West Cork Schoolboys League – Season Preview 2007-08

The West Cork Schoolboys League returns on Saturday the 1st of September with a bumper list of Under14 league fixtures kicking off the new season. 2006-2007 proved to be a huge success as a result of the league's tremendous performance in the annual Kennedy Cup tournament. Thanks to the Herculean efforts of James Walsh's side the West Cork Schoolboys League is now ranked as the 7th best under-age soccer league in the country.

The new season sees 14 clubs fielding over 35 teams at 3 different age groups: U12, U14 and U16. The Schoolboys league is indebted to the dedicated service provided by the West Cork League Referee’s who are present every Saturday to officiate at the various league and cup matches. Many of the West Cork based clubs have entered the National Cup competitions with fixtures scheduled to be completed over the coming weeks.


New W.C.S.L Web Site
The 2007-2008 season sees the launch of a brand new web site dedicated to the West Cork Schoolboys League. The site can be found at the following address: http://www.westcorkschoolboysleague.com. The W.C.S. L. web site will display up-to-date fixtures, results and league tables for the U12, U14 and U16 leagues. The site includes an historical section reviewing past seasons. There is a gallery section containing photos from Schoolboy league and cup matches since 2005 and a feedback form to send in match reports, club news or general queries. Each club will have its own dedicated page on the web site updated with club news, fixtures and results throughout the season. A new Kennedy Cup section has also been included chronicling the West Cork side’s participation in the prestigious tournament in recent years.


W.C.S.L. Meeting
The Schoolboys League held its first meeting of the new season in the Arch Bar, Dunmanway, on the 14th of August. There was a very encouraging turnout with delegates from each competing club in attendance, including representatives from four new clubs: Ardfield, Ballydehob, Dunmanway Town and Harbour United. Ardfield and Dunmanway Town are each entering teams in the U12 league. Ballydehob will compete at Under 14 while Harbour United plan to enter teams at U12, U14 and U16 level. The following committee members were returned to their posts for the coming season: Paddy McCarthy - Chairman, Don Hurley - Fixtures Secretary, Danny Peters - Treasurer, Andrew Martin - Secretary, Martin Henwood - Registrar and Ger McCarthy - Public Relations Officer.

Chairman, Paddy McCarthy, addressed the club delegates and welcomed everyone back for another year, especially the representatives of new clubs joining for the 07-08 season. Paddy congratulated the Kennedy Cup squad on their efforts in the 2007 tournament. The Chairman warned delegates that fines will be imposed if pitches are not up to scratch or adequate first aid kits, water bottles and footballs are not present at each game this season. WCSL Secretary, Andrew Martin handed out F.A.I. Player Registration Forms, Sudden Cardiac Death Screening Questionnaires and Play Transfer Forms and booklets to each club delegate. It was also decided that every club must have a representative at each of the W.C.S.L meetings on the first Tuesday of every month for the coming season. Representatives cannot be existing committee members. 9pm Tuesday night is the deadline for cancelling a weekend fixture at U12, U14 or U16 level.

Fixtures Secretary, Don Hurley, presided over the draws for the U12, U14 and U16 leagues for the 2007 -2008 season. The U12 and U16 fixtures will be played on the same Saturday with U14 league fixtures taking place on the alternate weekends. The U14 league begins on Saturday, the 1st of September and the U12 and U16 schoolboy leagues kick off the following Saturday, September the 8th.



U12 League
The 2007-2008 U12 League will be split into two groups (Group 1 and Group 2) made up of 7 teams in each group. Each team will play one another twice, home and away, giving a minimum of 12 league fixtures for each club. The Play-Off format for the U12 league has changed this season with the winner of Group1 playing the runner-up of Group2 and the Winner of Group2 playing the runner-up of Group1 in two (knock-out) semi finals for a place in the U12 League final.

Bantry Gunners capped off a remarkable season to deservedly claim the 2007 West Cork Schoolboys U12 League title. The Gunners finished the season unbeaten in both the league and play-offs. Skibbereen lifted the U12 Shield trophy after defeating Drinagh Rangers in the final and Riverside Athletic completed the U12 honours list by claiming the U12 Cup with a 3-1 victory over Leeside in the decider.

Bantry Gunners underage club have decided to link up with neighbours Bay Rovers for the forthcoming 2007 – 2008 season. The two clubs decided to join forces so as to be able to put forward a stronger challenge in both the West Cork Schoolboys U12 and U14 Leagues. Rovers will now expect to emerge from U12 Group 1 with the addition of the ex-Bantry Gunners players to an already talented squad. Leeside and Durrus are likely to be the sides doing battle with Bay for the two play-off spots. Drinagh Rangers, Clonakilty AFC and Lyre Rovers struggled for long periods last season but the U12 Shield and U12 Cup competitions offer the best hope of silverware this time around. League debutantes Ardfield complete the U12 Group1 line-up.

Dunmanway Town and Harbour United have been handed a tough draw in U12 Group2. The newcomers have been drawn alongside current U12 Cup holders, Riverside Athletic and 06-07 U12 Shield winners Skibbereen. Bunratty United, Clonakilty AFC Youths and Togher Celtic complete the Group2 line-up. Skibb missed the play-offs by a single point last season and will be determined to emerge from Group2 this time around. Togher Celtic, Bunratty United and Riverside Athletic should also be in contention in what is regularly one of the most entertaining age groups in the West Cork Schoolboys League.

U12 Group 1: Ardfield, Bay Rovers, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Durrus, Leeside and Lyre Rovers.
U12 Group 2 Teams: Bunratty United, Clonakilty AFC Youths, Dunmanway Town, Harbour United, Riverside Athletic, Skibbereen and Togher Celtic.



U14 League
The 2007 – 2008 U14 League will be run as a regular competition this season (unlike last year when there were two separate groups) with 11 teams taking part. Each side will play one another once guaranteeing a minimum of 10 league fixtures (5 home and 5 away). The top 4 ranked teams at the end of the regular league season will progress to a round-robin play off tournament to decide the U14 League Champions.

Drinagh Rangers dominated the 2006 - 2007 West Cork Schoolboys U14 League by securing an extraordinary league and Cup double. Lyre Rovers claimed the third U14 trophy, the U14 Shield, after a thrilling 4-3 final win over Riverside Athletic. Drinagh remained unbeaten throughout the play-offs and were worthy winners of both U14 league and cup titles.

Possible contenders for the U14 league crown this coming season include Skibbereen, Bunratty United, Togher Celtic and Bay Rovers. Skibb finished runners-up in the play-offs last season and will be one of the favourites to make the end of season playoffs. Togher Celtic managed to reach the U14 Cup final and finish 3rd overall in the play-offs. Drinagh Rangers face the arduous task of attempting to win back to back U14 leagues. It is going to take a massive effort by the reigning champions to retain the title.

Clonakilty AFC are entering two sides at U14 level this season: Clon AFC and Clon AFC Youths. The Clon teams along with Lyre Rovers and Riverside Athletic will each be hoping to figure in the play-offs for the league title at the end of the season. U14 newcomers Ballydehob and Harbour United will have to hit the ground running in what is one of the most competitive of all the schoolboy leagues. Both sides will be have to pick up as many points - as quickly as possible - if they are to keep pace with the established teams in the U14 grade.

U14 Teams: Ballydehob, Bay Rovers, Bunratty United, Clonakilty AFC, Clonakilty AFC Youths, Drinagh Rangers, Harbour United, Lyre Rovers, Riverside Athletic, Skibbereen and Togher Celtic.



U16 League
The U16 League will be run as a single league this year with 10 teams competing. Each side will play one another once guaranteeing 5 home and 5 away fixtures. The top 4 ranked teams at the end of the regular season will progress to a round-robin tournament (Play-Offs) to decide the U16 league title.

Riverside Athletic defied the odds to win the 2006-2007 Schoolboys U16 League Championship. Athletic left it late in each of the play-off games but were rewarded for their attacking efforts with consecutive victories over Skibbereen, Togher Celtic and Bunratty United. Bay Rovers retained the West Cork Schoolboys U16 Shield and Skibbereen won the U16 Cup with a 2-0 victory over Togher Celtic in the Cup Final. Clonakilty AFC enjoyed a magnificent run in the U16 National Cup and represented the West Cork Schoolboys League with great distinction.

The race for the 07-08 U16 league title is certain to be a close one. Champions, Riverside Athletic, will have their work cut out in defending the title they won is such dramatic fashion at the end of last season. Last season’s U16 Cup winners, Skibbereen, will be anxious to bounce back from their poor run in the play-offs which saw them claim a meagre 3 points from a possible 9. U16 League runners-up, Togher Celtic, will hope to go one better this season and another play-off spot looks likely. Clubs with an outside chance of making the play-offs include Drinagh Rangers, Bunratty United and Shield winners, Bay Rovers. Clonakilty AFC, Leeside and Lyre Rovers will start the season as rank outsiders, each hoping to improve on last season’s disappointing performances in the U16 league.

U16 Teams: Bay Rovers, Bunratty United, Clonakilty AFC, Drinagh Rangers, Harbour United, Leeside, Lyre Rovers, Riverside Athletic, Skibbereen and Togher Celtic


Kennedy Cup
The U13 West Cork Schoolboys League representative side achieved their second highest finish ever in the 2007 Kennedy Cup. The Kennedy Cup competition is an opportunity for all the various leagues affiliated with the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland to display their talent at youth level. 7th overall is a remarkable achievement considering West Cork is one of the smallest leagues represented at the annual competition. One of the highlights of the tournament included the awarding of the "UMBRO Team of the day” to West Cork for winning Group 3. UMBRO presented the W.C.S.L with 6 new footballs and a new team kit-bag to reward their incredible achievement.

The 2007 squad were a credit to the Schoolboys League and gave a great account of the W.C.S.L. at the tournament. Gearoid Barry, Sean Evans, Daniel Twomey, Kevin Davis, Rudi Henwood and Dan MacEoin were just some of the talented players who excelled during the competition. The back-room staff comprising of coaches James Walsh, Conor Uhl and Martin White, along with Martin Henwood (Registrar) and Paddy McCarthy (Chairman) deserve immense credit for preparing and looking after the squad. The West Cork selection will enter next years Kennedy Cup tournament with one of their highest rankings ever (7th). West Cork will now be one of the eight group seeds in the first round draw, thus increasing their chances of making the knock-out stages.


The Evening Echo will continue its support of the West Cork Schoolboys League with the most comprehensive coverage of the 2007 / 2008 season. Match reports, weekend previews, fixtures, results and roundups will regularly appear in the Echo throughout the season.

The new West Cork Schoolboys League season promises to be another fascinating, entertaining and unpredictable roller-coaster ride. There is much to look forward to with more and more talented players emerging at U12, U14 and U16 level each year. Good luck to each of the West Cork clubs and their respective coaches, players, parents and supporters.