BY GER McCARTHY
ANOTHER memorable week at the SFAI Kennedy Cup ended with a sixth overall finish – out of 31 competing leagues – for the West Cork Academy U14 schoolboys squad.
Four wins and two losses plus a Kennedy Plate final appearance is a terrific return by any league’s standards. It says much about West Cork’s progression that they travelled home from the University of Limerick pondering what might have been.
The rural academy, coached by Eamon Bradfield and Jack O’Sullivan, topped their opening phase group by gaining maximum points from wins over West Waterford East Cork (WWEC), Mayo and the North Dublin Schoolboys League (NDSL). A narrow 1-0 loss to Wexford in the Kennedy Cup quarter-finals was disappointing. West Cork bounced back superbly to overcome Waterford 2-0 and qualify for the Kennedy Plate final. There, Cork scored twice from corner kicks to edge a closely fought decider 2-0 and confirm West Cork’s sixth overall placing.
Castlelack's Gearoid O'Keefe was voted Coaches' Player of the Tournament by his West Cork Academy team-mates.
West Cork scored 15 times and conceded a miserly four goals in six games. Clonakilty AFC’s Luke O’Neill topped his team’s goal-scoring charts with five strikes including a contender for goal of the tournament. It came as little surprise that O’Neill was voted the Players’ Player of the Tournament by his fellow West Cork Academy squad members. The Coaches’ Player of the Tournament was an individual described as the ‘heart and engine of his team’, Castlelack’s Gearoid O’Keefe.
West Cork Academy manager Eamon Bradfield was immensely proud of his squad and happy to pay tribute at the end of a demanding week in the University of Limerick.
‘It is a sign of how far the West Cork Academy has come when we are leaving Limerick a bit disappointed at finishing sixth,’ Bradfield told The Southern Star.
‘The Academy has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. Now, the expectation and belief is there that we can contend. Bar a slip up against Wexford, I believe we would have had a good shot at winning the Kennedy Cup final itself.’
West Cork’s sixth-place finish is further embellished by the fact they had to battle highly-regarded – and larger academies – from Cork, Waterford and Dublin over the tournament’s closing days.
‘It was a bit unusual to see ourselves, and three big guns like Cork, Waterford and North Dublin contesting the Plate competition,’ Bradfield mused.
‘That is what made this year’s Kennedy Cup a little strange, seeing expected contenders like those three leagues and ourselves knocked out at the quarter-finals stage.’
Clonakilty AFC’s Luke O’Neill scored five goals at the Kennedy Cup.
As ever, the West Cork Academy management and backroom team played vital roles during their week in Limerick. Coaches Eamon Bradfield and Jack O’Sullivan were assisted by the West Cork Academy’s DJ Curtin and David Hall. Physios Aoife O’Sullivan and Martin Haughney proved equally important. After an intense five days of competition, it is testament to Haughney and O’Sullivan’s expertise that all 19 West Cork players were available for Kennedy Plate final selection.
‘The fact that we got to Friday, finals day, with all 19 players fit and available to play was down to Aoife and Martin’s work,’ Bradfield commented.
‘They performed miracles during the week. Players that could only manage 20 minutes on Monday were playing full games by Friday.
‘I have to mention the tremendous support we got as well. Every time I looked over to the side-lines, players and parents were there shouting us on. From Monday all the way through to Friday afternoon, we enjoyed amazing support and are very thankful for it. It was great to see the coaches of next year’s Kennedy Cup supporting us as well.’
West Cork Academy Director of Football, DJ Curtin, has attended his fair share of Kennedy Cups down through the year. The Castlelack club man was present once again in the University of Limerick throughout his academy’s run to the top six.
‘From an academy perspective, this year’s sixth placed finish proves the last two years results were not flashes in the pan,’ Curtin said.
‘It shows how much the academy is progressing. The (initial) target was top our group and that’s what the lads managed. They did that playing some great football, scoring 13 goals and producing some excellent defending too. Everything after that was a bonus.
‘We were unfortunate in the quarter-finals but put in good performances in the Plate semi-finals and final. The box was ticked when we topped the group and won a knockout game. It was disappointing to lose the Plate final but, overall, I am very, very happy with the progression made over the last two years.’
Maintaining the West Cork Academy’s high standards and ensuring players continue to develop are more important than lifting trophies according to the West Cork Academy Director of Football.
‘When you look at the teams we contested the Plate trophy with, Cork DDSL and Waterford, West Cork being able to mix it with those leagues would not have been possible four or five years ago,’ Curtin added.
‘That shows where we are. It goes to show the preparations we put in over the last three years are worth it. We now have a pool of 85 U13 players registered in West Cork. To be able to gather a quarter of that number and compete at the highest Kennedy Cup level shows we can now challenge any teams at these tournaments.’
