ARDFIELD outlasted Lyre Rovers to win the 2024 SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League U12 Schoolboys Shield final.
Despite the poor weekend weather conditions last weekend, Clonakilty Rugby Club’s astro pitch was cleared to host Sunday’s U12 schoolboys’ shield decider.
Johnny O’Loghlin handed Ardfield an early advantage by scoring inside five minutes. Lyre hit back however, with Oisin Madden and Jason O’Connell netting. That was Ardfield’s cue to up the tempo and the eventual winners added four goals without reply. A second O’Loghlin effort along with Danny Sutton, Aodhán O’Mahony and Ryan Whelton strikes cemented a 5-2 victory for a delighted Ardfield team.
Ardfield: F Murray, A O’Mahony (captain), M Hayes, C Crowley, J Montgomery, J O’Loghlin, R Whelton, F McMahon, C McCarthy. Subs: I Power, J Sutton, J O’Shea, D Sutton, J Hayes.
Lyre Rovers: D Hayes, S Galwey, E Ulianov, J O’Donovan, J O’Connell, M Twomey, O O’Sullivan, J Bonner, O Madden (captain). Subs: B Egan, V Beechinor, L Fargnoli, C Murphy, S Hayes, C Baker.
Referee: M Coakley.
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Bay Rovers are through to the 2024 SuperValu U13 Schoolboys Cup final. The Kealkill team and Clonakilty AFC produced a five-goal thriller in Sunday’s semi-final in Ballyvackey. Michael Collins and Ross Murphy found the net for Clonakilty but Michael Hayden, Sam Mullany and Leo Arundel earned Bay Rovers a 3-2 win and place in this season’s U13 Cup decider. Rovers will learn who their opponents are once a previously postponed Lyre Rovers and Dunmanway Town last-four encounter is completed.
Beara United and Riverside Athletic produced a thrilling SuperValu U13 Schoolgirls Shield final that needed penalties to decide the outcome. Two evenly-matched teams finished level after extra-time. Katie Downey and Ellie Dickinson found the net for Beara with Annabella McCarthy netting twice for Athletic in a 2-2 draw. Beara held their nerve in the shootout, winning 4-2 to lift the trophy.
The Beara United U13 schoolgirls' team won the U13 Schoolgirls Shield final.
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There was a dramatic conclusion to this season’s SuperValu U14 Schoolboys Premier League. Castlelack Celtic travelled to Ballyvackey on Sunday to face Inter Clonakilty in the division’s final game of the season. Prior to kick-off, the sides were level on 20 points apiece, making the title-scenario straightforward. A victory for either Inter or Castlelack would secure the trophy whilst a draw would force a play-off.
Celtic got off to the best possible start with top scorer Jack Allen finding the net after nine minutes. Inter hit back however, levelling matters when Patrick Sloan set up Noah Franklin to equalise ten minutes after falling behind. The goals kept coming as Eoin Murphy edged Castlelack back in front late in the first half. Two-one ahead, things were looking even better for the Brinny club when Oran Keohane found the net.
Admirably, Inter Clonakilty mustered a gutsy response. Noah Franklin’s second strike offered the home team hope. Fionn Coppinger completed a terrific Inter a Clonakilty comeback to make it 3-3 just before the end. A cracking fixture ended 3-3 and because WCCSL rules don’t take goal difference into account, a winner take all play-off is required between Inter and Castlelack to decide the destination of this season’s U14 Schoolboys Premier trophy.
Castlelack United hosted Togher Celtic in the SuperValu U14 Schoolboys Championship at Brinny last weekend. The visitors broke the deadlock thanks to a Tommy Noonan goal after 28 minutes. Calum Craig levelled from the penalty spot but Noonan converted Togher’s second penalty just before the end to cement a 2-1 success. That result saw Celtic leapfrog United in the standings. Ardfield claimed the SuperValu U14 Schoolboys Championship title earlier this season.
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West Cork clubs experienced contrasting fortunes in the Munster sections of the 2024/25 SFAI National Cup and Shield competitions in recent weeks. This past weekend, Dunmanway Town and Sullane schoolgirls’ teams scheduled National Cup ties were postponed due to the inclement weather. One tie that did go ahead saw Clonakilty AFC travel to Bandon for an U12 Schoolgirls National Trophy tie. Despite a valiant effort, the Ballyvackey club were knocked out on a 3-1 scoreline.
Bay Rovers made progress in the SFAI U16 National Schoolboys Trophy following a terrific victory away to Lakewood A. Shane O’Brien goal broke the deadlock and he doubled his team’s lead before the interval. O’Brien turned provider to set up Dominic Placzek for Bay Rovers’ final goal in a merited 3-0 win.
Castlelack have also made it through in the latest provincial round of the SFAI U14 National Schoolboys Trophy, Amid awful conditions, the hosts recovered from conceding an early goal to Macroom and moved 2-1 ahead courtesy of a Declan Kerr brace. Macroom hit back however, and led 3-2 before a late Jack Allen equaliser sent the tie to extra-time. Penalties were required when neither side could add to their totals. Aidan Morgan proved Castlelack’s hero, saving Macroom’s final spot kick to send Castlelack through.
There was more good news for the WCSSL when Clonakilty City travelled to Leeside and knocked the Cork Schoolboys League club out of the SFAI U12 National Schoolboys Trophy competition. Ciaran Wilcox netted a hat-trick and Aaron Nash also scored in a 4-0 Clonakilty win.
