THE West Cork Academy heads to the University of Limerick for the SFAI Kennedy Cup hoping to build on the region’s strong performance from last year.

Shaun Hough and his West Cork Academy U14 schoolboys squad completed their Kennedy Cup preparations with a friendly against Mallow last weekend.

Ahead of a busy five days at the University of Limerick, the academy will face Kerry and North Tipperary in a three-team Group 8 over the first two days of competition, starting on Monday, June 8th.

Depending on those results, two days of knockout ties plus finals day on Friday, June 12th, will determine West Cork’s final overall placing.

‘We have a good spread of players in this year’s 20-player squad,’ said West Cork Academy Kennedy Cup manager Shaun Hough, who has a strong management team including assistant coach JJ Hurley and goalkeeping coach Rory Curtin.

‘From the eight different clubs represented, we also have cover across a wide number of positions. There is a strong depth there which the management team and I are very happy with.

‘Obviously, everyone wants to get off to a good start. We have two tough matches against Kerry and North Tipperary but everyone is looking forward to it now.’

2025 Kennedy Cup winners Limerick Desmond have been drawn against South Belfast, Carlow and WWEC in the group stage. Limerick Desmond are expected to challenge for honours once again this year.

Other contenders include Cork who will face Waterford, Tipperary South and Longford in Group 2. Top seeds Galway have the NDSL, Limerick County and Inishowen to contend with in Group 5.

Wexford is another team expected to challenge for silverware. The second overall seeds take on Kildare, Sligo-Leitrim and Lisburn Castlereagh in the group phase. The Dublin District Schoolboys League (DDSL) could emerge from a group containing the Midlands, Clare and Wicklow.

Last year, the West Cork Academy finished a creditable 13th at the SFAI tournament, playing games against North Eastern Regional League (NERL), Kilkenny, Wexford and North Dublin Schoolboys League before beating Carlow and District Juveniles League 2-0 in a 13th/14th (placing) play-off on the final day of the competition.

A return of three wins and two losses from five matches is a record this year’s West Cork Academy squad will be eager to improve during their week-long stay at the University of Limerick.

The 2026 West Cork Academy Kennedy Cup squad includes Eli Zabala (Riverside Athletic), Aodhán O’Mahony (Ardfield), Dylan O’Brien (Clonakilty AFC), Jack Horgan (Castlelack), Conor Collins (Drinagh Rangers), Samuel Ki (Dunmanway Town), Danny Carroll (Dunmanway Town), Rory Hurley (Drinagh Rangers), Charlie Daly (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).