West Cork have talent to light up Kennedy Cup

THE West Cork Academy begins their 2023 SFAI Kennedy Cup campaign with three games in the two days at the University of Limerick this week.

For five days, the West Cork Academy U14 schoolboys squad will train, play matches and room together at the annual 32-team tournament.

Last year’s SFAI Kennedy Cup proved a memorable one with an 11th place overall finish, one of the best ever performances by a West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League representative side.

This time around, a difficult opening group means the West Cork Academy must hit the ground running if a similar outcome is to materialise.

Top group seeds and last year’s runners-up Waterford are West Cork’s first opponent on Monday, June 12th (4pm kick-off). Tuesday, June 13th, sees West Cork facing Limerick District (10am kick-off) and the North Eastern Counties (4pm kick-off).

Ardfield FC's Tom Whooley has been selected on the Irish Schoolboys team for the Celtic Cup in Scotland.

The outcome of those three matches and final group placings will determine which knockout competition West Cork plays in for the remainder of their week at the University of Limerick.

‘Personally, I would like to at least match what last year’s team achieved,’ West Cork Academy head coach Steve Bowden told The Southern Star.

‘No one really knows how the week will go until we get there and get stuck in. It is such a massive week in a young footballer’s life. From a coaching point of view, I would like to play in a final on Friday (finals day). Yes, it is all about the overall progression of our players but we are also competing in a tournament and want to do the best we can.

‘For the players themselves, who have been training and working towards the Kennedy Cup over the past three or four years, I know they will do themselves, their parents and clubs proud.

‘We would love to return from Limerick with some silverware but we also need to boost football’s profile in West Cork. That is what it is all about.’

Drinagh Rangers' Emma Hurley will become the first schoolgirl to represent West Cork at the Kennedy Cup.

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Playing four games in two days at the Clare Youth Soccer Festival weekend helped prepare West Cork’s players for what is always an intense Kennedy Cup week.

‘The Clare Youths Soccer Festival was a massive help,’ Steven Bowden explained.

‘It helped the squad understand what they need to do in between games, especially things like warming up and stretching properly after games.

‘We as coaches learnt a lot too about how to handle a lot of games in a short period of time. The Clare trip was a valuable experience, on and off the pitch, as that’s the kind of pressure the team will face during their week in Limerick. Playing our final two group games on the same day and in, probably, very hot conditions means the players will need to be physically ready.’

Bowden makes a valid point about dealing with expected hot weather. The forecast for this year’s Kennedy Cup is high temperatures and hot, dry playing conditions.

Bottom line, every member of the West Cork squad will be needed at some point during their week at the University of Limerick.

‘Thankfully, over the last six months, West Cork has reached a level where any member of our squad can come in and do a job for us without lessening the quality out on the pitch,’ the Academy’s Kennedy Cup head coach added.

‘You have to remember that these are just 14-year-olds too. There is no point in running the legs off them. As coaches, we are very conscious of keeping players fresh and watching out for any niggles or injuries that might be affecting them.’

It is going to be an intense but memorable week for the academy’s coaches, backroom team and squad at the University of Limerick.

‘I think we have become very good at looking after our squad and rotating players in and out of the team,’ Bowden said.

‘The players know what to expect at the Kennedy Cup and the kind of pressure they are going to be under. We have just got to get on with it now.

‘I have to pay tribute to the West Cork Academy coaches. Don Hurley and JJ Hurley do a huge amount of work, both on and off the pitch, with our players and they make my life much easier. I couldn't do this without them and the West Cork Academy is lucky to have Don and JJ involved this year.’

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The West Cork Academy received a welcome pre-tournament boost with news of Ardfield FC’s Tom Whooley’s selection on the SFAI Irish international representative schoolboys squad.

Whooley will be part of an Irish schoolboys team that competes in the 2023 Celtic Cup taking place in Scotland at the end of June.

‘It is brilliant news for Tom and he absolutely deserves it,’ Steve Bowden commented.

‘Tom is a very clever footballer. He is a lovely kid and, just like the rest of our squad, always turns up for training and always gives one hundred per cent.

‘Two other Ardfield players, Christos Delis and Sean Platt, were very close to being selected for the Irish schoolboys international team. All three are going to be important players for us.’

Drinagh Rangers’ Emma Hurley will have the distinction of becoming the first schoolgirl to represent her region at the prestigious SFAI tournament.

‘Emma is part of our Kennedy Cup squad because she is such a good footballer, that’s it,’ Bowden added. ‘Emma turns up, trains and gets stuck in. She is not treated any differently, as a player, to the rest of the squad. Emma possesses all the speed, determination and skills to enjoy a successful Kennedy Cup.’

2023 West Cork Academy Kennedy Cup squad: Stephen McCarthy, Aodán Murphy, Joe O’Donovan (captain), Daire Hurley, Emma Hurley, Milo Kinsella (all Drinagh Rangers), Nathan O’Sullivan, Christos Delis, Kevin Duffy, Tom Whooley (all Ardfield), Conrad Murphy, Ethan O’Donovan (both Clonakilty AFC), Alex Bramoulle, Luke Holland (both Dunmanway Town), Art O’Leary, Padraig O’Sullivan (both Kilgoban Celtic), Liam Ryan, Matthew Buttimer (both Lyre Rovers), Sean Platt (Castlelack FC). Head coach: Steve Bowden (Kilgoban Celtic). Assistant coaches: Don Hurley and JJ Hurley (both Drinagh Rangers).