Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Interview with Cork City striker Denis Behan

Denis Behan paraded the FAI Cup trophy before a huge attendance at the West Cork based club, Riverside Athletic, in Balineen recently. Evening Echo West Cork Schoolboys League Columnist Ger McCarthy caught up with the Cork City striker on the eve of the new Eircom League season and got his thoughts on his club's recent signings and his hopes for the coming campaign.


There is bedlam in the B.E.D.A. Hall in Balineen on a viciously cold February evening. Children of all ages are running riot, with their young screams echoing off the walls of the old Community Hall. Parents and Committee members are huddled together drinking tea and consuming various sandwiches, far from the madding crowd. Riverside Athletic youths clamber for a glimpse of the gleaming FAI Cup trophy as ex-City legend John Caulfield does his best to organise the various groups for photographs.

In the midst of all this madness stands Denis Behan. Smiling pleasantly, posing for photographs and signing autographs. The City striker is proudly holding the FAI Cup trophy which he helped Cork City win in the RDS last season. Denis has been capped at every International level for the Republic of Ireland from Under16 right through to Under23. The Abbeyfeale man is at ease with the organised chaos around him and is the consummate professional as he patiently signs autographs and smiles for a seemingly endless queue of wide-eyed youngsters.

Riverside Athletic looks after over one hundred young soccer players ranging from ages 6 to 18. The club is well established in the West Cork Schoolboys League, regularly turning out teams at Under12, 14 and 16 as well as various underage blitzes. Balineen resident John Caulfield and committee member Pat Lacey have been instrumental in arranging Denis's visit to the club. The three enjoyed a lengthy conversation in the early hours of City’s famous FAI Cup final victory in Dublin. Behan's recollection of that late night conversation is vague but he does remember promising to visit Riverside with the FAI Cup trophy and the City star is true to his word.



With the new season just around the corner Behan is energized with the prospect of working with a new manager and a host of new signings at Turners Cross. "Absolutely delighted to have the new manager in and I'm obviously looking forward to meeting up and working with all the new signings after the disappointment of last season. It’s vital to have new faces joining the squad every year to help kick start a new season. The players our new boss has brought in are immensely talented individuals so I can't wait for the big kick off."

The arrival of David Mooney from Longford Town means the competition for strikers in the starting eleven will be even more intense. Behan prefers to concentrate on the ex-Longford striker’s obvious talents: “I played with David in the Republic Of Ireland Under23's and he really is a fantastic player. He knows where the goal is, has a superb first touch and a good attitude towards the game.” Mooney represents the kind of talent Denis is delighted to see arriving at Cork City and believes it is great move for him. “He’s exactly the kind of player we want at Cork City; we don’t want any prima doona’s coming into this club. David was top goal-scorer in the Eircom League last season for good reason and I think he will enjoy great success here at City.”

Denis is also delighted with the imminent return of George O’Callaghan to Turners Cross and is looking forward to hooking up with the mercurial attacking-midfielder this season. “I was absolutely thrilled when I heard George had signed. Everyone associated with the club wanted Georgie back as he is an unbelievable footballer. He is a proven talent and that is what you want coming to this club. You don’t want players who might do something and might eventually break through into the first team. We need experienced players who have already achieved honours to bolster our squad and George has done that.”



When the fixture list for the new 2008 season was released the first fixtures every City supporter looked for were the dates for the games with newly promoted Cobh Ramblers. Denis was no different and is ecstatic with the prospect of at least two encounters with City’s closest rivals this coming term. “It’s a pity Waterford were beaten by Finn Harps last season as we would have had a nice pocket of three Munster based clubs for the coming campaign. The crowd at the Cross the night we play Ramblers is going to be immense as well as Coleman’s Park. We know many of the Cobh lads and there has been great banter between the two squads since Ramblers were promoted. At the end of the day they are still two vital league games with six points on offer.”

Scoring in the Cup final was one of the highlights of Denis’s season last time out. Does he have any specific goals for the coming term? “Half way through last season I was wondering would I get in at all. I eventually got my chance once Roy O’Donovan moved on and thankfully things just fell in to place for me. Just building on last year really and getting a good run of games which will hopefully lead to more goals is the main objective”. “If I score more goals and continue to play well then that will be a natural progression for me. I am lucky in that I am not really affected by pressure and just want to drive on and do the best I possibly can for City.”



A young Balineen native tentatively approaches, not sure what to say to his Cork City hero. Denis politely enquires if you would like a photograph. The youngster says nothing and points to the area on the back of his replica (City) jersey where he wants an autograph. Behan duly obliges with a playful laugh and polite “No hassle”. The Cork striker is the consummate pro and will no doubt rattle the net at Turners Cross this coming season with similar style and poise.