Terrific wins for West Cork U13s and U15s

BY GER McCARTHY

THE West Cork Academy U13 and U15 schoolboys teams recorded terrific wins on another busy weekend of SFAI National Schoolboys Inter-League football.

Limerick District were the West Cork Academy opponents in Group F of the SFAI U13 National Schoolboys Inter-League in Brinny. West Cork were eager to rebound from earlier defeats to Limerick Desmond and the Kerry Schoolboys League. The latter edged the rural academy 3-2 following a cracking group game last December.

The West Cork Academy U15 Schoolboys squad that overcame North Tipperary 4-1 in Group D of the SFAI U15 National Schoolboys Inter-League.

Another close match was anticipated as Limerick District had accrued four points from their opening three games.

Limerick District raced into a 2-0 lead that the visitors held until the half time whistle. Creditably, the hosts refused to panic and Micheal Ryan halved the deficit after 42 minutes. An entertaining game continued to ebb and flow until Jack Allen’s 55th minute strike brought parity to the score.

It finished 2-2 and a subsequent penalty shootout saw West Cork emerge 4-3 winners thanks, in part, to goalkeeper Cillian Kingston who saved two of Limerick’s spot-kicks. Best for the home team included Kingston, Brehon O’Mahony, Rory Ecklof and Micheal Ryan.

West Cork Academy U13 Schoolboys: Nicholas O’Sullivan (Clonakilty AFC), Niall Jennings (Riverside Athletic), Tadgh O’Farrell (Togher Celtic), Brehon O’Mahony (Ardfield FC), Micheal Ryan (Lyre Rovers), Hugh McCarthy (Dunmanway Town), Rory Ecklof (Kilmichael Rovers), Fiachra Garrett (Skibbereen AFC), Jack Allen (Castlelack), Eoghan Holland (Dunmanway Town), Cole O’Tuama (Sullane), Callum Craig (Castlelack), Lovro Kordic (Clonakilty AFC), Eoghan Foley (Dunmanway Town), Sam Mullany (Kilgoban Celtic), Dara Ryan (Lyre Rovers), Darragh O’Sullivan (Beara United), Cillian Kingston (Drinagh Rangers).

***

Limerick District were also the visitors for last Saturday’s SFAI U14 National Schoolboys Trophy knockout tie against the West Cork Academy, who were coming off a superb 4-3 victory away to Sligo-Leitrim the previous weekend.

Limerick took advantage of a couple of West Cork defensive errors to move 2-0 ahead. Despite playing the better football, West Cork’s dominance of possession failed to yield a goal either side of the interval. It finished 2-0 but West Cork will take plenty of positives from their U14 Trophy experiences. Paddy Haughney, Paddy O’Brien and Conor Murphy were the pick of the rural academy’s top performers.

West Cork Academy U14 Schoolboys: Conor Hourihane (Kilgoban Celtic), Paddy Haughney (Clonakilty AFC), Paddy O’Brien (Dunmanway Town), Rory O’Sullivan (Sullane), Donal McSweeney (Castlelack), Conor Murphy (Riverside Athletic), Ronan Twomey (captain, Clonakilty AFC), Gearoid O’Keefe (Castlelack), Fionn Coppinger (Clonakilty AFC), Conall Whooley (Drinagh Rangers), Luke O’Neill (Clonakilty AFC), Daniel Kiely (Castlelack), Oisin McCarthy (Dunmanway Town), Luke O’Regan (Clonakilty AFC), Fionn Harrigan (Clonakilty AFC), Harry Chambers (Castlelack), Charlie Curtin (Castlelack), Noah Franklin (Clonakilty AFC).

***

The BT Harps Sports Complex in Templemore hosted last Sunday’s SFAI U15 National Schoolboys Group D clash between North Tipperary and West Cork.

A 1-0 victory at home to Limerick County and 1-0 loss away to Kerry preceded Don Hurley and JJ Hurley’s U15 Academy team’s third outing of the campaign. It proved a profitable afternoon for the visitors who built a 2-1 lead and added two additional second-half strikes to seal a deserved 4-1 victory.

Art O’Leary, Conrad Murphy, Alex Bramoulle and Matthew Buttimer all found the net in West Cork’s second Group D victory of the campaign. The winner’s best performers included Christos Delis, Liam Ryan, Aodan Murphy and Sean Platt.

The U15 Academy squad are in the process of finalising a mid-term trip to the UK but will return to SFAI National Inter-League action at home to the Cork Schoolboys League on their return.

West Cork Academy U15 schoolboys: Daire Hurley (Drinagh Rangers), Padraig O’Sullivan (Drinagh Rangers), Aodan Murphy (Drinagh Rangers), Matthew Buttimer (Lyre Rovers), Luke Holland (Dunmanway Town), Sean Platt (Castlelack), Alex Bramoulle (Dunmanway Town), Christos Delis (Ardfield), Conrad Murphy (Clonakilty AFC), Art O’Leary (Kilgoban Celtic), Liam Ryan (Lyre Rovers), Milo Kinsella (Drinagh Rangers), Kevin Duffy (Ardfield).

***

The West Cork Academy welcomed Cork United to the Clonakilty Rugby Club astro-turf pitch in Group H of the SFAI U12 National Schoolboys Inter-League on Sunday. Impressive Group H displays against Limerick County Whites and North Tipperary failed to yield any points for an emerging West Cork team. In contrast, Cork United U12 travelled west on maximum points and sought another positive result to finish top of the table. As expected, the visitors proved too strong for their West Cork opponents, running out comprehensive winners to secure their place in the SFAI U12 Cup knockout stages. The SFAI U12 age-grade is about player development rather than focusing primarily on results. In that regard, the experience gained from facing three quality opponents will stand the U12s in good stead this season and beyond.