A MAGNIFICENT third place finish at the 2023 O’Neill’s Foyle Cup was fully deserved for the West Cork Academy U13 Schoolboys in Derry.
‘Ambition, belief, commitment, pride and respect’ are the core words emblazoned across the West Cork Academy flag on display throughout last week’s Foyle Cup tournament odyssey.
2023 will be remembered as the summer the rural academy, still without a permanent home, finished third at the SFAI Kennedy Cup.
Now, the year will also be remembered for the academy’s U13 schoolboys emulating their U14 schoolboys counterparts. Finishing third at the prestigious O’Neill’s Foyle Cup represents another important milestone in the evolution of schoolboys and schoolgirls soccer throughout the region.
Taking on and beating the cream of northern schoolboys soccer’s best and most established clubs, West Cork wrote their name into the history books.
Academy team manager Eamon Bradfield was proud of his players and backroom team’s efforts.
‘The trip to the Foyle Cup was all about getting the lads used to tournament football,’ Bradfield told The Southern Star.
‘The format matches that of the Kennedy Cup even though it is still a year away for these lads. Now, they will know exactly what they are facing next summer.
‘Really, our week in Dery was all about putting in the ground work for next year. Getting the lads used to playing six matches in five days was the first box to be ticked. After that, it was all about our performances. We did very well in the group stage, winning all three games. Every day, we asked the lads to go up through the gears and just keep improving. We did that over the first three games before putting in an unbelievable performance in the quarter-finals against Oliver Plunketts FC.
‘Everything we worked on the training ground over the last two months paid off.’
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Having convincingly defeated Castlefin Celtic and overcome Rosario Colts FC 3-1, the West Cork Academy secured top spot in Group A with a third consecutive win on day three of the Foyle Cup tournament.
Derry’s Top of the Hill Celtic were West Cork’s final group opponents where Luke O’Neill, Ethan O’Donovan and Eoin Murphy strikes cemented a 3-0 win for the latter.
As a result, Eamon Bradfield’s side faced a daunting Foyle Cup quarter-final against Oliver Plunkett FC. One of the most famous names in northern soccer circles qualified for the last eight by topping Group H with three wins, 20 goals scored and just one conceded.
West Cork reserved their best display of the week however, and emerged 7-1 winners against a Plunkett’s side minus a couple of first team regulars away representing Manchester United’s U13s. Charlie Moore (2), Luke O’Neill (2), Ethan O’Donovan (2) and Fionn Coppinger all scored in a game Plunketts finished with nine players following two late sending offs.
A Foyle Cup semi-final clash with the highly-regarded Magherafelt Sky Blues produced one of the matches of the tournament on day four.
Luke O’Neill cancelled out an early Magherafelt opener but the Sky Blues hit back and led 2-1 at the interval. Chances came and went at both ends of a terrific second period where Eoin Murphy made it 2-2. Unfortunately for West Cork, Magherafelt Sky Blues struck a winner in the final minute, a cracking goal, to win it 3-2 and deny the rural academy a place in the Foyle Cup final.
A third and fourth placed play-off took place on the final day of competition. Having overcome Rosario FC’s Colts earlier in the week, the same Belfast club’s first team were West Cork’s play-off opponents.
Incessant rain and a strong wind made life awkward for both teams at Dromkeen grounds. West Cork continued their trend of fast starts by breaking the deadlock after two minutes as Donal McSweeney hit the net. A tough, hard-hitting game ensued, despite the poor weather conditions, and West Cork held a 1-0 lead at half time.
West Cork maintained their shape and doubled their lead through Luke O’Neill. Rosario FC underlined their quality by halving the deficit with five minutes remaining but the West Cork Academy held on for a 2-1 victory and a third overall placing at the Foyle Cup.
‘One of the things that this year’s Kennedy Cup squad did was give our lads the belief that West Cork can do well at tournaments,’ Eamon Bradfield concluded.
‘We know that this squad will do well next year at the Kennedy Cup in the University of Limerick.’
2023 West Cork Academy Foyle Cup squad: Darragh Bradfield (Riverside Athletic), Harry Chambers (Castlelack), Fionn Coppinger (Clonakilty AFC), Charlie Curtin (Castlelack), Noah Franklin (Clonakilty AFC), Fionn Harrigan (Clonakilty AFC), Paddy Haughney, (Clonakilty AFC), Conor Hourihan (Kilgoban Celtic), Daniel Kiely (Castlelack), Donal McSweeney (Castlelack), Charlie Moore (Clonakilty AFC), Conor Murphy (Riverside Athletic), Eoin Murphy (Castlelack), Ethan O’Donovan (Clonakilty AFC), Luke O’Neill (Clonakilty AFC), Gearoid O’Keeffe (Castlelack), Paddy O’Brien (Dunmanway Town), Ronan Twomey (Clonakilty AFC).
