SOUTH Belfast ended the West Cork Academy’s SFAI U14 National Shield aspirations at the semi-finals stage in Portlaoise.
David Hall’s side took on a highly-rated South Belfast in the SFAI U14 National Shield semi-finals last Sunday. An entertaining game, played out amid awful weather conditions, saw West Cork break the deadlock after 25 minutes.
Cole O’Tuama’s solo effort handed his side a 1-0 interval lead. South Belfast improved in the second period and levelled matters courtesy of a 40th-minute equaliser.
A second West Cork error was punished with a minute to go as South Belfast netted a winner and progressed to the SFAI U14 National Shield final following a 2-1 triumph. Best for West Cork included Cillian Kingston, Cole O’Tuama and Vitor Coutinho.
West Cork Academy U14 Schoolboys: Cillian Kingston, Eoghan Foley, Michael Ryan, Max Bramoulle, Eoghain Holland, Dara Ryan, Cole O’Tuama, Sean O’Tuama, Sam Mulaney, Rory Ecklof, Vitor Coutinho, Jack Allen, Eoghan Hickey, Aidan Whooley, Fiachra Garrett, Calum Craig, Aaron Harrington, Harry Hall.
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The West Cork Academy’s schoolboys teams learned their SFAI National Inter-League knockout opponents at the conclusion of the recent draws.
Now that the 2025 Munster competitions have finished, the final knockout phase of the SFAI National Inter-Leagues will take place over the coming months. Last week’s draws, completed on SFAI TV’s YouTube channel, confirmed West Cork’s pathways in the U12, U13 and U15 schoolboys age-grades.
West Cork received a bye into the quarter-finals of the SFAI National U12 Schoolboys Trophy and will travel to Longford in the last eight. Whoever emerges from that encounter will have home advantage in the semi-finals against Clare Blue, Tipperary South or Wicklow Yellow.
Prior to the knockout stages, West Cork competed strongly against Cork United, Limerick County White, Limerick Desmond and Clare Yellow in a tough provincial group. Longford found the going equally hard in Leinster, finishing fourth behind Wexford, Kilkenny and Carlow.
In the SFAI National Inter-League U13 Trophy, the West Cork Academy also had the benefit of a bye into the last eight. Encouragingly, West Cork were handed a home quarter-final tie against a set-up they know well, North Tipperary. A home victory would clinch a semi-final away to either Cavan-Monaghan or Sligo-Leitrim.
The draw for the SFAI National Inter-League U15 Trophy resulted in an away trip for the West Cork Academy against either Inishowen or Sligo-Leitrim. Those inter-league sides have yet to meet in their final group fixture with Inishowen on one point and Sligo-Leitrim yet to register a point after two rounds.
Should they emerge from the last eight, the West Cork Academy will enjoy a semi-final on home turf against Waterford. All SFAI National Inter-League preliminary quarter-finals are pencilled in for March 8th/9th. Quarter-finals weekend has been set for March 29th/30th.
