THE 2026 SFAI Kennedy Cup draw pitted the West Cork Academy U14 Schoolboys against two Munster rivals in the group stage at the University of Limerick.

This year’s tournament kicks off with two days of group games on Monday, June 8th and Tuesday, June 9th. Following that, each schoolboys league, depending on their final group placing, enters two days of knockout ties. Finals day, when all Kennedy Cup trophies are decided, is pencilled in for Friday, June 12th.

The West Cork Academy has been drawn in the only three-team group of the opening phase, alongside tournament favourites Kerry and North Tipperary in Group 8. All other seven groups contain four teams. It means head coach Shaun Hough and his management team will have one group game less to prepare for but that lessens the margin for error.

‘Kerry will be tough opponents and are a very strong side that is expected to do well at the Kennedy Cup,’ Hough told The Southern Star.

‘North Tipperary is a side we have played a good few times over the last number of years so we know one another quite well at this stage.

‘We have named a squad of 20 players and training has gone really well for us.’

The Kennedy Cup represents one of the most important weeks in an Academy footballer’s development.

‘It is going to be a big week for the lads,’ Hough added.

‘They will be rooming together, have all their food prepared and any physiotherapy sessions they need.

‘The plan is to travel up to Limerick on Monday morning, have a team breakfast, have a good look at the venue and take things from there.

‘Obviously, we want to get off to a positive start in what is going to be a tight group as there are only three teams in it. Depending on those two results, we will know who we are facing in the knockout stages from Wednesday onwards.’

2026 West Cork Academy Kennedy Cup squad: Eliz Zabala (Riverside Athletic), Aodhán O’Mahony (Ardfield), Dylan O’Brien (Clonakilty AFC), Jack Horgan (Castlelack), Conor Collins (Drinagh Rangers), Samuel Ki, Danny Carroll (both Dunmanway Town), Rory Hurley, Charlie Daly (both Drinagh Rangers), Donagh Griffin (Bunratty United), Kingsley Crosby Osagie (Drinagh Rangers), Edward Hough (Clonakilty AFC), Ryan Crowley-Healy (Dunmanway Town), Rocco O’Reilly Bermueller (Drinagh Rangers), Finbarr O’Mahony (Clonakilty AFC), Daniel Brady (Riverside Athletic), Liam Ahern (Lyre Rovers), Tristan Hayes (Dunmanway Town), Oliver Kiely (Castlelack), Sonny Crowley (Lyre Rovers).