Drinagh target U14 league and cup double

A NUMBER of SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League cup and shield finals will be completed early in this new year before the curtain finally comes down on the 2023 WCSSL season.

Sullane and Drinagh Rangers are pencilled in to meet in Saturday’s SuperValu U14 Schoolgirls Cup. The Canon Crowley Park club is chasing a Premier League and cup double having edged out Sullane and Kilgoban Celtic for the title. An impressive 6-1 defeat of Skibbereen confirmed Drinagh’s cup final berth where they will face a hungry opponent.

Sullane’s path to Saturday’s showdown involved a 4-1 quarter-final defeat of Kilgoban and a walkover from Clonakilty AFC. Rangers will start as favourites having twice overcome Sullane, 2-0 and 3-2, during the league campaign. Drinagh’s Katie Collins, Rosie O’Donovan, Aine Collins and Emily Buttimer have been in excellent scoring form and will require careful marking. As for Sullane, Caoimhe Mullins, Amy Kelleher and Eithne Ni Laocha will lead the Ballyvourney side’s attack in what should be a cracking encounter.

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Bunratty United and Castlelack are scheduled to face one another in the second leg of the Martin Briscoe U15 Schoolboys Memorial Plate in Brinny.

The opening leg proved a terrific affair with the two teams sharing six goals in Town Park, Schull. United led 3-1 at the break thanks to Sam Logan, Sean Maguire and Micheal Ward efforts. Credit to Castlelack, who battled back to earn a 3-3 draw courtesy of Joe Hayes (2) and Liam O’Donovan strikes. An eagerly anticipated second leg is expected to produce similar drama.

Castlelack U15s will be a busy team during the concluding weeks of the season. That’s because the Brinny side is also preparing for a SuperValu U15 Schoolboys Shield final appearance against Skibbereen. Conor O’Brien (2), Ryan Hourihane and Joe McCarthy goals earned the Baltimore Road club a 4-3 semi-final victory away to Beara United. Castlelack qualified for the Shield final courtesy of a 4-2 win at home to Bunratty United, Joe Hayes (2), Ronan O’Leary and Eoin Sexton strikes securing victory.

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The recent Kilmichael Rovers and Kilgoban Celtic SuperValu U15 Schoolboys Cup final was postponed but will be rescheduled for another date. The Kealkill club enjoyed an impressive U15 Premier League campaign. Finishing second behind champions Dunmanway Town, Kilgoban gained revenge by overcoming the league winners 3-2 in the U15 Cup quarter-finals. A 3-0 win over Ardfield qualified Rovers for this season’s cup decider against a Kilmichael side that has been in equally impressive form. The Inchisine team accounted for Bunratty United, Skibbereen and Sullane in previous rounds and will provide Kilgoban with the stiffest of tests.

Dunmanway Town and Kilgoban Rebels's highly anticipated SuperValu U14 Schoolboys Cup final will conclude what’s been an entertaining season at the U14 age-grade. Town knocked out Ardfield (6-0), Lyre Rovers (4-1) and Drinagh Rangers (2-0) to reach this year’s final. The Rebels overcame Bunratty United (5-1) and Togher Celtic (5-1) to set up a U14 Schoolboys Cup final date with Dunmanway.