Our winning History
Pike Rovers F.C. was founded in 1938 in the Mulgrave Street/Blackboy Pike district of Limerick The club colours are a variation of green and white hooped shirts, green or white shorts and green/white socks and were initially inspired by the colours of Celtic Fc In 1949–50 they became the first association football club from County Limerick to win a national trophy when they won FAI Youth Cup
The club plays at Crossagalla and their senior men’s team competes in the Limerick & District League. They have previously played in the Munster Senior League. During their history Pike Rovers have also entered teams in the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup, the FAI Junior Cup and the FAI Youth Cup. They have been finalists in the latter three cup competitions.
- Munster Senior League
- Winners: 1951–52: 1
- Runners-up: 1952–53: 1
- FAI Intermediate Cup
- Runners-up: 1950-51: 1
- FAI Junior Cup
- Winners: 2010–11 : 1
- Runners-up: 1947–48, 2015–16: 2
- FAI Youth Cup
- Winners: 1949–50 : 1
- Runners-up: 1955-56: 1
Pike Rovers partnership with Scottish soccer giants Celtic FC.
The Scottish champions signed a deal with one of Limerick soccer’s most successful outfits, Pike Rovers.
It means Celtic will have first refusal on any player to shine while playing for Pike Rovers, based in Crossagalla.
An Elite event in Dublin gave Irish partner clubs the opportunity to send their best players for three days of coaching where the young players gained an insight into the philosophy of the Academy both on the pitch and off the pitch.
Ebuka Kwelele (Glenmuir United, Dundalk), Josh McGlone (St Joseph’s, Dublin) and Ethan O ‘Sullivan (Pike Rovers, Limerick) all impressed the Celtic staff during the Dublin event and were invited to spend a week training with the Youth Academy in Glasgow.The three young bhoys made the trip across the water where they joined the Academy’s St Ninians School programme, training each morning and evening with education classes throughout the day.It gave the three young players a taste of what life as a Celtic Youth Academy player is like and gave them the chance to pull on the famous green and white Hoops to represent Celtic FC in matches.
Sunday the 26th of April 1987
On the Sunday the 26th of April in 1987 the people of Limerick were struggling to come to terms with their collective grief in the aftermath of the Pike Rovers bus crash which led to the deaths of three people and many more being injured.
The crash occurred on approximately 8.50pm when a CIE chartered coach, carrying 53 Pike Rovers soccer players, officials and supporters, mounted the ditch on the roadside approximately 100 yards on the city side of the Cat’s Cradle Bar near Ballyneety.The team had just played a scoreless draw against the John Bosco club at Midleton in a quarter final of the Munster Junior Cup.
Tony Hanley (46) and Alphonsus (Phonsie) Ryan (72) died from their injuries in the crash while on New Year’s Eve of the same year, team mascot Paul Mulally aged just five succumbed to his injuries.
The work of the Keane family and others was remembered in a presentation made to the pub afterwards, but one of the most beautiful tributes was penned by former Pike Rovers Player and singer songwriter Tadhg Horan in a song called “The Missing Ones”. Even today years later it still stands as a fitting tribute.
A beautiful Tribute of Tadhg Horan singing “The Missing Ones” a song he wrote to remember those that died in the Pike Rovers Bus Crash.
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Pike Rovers Sport & Social Club