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Bright future ahead after successful West Cork Schoolgirls League season

December 26th, 2025 10:00 AM

By Ger McCarthy

Bright future ahead after successful West Cork Schoolgirls League season Image
U13 Schoolgirls Premier champions Clonakilty AFC celebrate their title-winning campaign.

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THE SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League’s schoolgirls competitions delivered multiple champions across four age-grades.

In the U12 grade, Drinagh Rangers secured the Schoolgirls Premier title, while Riverside Athletic emerged as Championship Trophy winners.

Castlelack topped the initial league phase with an impressive record of 19 points from their eight fixtures. The top five ranked clubs, Castlelack, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Beara United and Lyre Rovers, entered a knockout competition to decide the destination of the Premier Trophy.

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The bottom four ranked sides, Bay Rovers, Dunmanway Town, Riverside Athletic and Sullane, contested the Championship equivalent.

Drinagh overcame Clonakilty AFC and Lyre Rovers bested Beara - who had previously knocked out Castlelack- to reach the Premier decider. Rangers’ Ayesha Daly cancelled out Eabha O’Leary’s opener before two Matilda Kaiser efforts sealed a 3-1 win and the title for Drinagh.

In the Championship Trophy decider, Moya Hennessy’s solitary goal earned Riverside Athletic a narrow 1-0 win over Skibbereen at the Baltimore Road.

A decision by the WCSSL Committee to stage a week-long fixture-list of Schoolgirls Cup and Shield finals at MTU Cork attracted numerous supporters and produced plenty of drama.

Clonakilty AFC overcame Bay Rovers on penalties in an exciting U12 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup final. Gracie McCarthy (Bay) and Emma Deasy (Clonakilty) goals saw the cup decider finish 1-1 after extra-time. The Ballyvackey club emerged with the cup however, winning the ensuing penalty shootout 4-3.

Riverside Athletic and Lyre Rovers produced a five-goal thriller in the U12 Schoolgirls Shield final. Eadaoin Collins (2) scored for Rovers but an Ella Murray hat-trick won it for Riverside.

 

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Clonakilty AFC finished the season as U13 Schoolgirls Premier Division champions.

The Ballyvackey club edged out Dunmanway Town, Beara United and Castlelack for the trophy, securing the title following a 1-0 win over Dunmanway thanks to Éirinn Coppinger’s winner.

Coppinger, along with Leah O’Brien, Ella Murnane Hayes, Lucy Harrington and Molly Scott provided the champions with a steady stream of goals throughout the campaign.

Dunmanway Town denied Clonakilty a league and cup double, overcoming the Ballyvackey side 1-0 in the U13 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup decider. Player of the Match Lucy McCarthy netted the only goal.

The U13 Schoolgirls Shield final produced seven goals with Beara United emerging 6-1 winners over Castlelack. Keelin Sullivan wrote her name into the history books by scoring five times. Katie Downey also netted in a final Isabella Santos provided Castlelack’s lone reply.

 

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Sullane and Clonakilty AFC battled it out for the U14 schoolgirls age-grade’s two main trophies this past year.

The latter topped Group A of the U14 Schoolgirls Premier Division without losing a game ahead of Lyre Rovers, Dunmanway Town, Bay Rovers and Beara United. Sullane finished top of Group B, edging out Drinagh Rangers, Castlelack and Riverside Athletic.

A two-legged U14 Schoolgirls Premier Trophy decider saw the Ballyvourney club secure the title at the expense of Clonakilty.

Sadbh Cronin (2), Abbie Scanlon (2), Aisling Kelleher and Lily Scannell goals handed the Ballyvourney club a 6-3 first leg advantage in Ballyvackey. Clonakilty were unable to reduce the deficit in the second leg, losing 4-0. Abbie Scanlon (2), Rionach White and Aisling Kelleher found the net for the newly crowned champions.

The Ballyvackey club did not finish the season trophyless however, overcoming their great rivals, Sullane, 4-0 to capture the U14 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup at MTU Cork. Clodagh O’Regan (2) , Sally McAuley and Leah O’Brien were on target for the victors.

Lyre Rovers also enjoyed a profitable season by winning both the U14 Schoolgirls Championship Trophy and Shield titles.

Drinagh Rangers were Rovers’ opponents, over two legs, in the Championship Trophy final. An exciting opening leg finished 2-2 in Lyre. Leah Buttimer and Heidi Doyle scored for the hosts with Sarah Buttimer and Laoise Young on target for Drinagh.

The second leg surpassed its predecessor for goals and drama at Canon Crowley Park. Alice O’Sullivan, Leah Buttimer and Heidi Doyle found the net for the visitors but Laoise Young, Leah McCarthy and Nell Kinsella goals saw a cracking encounter end 3-3, and 5-5 on aggregate, after extra-time.

It was Lyre who emerged 4-3 winners on penalties, after sudden death, to claim the U14 Schoolgirls Championship trophy.

MTU Cork was the venue for Lyre’s U14 Schoolgirls Shield final victory over Dunmanway Town. Hannah O’Connell, Katelyn Ponton and Alice O’Sullivan netted the winning goals in a 3-0 triumph.

Admirably, Dunmanway bounced back to claim the U14 Schoolgirls Plaque. A two-legged 6-1 win over Castlelack included Keira Kelly and Faye Barry strikes. Elka Heaney scored for the Brinny club.

Bay Rovers won the U14 Schoolgirls Glass trophy. The Kealkill club proved too strong for Riverside Athletic, winning 6-0 on aggregate over two legs. Izzy Ross scored twice in a 2-0 first leg victory. The same player bagged another brace alongside additional Libby Hicks and Emma Heydenrych efforts to round off Rovers’ triumph.

Sullane players celebrate their U14 Schoolgirls Premier League trophy victory.

 

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Drinagh Rangers dominated the U16 schoolgirls age-grade in 2025.

The Canon Crowley Park club got their season off to a winning start by claiming the U16 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup. A 5-1 win over Clonakilty AFC was attained at MTU Cork. Rosie O’Donovan (2), Katie Collins, Sara Buttimer and Áine Collins scored Drinagh’s goals with Alex O’Brien replying for Clonakilty.

A dominant Rangers went on to complete a U16 Schoolgirls Premier Division and Cup double. Drinagh’s 3-2 defeat of Lyre Rovers  maintained the champions’ perfect league record in their final league outing. That victory was achieved courtesy of Rosie O’Donovan (2) and Sarah Buttimer strikes.

Lyre did not finish the season empty handed, overcoming Bay Rovers 1-0 after extra-time to claim the U16 Schoolgirls Shield at MTU Cork. Katelyn Ponton netted Lyre’s winner.

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