Irish FC

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Irish FC
Futbol Club Internacional
Full nameIrish Football Club
Short nameIrish FC
Founded27 October 1901
DissolvedAutumn of 1903
GroundNuevo Velódromo de Barcelona
LeagueCatalan championship

The Irish Football Club, commonly referred to as Irish FC, was a football team based in Barcelona, Spain, which existed from 1901 until its dissolution in the autumn of 1903.

Great figures emerged from Irish FC, such as Carles Comamala, Juli Marial, Romà Forns, and Joaquim Escardó.

History

Origins

Irish Football Club was founded on 27 October 1901, from the merger of Espanyol Infantil (Español FC) and Club Catalunya (Catalonia FC).[1][2][3] The club's board of directors was subsequently elected, with Carles Renter as the first president, Rogelio Serra as vice-president, Joaquin García as Secretary, Andrés Camps as treasurer, Juan Gost as Account Auditor ("Revisor de Cuentas"), and Joaquín Escardó as Head of Materials.[1] Renter was later replaced by Juli Marial, who played as a goalkeeper from the club's foundation in 1901 until its dissolution in 1903. Carles Comamala was also a founding member, while Forns only joined later in 1902, at the age of 17.

In the chronicle of a match between Irish FC and

Camp del Carrer Muntaner
.

Tournaments

In the first two years of his life, the club only competed in friendly matches and minor tournaments organized by the Spanish Gymnastics Federation, such as the Medal of the Spanish Gymnastics Federation between February and June 1902,[4] where it finished in third place only behind the dean clubs of the city, Català FC and the second team of FC Barcelona; and the Concurso Pergamino between September and November 1902 (during the festivities of La Mercè), which had been created for the clubs founded in the 1901–02 season,[5] and where it was runner-up only behind once again of the second team of FC Barcelona. On 20 March 1902, Irish FC faced Club Español in the FGE Medal tournament, but even though they were playing at home, they still lost 2–5, with the consolation goals coming from Sanz and Renter, with the latter scoring from a penalty kick given by the referee of the match, Joaquim Carril.[4]

On 12 November 1902, along with other clubs such as FC Barcelona, Hispania AC, Català FC, and Universitari SC, he was one of the founding members of the Football Clubs Association, which four years later became the Catalan Football Federation.

In 1903, Irish FC participated in its most important tournament, the Copa Barcelona, where it finished in fifth place.[7]

Decline and colapse

Irish FC played its last known match against FC Barcelona on 18 October 1903, which ended in a 2–3 loss. The club then disappeared after its dissolution in the autumn of 1903, and its field was occupied by X Sporting Club.

With the disappearance of Irish FC, most of its players joined FC Barcelona at the beginning of the 1903–04 season, such as Comamala, Forns, and Marial, with the latter going on to become the 6th President of FC Barcelona, while the former two became key players in Barça's first golden team of the early 1910s.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Referencia a la fundación del Irish FC en 1901" [Reference to the founding of Irish FC in 1901]. arca.bnc.cat (in Catalan). Los Deportes. 3 November 1901. p. 13. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Fusionados..." [Merged...]. hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 1 November 1901. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Historial del Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona" [History of the Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol of Barcelona]. lafutbolteca.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Notas de sport" [Sports notes]. hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 20 March 1902. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b "El partido del concurso Pergamino..." [The game of the concurso Pergamino...]. web.archive.org (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 28 October 1902. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Foot-ball". hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 31 March 1903. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Spain – Final Tables Catalonia - COPA BARCELONA 1902-03". RSSSF. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Juli Marial Mundet stats - FC Barcelona Players". players.fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 7 March 2024.