A NEW season of the SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League (WCSSL) will cater for nine age-grades and hundreds of young footballers across the West Cork region.
In all, 25 leagues, along with additional cup and shield knockout competitions at each grade, will be contested by teams representing Ardfield, Bay Rovers, Beara United, Bunratty United, Castlelack, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Dunmanway Town, Kilmichael Rovers, Lyre Rovers, Riverside Athletic, Skibbereen, Sullane and Togher Celtic.
From U8 to U10, the WCSSL mixed leagues will provide plenty of action, a safe playing environment and non-competitive leagues for a growing number of registered schoolboys and schoolgirls. Between the U11 and U16 grades, schoolboys competitions will take place throughout the summer evenings, into the winter and early 2026.
Another welcome development is the increasing number of schoolgirls participating in West Cork football – U12, U13, U14 and U16 league, cup and shield competitions have been created to meet the growing demand.
Last season Dunmanway Town completed a WCSSL U13 schoolgirls league and cup double. A 5-0 win over Castlelack in the U13 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup final proved the perfect ending to Town’s season. Rachel O’Leary netted a hat-trick with Lily Duggan and Ciara Kelly also getting their names on the scoresheet.
That group of Dunmanway players have moved on to the U14 grade for the coming season. Last year’s U13 league and cup winners will go in search of further glory in an age-grade split into two groups. Bay Rovers, Beara United, Clonakilty AFC and Lyre Rovers have been drawn in Group A alongside Dunmanway. Castlelack, Drinagh Rangers, Riverside Athletic and Sullane will contest Group B. In each group, teams will face one another home and away before progressing to the U14 schoolgirls knockout stages.
Drinagh Rangers U16s also completed a schoolgirls league and cup double last season. The Canon Crowley Park side overcame Lyre Rovers 5-2 after extra-time in the U16 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup final – Lucy Hurley (2), Rosie O’Donovan, Katie Collins and Sarah Buttimer goals saw Rangers add a cup trophy to their U16 Premier League title annexed earlier in the campaign. This coming season, Rangers need to see off Bay Rovers, Clonakilty AFC and Lyre if those trophies are to be retained.
2025’s SuperValu WCSSL U14 Schoolgirls grade welcomes nine teams who will compete for three trophies. Bay Rovers won last year’s U14 Shield and have been drawn in Group A of the newly-revamped U14 Schoolgirls League Championship.
The Kealkill club will face Beara United, Clonakilty AFC, Dunmanway Town and Lyre Rovers in a round-robin format, home and away. Group B comprises Castlelack, Drinagh Rangers, Riverside Athletic and Sullane.
The always-entertaining U12 schoolgirls grade was dominated by Inter Clonakilty AFC last season. The Ballyvackey club won both league and cup trophies and this year’s unpredictable competition should prove equally exciting. Inter overcame Lyre Rovers in a cracking U12 Schoolgirls Challenge Cup decider thanks to goals from Eirinn Coppinger (2) and Leah O’Brien.
In 2025, nine clubs will contest the U12 Schoolgirls League, playing each other once (eight games) before splitting into two divisions decided by final league placings. Bay Rovers, Beara United, Castlelack, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Dunmanway Town, Lyre Rovers, Riverside Athletic and Sullane are ready to battle it out for three domestic trophies.
