GED Corcoran is hopeful that Ireland will regain their full International Rugby League membership status within the next 12 to 24 months.

Corcoran, who has served as York Knights’ assistant coach since early 2023, was back on the touchline managing his country for the first time in two years against Scotland on Sunday.

Spearheaded by a Joe Keyes double, the Wolfhounds eased to a 36-6 victory in Gateshead, with new Knights recruit, teenager James Farrar, also on the scoresheet late on.

Ireland were one of five international sides downgraded to affiliate membership in March - alongside Scotland, Spain, Lebanon and Russia - with the International Rugby League board deeming that the nations’ governing bodies had been non-compliant with the terms of their membership policy for up to five years.

As a result, their World Cup hopes have been ended without a ball being kicked.

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But speaking to The Press, Corcoran believes it is only a matter of time before Ireland earn their full affiliate membership once again.

“I’m really optimistic,” he enthused. “I’m really confident in trying to make that a bit more contagious.

“I’d like the amateur game back home in Ireland and our domestic grassroots to be a lot stronger because we lost our affiliate full membership due that, with not having sufficient youth teams in place and also not the number of teams in place at senior level.

“But if we can all pull together, and I stress it in our motto ‘Ní neart go cur le chéile’ there’s no strength without unity, if we all pull together and come in as one, we can all achieve what we want to on and off the field.

“Hopefully in the next 12 or 24 months, we can get our full affiliate membership back.”

Corcoran has served as the Knights' assistant coach since early 2023.Corcoran has served as the Knights' assistant coach since early 2023. Things certainly are coming together on the pitch, and the 41-year-old admits that despite Ireland having not taken to the field since the World Cup two years ago, it feels like just yesterday.

Despite having had just a couple of training sessions ahead the fixture, skipper George King put his side in front early on after crashing over from close range.

Scotland responded well, with Matty Fletcher drawing them back level, but further tries from Aidan McGowan and Keyes, alongside a Riley Dean penalty, handed Corcoran’s side a healthy 20-6 half-time lead.

It took 23 minutes for Ireland to resume the scoring after the break, Keyes racing from deep within his own half to double his tally before late tries from Farrar and Harry Rushton added gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages.

“I look back on it very fondly and very proudly,” Corcoran reflected. “The boys were amazing.

“I had the boys for three sessions this week, we had them for three hours on the field in all, but for me, we picked up where we left off in November 2022.

“There’s been a few new additions to the team, which is great, and it shows our programme is working. I’m really happy and really proud of the boys.

“It’s always a pleasure [to lead Ireland].

“I’m in a very privileged situation where I’ve played for my country and represented it as a player, but now to lead it as head coach, I’m very honoured and it’s something that I don’t take lightly. I just take it every day, and I know my family is proud as well.

“I’m extremely proud of leading my country into battle every time that we come together so it’s something that I’ll be able to do, hopefully for a long time, as a proud Irishman.”