Tadhg Kinsella scores five to send Diamonds into cup final
ARDFIELD Mountaineers and Drinagh Diamonds will contest the 2025 SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League U12 Schoolboys Challenge Cup final.The Mountaineers overcame local rivals Clonakilty AFC City following a 3-0 derby win last weekend.
Tadgh O’Donovan, Miguel De Menzes Almeida efforts sent the Mountaineers through to the decider. In the second semi-final, Drinagh Diamonds saw off Sullane’s brave effort 7-2 at Canon Crowley Park. Liam Carey netted twice for the visitors. Tadhg Kinsella was on top form for Drinagh however, scoring five times. Max Musgrave and Odhran French also found the net to seal the Diamonds’ cup final berth.
This season’s U12 Schoolboys Shield finalists were also decided last weekend. Sonny Crowley (2), Tiernan O’Regan and Seán Collins were on target in Lyre Rovers’ exciting 4-3 semi-final defeat of Dunmanway Town in Lyre. Nathan Long, Tim Dresviankin and Darryl Farr scored for a battling Dunmanway. Togher Celtic will be Lyre’s opponents in this year’s U12 Schoolboys Shield decider. Celtic proved too strong for the Ardfield Hurricanes and ran out 3-0 winners thanks to Cillian Murray, Katie Crowley and Aaron O’Callaghan goals.
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A new season of U12 Schoolboys Premier League action began with Castlelack Athletic defeating Skibbereen 4-2 at the Baltimore Road. Liam O’Keefe, Noah Collins, Josh Quinn and Gavin Kerr were on Athletics’ scoresheet with Andrew O’Donovan and Jack O’Brien replying for Skibbereen.
The opening weekend of the new U12 Schoolboys Championship League started with Kilmichael Rovers’ 6-0 success at home to Castlelack. Bunratty United, Clonakilty AFC City, Drinagh Dynamos and Riverside Athletic are the other clubs in this season’s division. Ardfield Hurricane’s, Bay Rovers, Beara United, Clonakilty AFC United, Sullane and Togher Celtic will battle it out for this season’s U12 Schoolboys League One title.
A full fixture-list of the second round of the U12 and U16 Schoolgirls Premier Leagues are pencilled in for this week. Castlelack and Clonakilty AFC won their opening U12 Schoolgirls Premier fixtures and are contesting a division that also includes Bay Rovers, Beara United, Drinagh Rangers, Dunmanway Town, Lyre Rovers, Riverside Athletic and Sullane.
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Castlelack will take on Ardfield in this season’s U13 Schoolboys Shield final after the latter registered a comprehensive semi-final win at home to Dunmanway Town at the Showgrounds. Louise Brazier Scannell netted a hat-trick with Johnny O’Loghlin, Alexander O’Brien, Micheál Hayes, Liam Fargnoli, Isaac Power and Danny Sutton also on Ardfield’s scoresheet.
The opening round of the 2025 U13 Schoolgirls Premier League season Dunmanway Town net twice in the opening half to defeat Beara United 2-0 at the Meadows, Kilbarry Road. Lucy McCarthy opened the scoring before an Amelie McCarthy goal sealed Town’s first three points of the campaign. Clonakilty AFC and Castlelack’s opening U13 Schoolgirls Premier League fixture had to be postponed.
Skibbereen who defeated Bunratty United on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra-time to qualify for the SuperValu U14 Schoolboys Challenge Cup semi-finals.
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Skibbereen and Drinagh Rangers joined Clonakilty AFC United in the last four of the 2025 SuperValu U14 Schoolboys Challenge Cup last weekend. Bunratty United and Skibb’s U14 Schoolboys Cup quarter-final saw the teams finish level 3-3 after extra-time in Town Park, Schull.
The Baltimore Road club emerged 5-4 winners on penalties in a tie Charlie McCarthy, Fiachra Garrett and Charlie Heaton Jones found the net. Volodymyr Deidei’s brace wasn’t enough to keep United in the competition. Drinagh Rangers proved too strong for Castlelack following a closely-fought quarter-final in Brinny.
Calum Craig netted for the hosts but Rory Hurley and Conor Collins efforts sent Rangers into the semi-finals. In the U14 Schoolboys Shield, Togher Celtic booked their place in the quarter-finals following a penalty shootout win away to Bay Rovers.
A cracking game finished 3-3 after extra-time before Celtic outlasted their opponents on spot-kicks to go through to the last eight. Jack Buttimer, Evan Bosma and Ryan Brickley scored for Togher in a tie Eoin McCarthy, Charlie Downey and Fionn Wiseman netted Bay’s goals. Riverside Athletic and Dunmanway Town’s U14 Schoolboys Shield quarter-final ended in an emphatic win for Dunmanway.
Eoghain Holland (3), Vittor Leito Coutinho (2), Oisin O’Regan (2), Hugh McCarthy and Max Bramoulle scored for Town. Last weekend also saw U14 Schoolboys League One get underway with Skibbereen Dynamos travelling to Kealkill and overcoming Bay Celtic 5-3. Daniel O’Sullivan, Timmy Gibbons and Callum Connolly found the net for Bay. Yet, Dynamos secured all three points courtesy of Samuel Hoebe McAlpine (2), Jakub Surowiecki, Alex Ring and Noah Maguire goals.
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Castlelack have qualified for the 2025 U16 Schoolboys Challenge Cup final. Last weekend, Eoin Murphy (2), Liam Ryan, Sean Platt and Matthew Buttimer goals secured Castlelack’s 5-3 semi-final success at the expense of Togher Celtic in Brinny. Levi Bosma (2) and Aaron Hurley replied for the visiting side. Dunmanway Town knocked Clonakilty AFC out of the same competition following a seven-goal quarter-final thriller.
Isaac Wade (2) and Cillian Harte scored for Clon but an Eoin O’Connor hat-trick and Calvin O’Donoghue penalty earned Dunmanway a 4-3 triumph and semi-final meeting with Drinagh Rangers. A new season of U16 Schoolboys Premier League action saw Bay Rovers defeat Sullane in Kealkill. Shane O’Brien scored four with additional Dominik Placzek (2), Ruairí O’Brien and Con Desmond goals earning the home team a comfortable win and their first three points.
In Group A of the same age-grade, Milo Kinsella (2) and Sam Kingston goals helped Drinagh Rangers overcome Bunratty United 3-0 at Canon Crowley Park. Bunratty were quickly back in action, travelling to Dunmanway Town two days later. A comprehensive Dunmanway league win was attained courtesy of Calvin O’Donoghue (2), Eoin O’Connor (2), Oisin McCarthy (2), Paddy O’Brien and Kalan Murphy strikes.
