New West Cork Schoolboys League soccer season is put on hold

COVID-19’s outbreak has caused the postponement of the new SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League 2020 season.

As with other sporting bodies throughout the country, the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland (SFAI) was left with no choice but to suspend all activities with immediate effect until further notice.

That means no schoolboys league football anywhere in the country until at least March 29th but most likely much later in the year.

A new West Cork Schoolboys League season was due to kick off on March 14th, but disappointed clubs, players and supporters will have to wait until they get an all clear from the government before venturing back out on to the West Cork pitches once again.

When the action does resume, a brand-new SuperValu U11 Championship will be one of the highlights of the 2020 campaign. Eleven teams will split into two groups and play one another in a round-robin format before the top two in each section progresses to the U11 Championship semi-finals.

Encouragingly, there will be three divisions in this season’s U12 age-grade and two divisions in each of the U13 and U14 grades. Ardfield FC, Bantry Bay Sparta, Clonakilty AFC, Dunmanway Town, Kilmichael Rovers and Skibbereen AFC will battle it out for the U12 Premier trophy whilst six clubs will contest the U12 Championship and five clubs are set to enter the U12 Division 1 League.

There is plenty to look forward to ahead of the SuperValu U13 Premier and Championship with quality teams taking part in both divisions. Lyre Rovers were the dominant side in last season’s U13 age-grade, winning both the Premier League and Cup. The race to become U13 Championship will be equally intriguing and contested by seven clubs: Beara United, Castlelack, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Dunmanway Town Youths, Riverside Athletic and Skibbereen AFC B.

We don’t know when the WCSL will finally get a new season underway but until then, everyone in the West Cork soccer community is urged to the follow the government and HSE’s advice.

The 2020 SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League entrants are as follows:

U11 Championship Group 1: Ardfield, Bantry Bay Rovers, Bunratty United, Clonakilty AFC, Dunmanway Town and Lyre Rovers.

U11 Championship Group 2: Ardfield B, Castlelack, Drinagh Rangers, Riverside Athletic, Togher Celtic.

U12 Premier League: Ardfield FC, Bantry Bay Sparta, Clonakilty AFC, Dunmanway Town, Kilmichael Rovers and Skibbereen AFC.

U12 Championship: Bantry Bay Rebels, Bunratty United, Castlelack, Drinagh Rangers, Skibbereen AFC B and Togher Celtic.

U12 Division 1: Beara United, Bunratty United B, Clonakilty AFC B, Riverside Athletic and Sullane FC.

U13 Premier League: Ardfield, Bantry Bay Rovers, Dunmanway Town, Kilmichael Rovers, Lyre Rovers and Skibbereen AFC.

U13 Championship: Beara United, Castlelack, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Dunmanway Town Youths, Riverside Athletic and Skibbereen AFC B.

U14 Premier League: Ardfield (provisional), Bantry Bay Rovers, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Lyre Rovers and Skibbereen AFC.

U14 Championship: Bantry Bay Rovers B, Bunratty United, Kilmichael Rovers, Riverside Athletic (provisional), Skibbereen AFC B, Sullane FC and Togher Celtic.

U15 Premier League: Ardfield, Bantry Bay Rovers, Bunratty United, Drinagh Rangers and Kilmichael Rovers.

U16 Premier League: Ardfield (provisional), Bunratty United, Castlelack, Drinagh Rangers, Riverside Athletic, Sullane FC and Togher Celtic.