CLONAKILTY AFC U18s are on a roll right now.
Not only are they top of their Cork Youth League (U18 League 2), they have a FAI Youth Cup round three (last 32) tie to look forward to against Limerick outfit Pike Rovers this Sunday at 2pm in Ballyvackey.
The high-flying Clonakilty team currently has a 100 percent winning record in their league too, the only team across all the divisions in the county to do so, scoring 32 goals and conceding just three in their six straight wins.
They are two points ahead of Buttevant with a game in hand and are having a serious run in all competitions.
The reason Clonakilty AFC compete in the county leagues is that West Cork schoolboys’ leagues stop at U16.
Their managers, Craig Scott and Tadhg Murphy, have masterminded not only a fantastic league start but two home cup wins over Mayfield (4-1) and Lakewood (4-2). The latter victory was even more impressive given that Clon lost to Lakewood in another cup competition two weeks prior. Not to mention the fact that Lakewood are three leagues higher than Clon and sit third in the U18 Premier League currently. Clon produced a giant killing.
By winning the first two rounds, the West Cork club advanced to rounds against teams outside the county bounds and they have got a third home draw in a row. Club secretary Sam Doherty is thrilled with the team’s journey.
‘It’s great. The morale around the team is unreal. They are playing so well and are just delighted to get into the last 32,’ she said.
‘The cup run is very important. The lads are delighted to go to training, delighted to go to the match. It is a big squad, 24 altogether and only 18 can play on a matchday. The ones that aren’t picked come anyway though. They want to see the team win. Hopefully we can continue past Sunday.’
This free-scoring Clon team – sporting new shirt sponsors, EmployFlex – is enjoying their soccer right now and they don’t want this brilliant cup run to halt this weekend.
‘Obviously, the aim is the final but we have no aspirations really. We are just taking it game by game,’ Doherty explained.
‘We are top of the league with six wins from six games. Last year, we were third from bottom. A new manager and a few new lads and the team has turned around.’
Managers Scott and Murphy have added extra enthusiasm to this group of players. The club’s amazing start to the season didn’t happen by chance.
‘The dedication they have is massive. They are always at training, always there hours before the match is due to start, making sure everything is correct. They’ve done well to bring this team on,’ Doherty explained.
The Clonakilty AFC U18 squad that will play Pike Rovers is Tim Bailey, Bill Bennett, Sean Gough, Dylan Harrington, Seamus Lane, James Maguire, Rory McCarthy, Jerry McCarthy, Eoghan Minihan, Eddie Morrissey, Sean Murphy, Jason Murray, Emmet Nolan, Sean O’Carroll, Paddy O’Crowley, Patrick O’Donovan, Rory O’Neill, Adam Sexton, Arjun Singh Negi, Ivan Sydorenko, Richie Walsh, Sean Whelton and Paddy White.
