The SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League 2007-08 Season - Half Term Report

West Cork People Columnist Ger McCarthy reviews the first half of an eventful 2007-08 SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League season and profiles some of the players who have been hitting the headlines for their respective clubs.


Already this season the SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League has delivered plenty of excitement, top quality football and goals galore. The eventual outcome of the Under12, Under14 and Under16 League age-grades is still too close to call with a host of clubs still very much in the hunt for the coveted League trophies. Even the recent spell of poor weather has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the thirty two competing sides drawn from clubs all over the West Cork region. Once all of the league fixtures have been completed at Under12, Under14 and Under16 level, the top four ranked sides will enter the final and exciting phase of the season - the play-offs.

The various Cup competitions are also underway with the majority of first round and quarter final ties now completed. The West Cork Shield competitions will also begin at the tail-end of the regular season involving any clubs who miss out on the play-offs. It has been a hectic winter period for the West Cork Schoolboys Kennedy Cup squad who are busy training in preparation for the prestigious All-Ireland Kennedy Cup tournament due to be held in Limerick later this summer.


SUPERVALU UNDER12 LEAGUE
Clonakilty AFC are currently top of the table along with Bay Rovers in the SuperValu Under12 Group1 league. Both sides have been scoring for fun so far this season and look the two most likely teams to qualify for the end of season play-offs. Eoin Ryan is top scorer for Clon while Cian Crowley, Brian Chan, Paul Harte, Jack O'Mahony and Jack Cowhig have also been amongst the goals. Ayrton O'Shea is currently top of the scoring charts for Bay Rovers with Donal Casey, Daniel Murphy, Darren Cronin and Tadgh Linehan also netting regularly this season. Drinagh Rangers, Lyre Rovers and Durrus are still in with an outside chance of splitting the top two as Group1 reaches its climax. The Lyre Rovers strike force of Ben Van Bree and Jamie Hurley have been terrorising defences and regularly finding the net. Jake King, Padraigh Cronin and Gary Lordan are the pick of Drinagh's best performers so far this term. Durrus have not hit the heights of last season but with quality players such as Eoghan O'Dwyer, Patrick McCarthy, Jonathan Lannin and Brian O'Regan in their squad they still have a slim chance of making the top two. Both Ardfield and Leeside have found the going tough in Under12 Group1 this season. Leeside will look to Chris Jones, Liam Fitzgerald and Sean Quinn to inspire them in the Under12 Shield tournament later in the year. Ardfield’s first season in Under12 has been an encouraging if not entirely successful one. The newcomers have talented players such as Ewan Courtney, Cathal Moore and Jack Butler to call on for the remainder of the season.

Group2 of the SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys Under12 League is proving to be an enthralling contest. Schoolboys League debutantes, Dunmanway Town have enjoyed a tremendous start to their inaugural season by topping the group after eight games. Dylan O'Driscoll, John Kelly, Killian O'Donovan, Raymond O'Brien and Owen Lavers are just a selection of players from a highly talented squad which has seen Town rise to the top of the league. Bunratty United currently lie in second place three points ahead of a chasing pack including Skibbereen, Riverside Athletic and Togher Celtic. Bunratty are an excellent team full of top quality players including Connor O’Driscoll who has scored a remarkable 16 goals in all competitions already this season. Arron Barry, Cathal Newman and Clodagh O'Callaghan have also contributed to United’s excellent start. Skibbereen are looking the most likely side to break into the top two play-off positions. Stephen McCarthy is the Baltimore Road side’s top scorer this term with 13. Owen Collins, Sean O’Donovan and Sean Casey have also been amongst the goals for Skibb. The remaining teams have their work cut out for them to break into the top two. Togher Celtic’s Jake Inglis and Niall Crowley have been regularly hitting the target while Riverside Athletics’ Trevor Horgan, Rory O’Connor and Jack O’Callaghan are top scorers for the Balineen club. Clonakilty Youths have found the going tough in a highly competitive group. Players such as Daniel Lane, Daniel Kelleher, John Hodnett and Mark Crowley have impressed and the Youths will be a match for any side in the Under12 Shield competition.


SUPERVALU UNDER14 LEAGUE
The SuperValu Under14 League is turning out to be the most intriguing of the West Cork Schoolboys Leagues this year. The top four ranked sides at the end of the regular season will move forward to the play-offs to decide the U14 title. Lyre Rovers are currently top of the league with only a handful of games remaining. Rovers are enjoying a tremendous run having lost only once so far this season. A squad brimming with talent including the likes of James Hayes, Shane O'Donovan, Gearoid Barry, Ethan Draper and Scott Sheehan has propelled Lyre to the top. Bunratty United are only three points behind Lyre in second place with a game in hand. The Schull side have been hugely impressive this term thanks to the performances of Sean Evans, Eddie Goggin, Gavin McEntaggart and Adam Collins. Skibbereen are currently in third place but still have a 100% record after six games. The Baltimore Road club have been scoring for fun this season with Dan MacEoin topping the charts with 20 goals. Skibb also possess top quality players such as Rudi Henwood, Brendan O’Dwyer and Jason Minihane. Any one of these three sides (Lyre, Bunratty or Skibb) are capable of winning the title and are certainties to make the play-offs. The last remaining play-off spot is going to be a battle between the following clubs: Togher Celtic, Bay Rovers, Drinagh Rangers or Riverside Athletic. Any one of these sides are capable of breaking into the top four. The Under14 play-off positions are not likely to be decided until the final weekend of the regular season. Clonakilty AFC, Ballydehob and Clonakilty Youths have failed to make an impact in the Under14 league this season but are likely to figure strongly in the Under14 Shield tournament later this year. AFC’s top scorers include Tadgh Casey, Gearoid O’Brien and Martin Scally. Ballydehob are playing in the West Cork Schoolboys League for the first time this year and have enjoyed superb performances from players such as Bosko Minihane, Tadgh O’Mahony and Alan Cronin. The Clon Youths starring players so far this season include Daniel Laker, Cian O’Donovan, Finbarr Butler and John O’Brien.


SUPERVALU UNDER16 LEAGUE
Togher Celtic have been the surprise package of the SuperValu Under16 League so far this season. Celtic currently lie top of the table and are unbeaten with three games remaining. Strikers Cian O’Mahony and Danny O’Sullivan have scored 5 goals each this season with Declan Coughlan, David Collins and Billy Lurkins also weighing in. Last year’s champions, Riverside Athletic, are in second place only three points behind Togher. Michael O’Driscoll has found the net 10 times already this term for the Balineen club with Rory Baggott, Neville Maybury, Ger Rice and Brian McCarthy also on the scoresheet. The two remaining Under16 play-off spots are still very much up for grabs. Drinagh Rangers and Lyre Rovers look the most likely to secure those berths. Samuel Ross is top scorer for Drinagh with 4 and Michael O’Driscoll for Lyre with 3. Skibbereen, Clonakilty AFC and Bunratty United may yet have a say in the race for the play-offs before the end of the season. Skibb will look to Mark Collins, Thomas Hegarty and Darragh Leonard to fire them into the top four. Clonakilty will hope John O’Sullivan, Colin O ‘Flynn and Alan O’Sullivan can inspire them with a late flurry of goals. Bunratty have games in hand on their opponents and will fancy their chances with Jack Twomey and Ger O’Callaghan on target already this season. Bay Rovers and Leeside are out of the running and will focus their attention on the Under16 Shield tournament later this season. Ricky Peters, Mark Delaney and David Power have been on the scoresheet for Bay this term while David Hourihane, Ben Shorten, Denis O’Leary and Sean O’Leary have netted for Leeside.


THE SCHOOLBOYS LEAGUE SPONSORS & REFEREES
2007-2008 marked the first season the West Cork Schoolboys League acquired an official sponsor. SuperValu’s decision to come on board and sponsor the leagues, shields and play-off competitions as well as man of the match trophies is the best piece of news the Schoolboys League has received in many years. The Committee is eternally grateful to SuperValu for their generosity and support for this season and hopefully many more seasons ahead. The SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League could not function without the attendance and expertise of the West Cork League Referees. Special thanks to Anthony McDermott, Stephen McDermott, John Reidy, John Desmond, Brian Collins, Martin Coakley, Eoghan Houlihan, Sam Aba, Michael Daly, Richie Collins, Shane Goggin and Terry Minihane for officiating at various Schoolboys League games over the past seasons. It is hoped that the treatment and general appreciation of referees by Schoolboys League players, coaches and supporters will continue to improve as the season progresses. Referees are a rare commodity these days and the SuperValu WCSL is fortunate to have such a capable pool of officials to call on each weekend.