Lyre and Ardfield to meet in 2023/24 SFAI U12 National Schoolboys Cup derby

THE 2023/24 SFAI Schoolboys National Cups will see a host of West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League clubs in action over the coming months.

WCCSL schoolboys teams in the U12, U13, U14, U15 and U16 age-grades will be hoping to qualify from the Cork sections of this season’s prestigious SFAI competitions.

The draws for each of aforementioned competitions involving Cork Schoolboys League clubs and their West Cork equivalents were made recently.  All SFAI National Schoolboys Cup first round ties are to be played on the weekend of September 30th and October 1st.

Ardfield, Clonakilty AFC, Dunmanway Town, Kilgoban Celtic and Sullane will be West Cork’s representatives in the Cork section of this season’s SFAI U16 Schoolboys National Cup. Dunmanway will host Carrigaline United in the opening round and the winners of that tie will host Youghal United in round two. All the other West Cork sides received byes into the second round where Clonakilty AFC welcome Rockmount to Ballyvackey, Kilgoban Celtic travel to Leeside United and Sullane are also on the road, visiting Buttevant. Ardfield will hope home advantage is enough to see off Bweeng Celtic USC at the Showgrounds.

There are two WCSSL entrants in the upcoming SFAI U15 Schoolboys National Cup (Cork section).  Lyre Rovers take on Carrigaline United in Lyre while Clonakilty AFC are away to Mogeely FC. Both clubs will be hopeful of progressing.

Seven West Cork clubs – Ardfield FC, Castlelack, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Dunmanway Town, Lyre Rovers and Riverside Athletic – will contest the Cork section of this season’s SFAI U12 National Schoolboys Cup. There will be huge interest in an all-West Cork opening round clash between Lyre Rovers and Ardfield in Lyre. Whoever emerges from that match will host Passage AFC in round two.

Clonakilty AFC will also enjoy home advantage in their U12 Schoolboys National Cup opener against Midleton in Ballyvackey. The same is true of Castlelack U12s who will face Wilton United in Brinny and Drinagh Rangers who will take on College Corinthians at Canon Crowley Park. Dunmanway Town travel to Valley Rangers FC in round one, and, if successful, could face West Cork rivals Clonakilty AFC, provided the latter comes through their clash with Midleton. Riverside Athletic are away to Cork Schoolboys League club Blarney United in their National Schoolboys Cup opener.

Four of the five West Cork entrants in this year’s SFAI U13 National Schoolboys Cup have been drawn away from home. Drinagh Rangers are in Blarney, Lyre Rovers in Carrigtwohill, Dunmanway Town at Lakewood Athletic A and Clonakilty AFC face Lakewood Athletic B in round of the competition. Riverside Athletic are the solitary WCSSL side drawn at home in the U13 National Cup, welcoming Kinsale to Carbery Park.