THE West Cork Academy U12 and U13 schoolboys squads qualified for the SFAI National Inter-League Shield quarter-finals last weekend.

Two Sean Hamilton strikes secured West Cork’s SFAI National U12 Schoolboys Shield quarter-finals berth last Saturday.

Canon Crowley Park, home ground of Drinagh Rangers, played host to a preliminary quarter-final tie between West Cork and Wicklow.

Both teams had to contend with difficult weather conditions, especially towards the end of an entertaining clash. Thankfully, Drinagh’s superb new AstroTurf pitch ensured the game went ahead.

It was the visitors who enjoyed the better start and the Leinster side grabbed a deserved lead.

Bay Rovers’ Paddy Hegarty and Drinagh’s Charlie Beamish’s influence grew as the game progressed. As a result, West Cork gained control on either side of the break.

The host club’s Sean Hamilton would have the biggest influence on proceedings, beginning with netting an equaliser direct from a corner kick.

Hamilton continued to shine and a 25-yard rocket into the roof of the net gave Wicklow’s goalkeeper no chance.

The West Cork Academy dominated possession and, despite worsening weather conditions and a late Wicklow fightback, emerged with a terrific 2-1 victory.

That outcome confirmed West Cork’s place in the next round of this season’s U12 Schoolboys National Shield.

The draw for that round has yet to be made. West Cork know they will face one of the following leagues: Wicklow Blue, Mayo, Waterford, Roscommon District, Inishowen YSL, Midlands, Kildare or Cavan-Monaghan.

West Cork Academy U12A schoolboys: Isabella Santos (Castlelack), Sean Hamilton (Drinagh Rangers), Gearoid Linehan (Castlelack), Paddy Hegarty (Bay Rovers), Nicholas Lynch (Castlelack), Ciarán O’Farrell (Togher Celtic), Charlie Beamish (Drinagh Rangers), Jimmy Mc Donagh (Skibbereen), Caolan Cleary (Bunratty United).

The West Cork Academy U12 schoolboys squad that defeated Wicklow in the National Inter-League Shield preliminary quarter-finals.

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Goals in either half earned the West Cork Academy victory in the U13 Schoolboys National Inter-League Shield last Sunday afternoon.

Shane Hurley’s side travelled to the University of Limerick for a preliminary quarter-final clash against Limerick County.

Amid windy conditions, neither side gained the upper hand during a scoreless opening half. West Cork were the better side in the second period however and broke the deadlock when Iarla McElhinney found the net.

McElhinney headed home a Daniel Brady corner to edge his side ahead.

Unable to mount a response, West Cork cemented a 2-0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals shortly after.

Michael O’Sullivan instigated a counter-attack and found Sonny Crowley. The Lyre Rovers striker instantly fired past Limerick County’s goalkeeper.

One of Wexford, NERL, Donegal, Limerick District, Limerick Desmond, Galway, Kildare or Cavan-Monaghan will be West Cork’s opponents once the National Shield quarter-finals draw is completed.

‘I’m really proud of the win, and the boys, who are ready for whoever comes out of the hat in the next round’s draw,’ West Cork U13 schoolboys head coach Shane Hurley told The Southern Star.

‘They put in a huge amount of work since we returned from the Surf Cup in Barcelona a few months ago.

‘There have been a lot of hard training sessions. We have been working on our defensive unit and starting our press from the forwards, the whole way back, as a team. All that hard work culminated in today’s performance against Limerick County.’

West Cork Academy U13 schoolboys: Alfie Power, Daniel Brady (captain), Noah Kingston, Zach Murphy, Eoin Hayes, Iarla McElhinney, Luca O’Donovan, Michael O’Sullivan, Adam O’Shea, Tadgh Keneally, Sonny Crowley, Tiernan O’Regan, David Lyons and Oisin Cullinane.

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There was disappointment for the West Cork Academy U14 schoolboys squad whose fantastic run in this season’s National Inter-League Trophy competition ended at the semi-finals stage last Sunday.

Shaun Hough’s side travelled to Ennis, county Clare, for a last four encounter against the host county.

Playing against a strong wind in the opening half, West Cork struggled to deal with the elements and their opponents took full advantage. A strong Clare team scored four times without reply to take control of the tie and never looked back.

Despite improving in the second period, a Danny Carroll strike wasn’t enough to prevent a 6-1 West Cork defeat.

West Cork Academy U14 schoolboys: Oliver Kiely, Aodhan O’Mahony, Conor Collins, Patrick Hennigan, Dylan O’Brien, Ed Hough, Donnagh Griffin, Danny Carroll, Charlie Daly, Ryan Healy Crowley, Rory Hurley, Rocco Bermueller O’Reilly, Jamie O’Connor, Jack Horgan, Daniel O’Sullivan, Ben Machie and Eliz Zabala.

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Both the West Cork Academy U15 schoolboys and U16 schoolboys squads will be in National Inter-League action over the coming weeks.

The U15s will complete the opening phase of their National Inter-League group phase with a Group C clash away to Limerick District on Saturday, February 28th.

Limerick are unbeaten after three rounds of fixtures and sit top of the Group C standings. Fourth placed West Cork are six points behind having defeated North Tipperary 6-4 but lost narrowly to both Cork and Kerry.

The West Cork Academy U16 schoolboys are busily preparing for their National Inter-League Trophy semi-final away to Clare next Sunday.

The former finished third behind Cork and Kerry in the group phase. It was the same story for Clare who finished third behind Mayo and Galway in Group B.

Dunmanway Town will host Trim Celtic in the last 16 round of the National U15 Schoolboys Trophy competition in the Meadows, Dunmanway, on the weekend of Saturday, February 28th and Sunday, March 1st.

The West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League club reached the last 16 in the country thanks to a marvellous penalty shootout win away to Dublin’s St Francis last time out.