WEST Cork Academy U12 and U13 schoolboys squads travelled to Belfast for a series of friendlies including Rangers and Bolton Wanderers last weekend.
Next season’s U12s and U13s schoolboys sides each played three matches against English Championship club Bolton Wanderers’ Northern Ireland Regional Training squad, St Malachy’s Boys Club, Carrick Rangers and Scottish Premier League club Rangers’ Northern Ireland Academy.
Those games took place at Lisburn Laurelhill Sports Complex, Stranmillis College and Campbell College over an intense three-day period.
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The highlight of a productive weekend was the West Cork Academy U13s 4-3 victory over Rangers. Bay Rovers’ Rory Murnane and Skibbereen’s Jimmy Mc Donagh each scored twice in a famous win.
West Cork U13s produced equally impressive displays against Bolton Wanderers, losing 3-1, and St Malachy’s Boys Club, going down 4-3. Bunratty United’s Caolan Cleary scored against Bolton with the same player and Rory Murnane finding the net against St Malachy’s.
The West Cork Academy U12s were also amongst the goals in three entertaining matches. Rohan Santos’ (Castlelack) lone strike wasn’t enough to prevent a 3-1 loss to Bolton on Friday evening.
The following day, Ryan O’Donovan, Chris Moynihan and Tomas Hayes all found the net during a seven-goal thriller in which West Cork lost 4-3 to Carrick Rangers.
Another seven-goal classic, this time against Rangers, saw West Cork lose narrowly, 4-3. Luke Browne, Eolan Hayes and Tomas Hayes found the net in that high-scoring encounter.
Next up for the West Cork Academy schoolboys is a high-profile visit to Liverpool to take on the Premier League club’s Academy side on August 28th.
2027 West Cork Academy U12 Schoolboys: Fionn Connolly (Drinagh Rangers), Paddy Hegarty, Oisin Hourihane (both Bay Rovers), Kyle Lettis (Dunmanway Town), Tomas Hayes (Clonakilty AFC), Chris Moynihan, Rohan Santos, Isabella Santos (all Castlelack), Colm Buckley (Lyre Rovers), Sonny Cleary (Bunratty United), Ryan O’Donovan (Dunmanway Town), Stephen Hayes (Lyre Rovers).
2027 West Cork Academy U13 Schoolboys: Luke Browne (Beara United), Eoghan O’Driscoll (Lyre Rovers), Cian Twomey (Beara United), Jimmy Mc Donagh (Skibbereen), Ciaran Farrell (Dunmanway Town), Rory Murnane (Bay Rovers), Sean Hamilton (Drinagh Rangers), Iarlaith Rohan (Clonakilty AFC), Caolan Cleary (Bunratty United), Eoghan Healy (Dunmanway Town), Morgan Coleman (Bay Rovers), Gearoid Linehan (Castlelack), Charlie Beamish (Drinagh Rangers) Fionn Twomey (Sullane).
