggle but we know that they will give us a tough challenge on Tuesday night and we’ll have to be at our best to get a result.”The UCC Darts Club will be selling tickets on match day and Kavanagh is anxious to see another big crowd turn out after Friday’s 5-0 win over Limerick: “It’s is often said it’s the best night out in Cork and I’d agree with them!”Last year Kavanagh did the FAI/FÁS soccer academy course in Carrigaline before progressing into UCC this year. And now the 20-year-old, first year student of Sports Studies and Physical Education is currently enjoying the course, saying, “It’s going well so far. Some areas are a bit hard but it’s a case of just putting the head down and getting through it.”As for his future, the UCC student’s main aim is to try and live every footballer’s dream by going cross-channel but is content to play at City for the coming years and hopefully win a few medals.“Well the big ambition is to go to England and see how I’d do but obviously that opportunity has to arise and it will only happen through hard work. If I didn’t get England I’d hope to still be playing with Cork City, having won a few medals over the years.”
