West Cork Academy assembles strong U16 squad for Super Cup NI
THE West Cork Academy’s U16 schoolboys begin their 2025 Budget Energy Super Cup NI campaign with a glamour tie against English Premier League giants Manchester United this evening.
Formerly known as the Milk Cup, the annual tournament takes place in Northern Ireland and attracts some of the world’s best clubs and youth players. This year is no exception.
Next week in Northern Ireland, five separate grades – Boys Premier, Boys Junior, Boys Minor, Girls Premier and Girls Junior – will showcase emerging talent from competing Irish, British, European, Mexican (Tigres) and Japanese (Ichifuna) clubs.
Getting to compete in one of the most revered and respected tournaments in world football, the West Cork Academy has been handed the toughest of draws. Graded in the Boys Premier bracket, West Cork will face Manchester United, Scottish giants Rangers FC and Tyrone Schoolboys in Group C of the opening phase.
Depending on their final group placing, West Cork will qualify for the knockout stages of the Super Cup NI Cup (first), Globe (second), Vase (third) or Bowl (fourth). Potential opponents in the knockout rounds include Premier League clubs Brighton and Hove Albion, Bournemouth or Southampton.
It is a fantastic opportunity for the West Cork Academy players to compete against some of the Premier League’s top-rated youth footballers and in an ultra-competitive environment.
‘In selecting our squad, we prioritised assembling a group capable of competing at the very highest level, which required balancing several critical factors,’ team manager David Hall told The Southern Star.
‘We placed significant value on players with proven experience at national and inter-league levels. Those with a demonstrated track record of participating and excelling in top-tier competition and delivering consistent quality in high-pressure environments.
‘We’ve selected individuals who can adapt to multiple roles while maintaining high standards in their primary positions, creating the optimal blend of specialists and multi-dimensional players for tactical flexibility against elite opposition.
‘This squad represents what we believe is the perfect balance of experience, positional diversity, and tactical adaptability to succeed against the best competition. Everyone is excited by our Super Cup group’s quality.’
Hall’s assertion about selecting West Cork Academy players who have flourished at both inter-league level is a salient one. Rejoining the academy’s ranks for the Super Cup tournament are a trio of graduates who have been enjoying stellar seasons for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland Youth League.
Ethan O’Donovan, Charlie Moore and Christos Delis all came through the West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League and its Academy’s ranks before lighting it up at League of Ireland level. All three have made their collective presence felt in Cobh’s colours.
Charlie Moore, an attacking midfielder, is just one of the players expected to shine in Northern Ireland having attended the FAI Centre of Excellence, winning club Player of the Year in 2024 after providing Ramblers’ most goals and assists last season. Aside from that trio, the likes of U15 schoolboy internationals Rory Twohig and Tom Whooley will bolster a squad full of potential and hoping to cause an upset or two.
Christos Delis in action for West Cork at the 2023 Kennedy Cup.
‘It is great to see the lads who progressed from the WCSSL Academy to Cobh Ramblers return to play in this tournament,’ David Hall stated.
‘That underscores the great relationship we have with League of Ireland clubs and the pathways that exist. This year’s Super Cup NI presents not only a major challenge but also a real opportunity for the West Cork Academy to showcase what they can do at a high level.
‘Facing top-tier opposition such as Manchester United, Rangers and Tyrone will test every aspect of our players’ development, their technical quality and understanding, physical intensity and mental resilience.
‘Taking on Manchester United and Rangers are the high-profile fixtures that young players dream of, and they offer a stage to prove the West Cork Academy can compete with the best at the U16 age-grade.
‘While we fully respect the calibre of our opponents, we also see this as a moment to represent the region with pride, demonstrate the progress of our development programme in West Cork and show that we belong in this elite company.’
It all begins on Monday evening with the daunting task of taking on Premier League club Manchester United before rounding off a difficult group phase against Rangers and Tyrone Schoolboys.
Irrespective of results, the region’s U16 schoolboys will never forget their 2025 Super Cup NI appearance.
West Cork Academy U16 schoolboys: Rory Twohig, Oisin McCarthy, Oscar Verdinshott, Matthew Buttimer, Sean Platt, Gearoid O’Keefe, Christos Delis, Charlie Moore, Tom Whooley, Ethan O’Donovan, Alex Bramoulle, Luke Holland, Kalan Murphy, Padraig O’Sullivan, Milo Kinsella, Liam Ryan, Daire Hurley, Eoin McCarthy. Management Team: David Hall, DJ Curtin, Rory Curtin, Tadgh Curtin and Don Hurley.
