There are six West Cork Schoolboys League fixtures scheduled to be decided tomorrow with clubs in both the U12 and U16 leagues beginning new 2007-08 campaigns.
U16 League
This weekend's U16 fixture list has been decimated due to a host of cancellations. The involvement of many West Cork Schoolboys League U16 players in various GAA championship matches has meant most clubs are unable to field full squads this weekend. The scheduled matches between Togher Celtic U16 vs. Clonakilty AFC U16, Lyre Rovers U16 vs. Skibbereen U16 and Bunratty United U16 vs. Riverside Athletic U16 have all been postponed.
Harbour United travel to Canon Crowley Park to take on Drinagh Rangers. This match marks Harbour United's first involvement at U16 level in the Schoolboys league. The debutantes will be anxious to make a good impression in their first outing but will face tough opposition in Drinagh Rangers. Anything other than a Drinagh win would be a surprise. Bay Rovers and Leeside meet in Kealkil tomorrow. Bay enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 win when the two sides met in the league last season and another home win is expected tomorrow.
U12 League
Clonakilty AFC begin their U12 league campaign at home to Ardfield in a U12 Group1 fixture with a noon kick-off in Ballyvackey tomorrow. The match represents Ardfield's debut in the Schoolboys League U12 age-group. Clonakilty struggled at U12 level last season but are hoping for better fortune this year. Expect an open encounter between two attacking sides.
Lyre Rovers entertain Durrus in U12 Group1 in Knockskeagh, Lyre tomorrow. The two sides are no strangers to one another having met three times in league and cup action last season. Durrus took maximum points in the league with a 5-0 win back in September and a walkover in April. Lyre gained revenge in a shock U12 first round Cup victory in January. Shane O'Donovan was the hero for Rovers on that occasion with a brace of goals to send Lyre into the quarter finals. Durrus recovered to make the U12 Play-Offs and were unlucky to finish 3rd overall with two draws and a narrow loss in the play-off group. Tomorrow’s visitors to Lyre are expected to be one of the teams challenging for the U12 league title this season so an away victory is the probable outcome.
Bunratty United are at home to Harbour United at 11:30am in Town Park Schull in U12 Group2 tomorrow. Harbour’s first ever league game at U12 level promises to be a tough encounter against a Bunratty side who managed to reach the semi-finals of the U12 Shield and Cup competitions last season.
The meeting of Togher Celtic and Riverside Athletic in U12 Group2 could turn out to be the match of the day in the Schoolboys league programme. Athletic won the U12 Cup last season and finished runners-up in the league to eventual Champions, Bantry Gunners. Togher Celtic enjoyed a solid season last term, but will need to be at their best to have any hope of taking points off Riverside tomorrow.
WCSL LEAGUE FIXTURES- Saturday 8th Sept 2007
U16 League
Bay Rovers vs. Leeside at 2:30pm in Kealkil
Drinagh Rangers vs. Harbour United at 2:30pm in Cannon Crowley Park, Drinagh
Togher Celtic vs. Clonakilty AFC - Postponed - Clonakilty AFC U16 taking cancellation
Lyre Rovers vs. Skibbereen - Postponed - Skibbereen U16 taking cancellation
Bunratty United vs. Riverside Athletic - Postponed - Riverside Athletic U16 taking cancellation
U12 Group1
Clonakilty AFC vs. Ardfield at noon in Ballyvackey
Lyre Rovers vs. Durrus at 1pm in Lyre
U12 Group2
Bunratty United vs. Harbour United at 11:30am in Town Park Schull
Togher Celtic vs. Riverside Athletic at 1pm in Togher
Visit www.westcorkschoolboysleague.com for further details.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
FALSE DAWN NUMBER 1,974?
Tottenham Hotspur have spent big during the close season and have invested over £30 million on two new players, Darren Bent and Gareth Bale, to help bolster their young squad. Manager, Martin Jol, insists that Spurs have a fantastic chance to break into the 'top four' and qualify for the lucrative Champions League next season. "If one club falls out of the top four, Liverpool or Arsenal, why shouldn't we take up that position, why not?
Jol's optimism is well founded considering Tottenham have finished 'best of the rest' - in fifth place - in each of the previous two seasons in the Premiership. A successful run in last season's UEFA Cup was also encouraging as well runs in the Carling Cup (semi finalists) and FA Cups (quarter finalists).
The addition of Bale, in particular, is crucial, as Spurs have been crying out for a natural left-footer on the wing, which will add much needed balance to their midfield. Bale is unproven at Premiership level, but has impressed in recent Welsh internationals with both his crossing and dead ball skills.
The arrival of Darren Bent has sparked much debate about the somewhat excessive price-tag of £16.5 million which accompanied the former Charlton striker. Bent is a proven goal-scorer in the Premiership with 37 goals in 68 Premier League games. Jol is unlikely to have bought Bent to warm the subs bench for the season but the England striker will have to continue his form of the last two years to have any hope of deposing either Dimitar Berbatov or Robbie Keane in the Spurs first team. The move is seen as somewhat of a gamble for Jol considering Bent’s price tag has smashed the previous Spurs transfer record. Tottenham's previous biggest transfer was the £11m paid for Sergei Rebrov from Dynamo Kiev in the summer of 2000, but Spurs fans would probably prefer not to dwell on that…
The signs are positive though as Jol invested heavily in Berbatov a year ago this summer and what a superb signing he turned out to be. The Dutchman was willing to spend big for the Bulgarian when other English clubs seemed disinterested and Jol obviously saw enough quality in Berbatov to know he would score goals in the Premiership.
Jol is quoted at saying: "Darren's strength is his stamina. Normally players will make runs three or four times in 45 minutes, he will do it all the time and if you manage to play balls behind the defence, he will be there. That's what I like about him. He has pace, he links play well and can see a pass - he can exploit the space and play as well. He knows Spurs is the place to be and that's something to be proud of."
The perennial worry for Spurs supporters is the lack of investment in the recurring problem area, the defence. Without Ledley King for much of last season Spurs defence looked porous and were it not for the heroics of Michael Dawson, they may well have missed out on fifth place finish. Paul Robinson had an average year by his own high standards while Chimbonda, Lee and Rocha struggled for much of the campaign. Rumours of the possible purchases of both Curtis Davies (West Brom) and Younes Kabul (Auxerre) have been muted and the arrival of either would be welcome.
Irrespective of who Tottenham manage to bring in before the start of the season the team will have to gel quickly and hit the ground running for the big kick off on the 11th of August away to Sunderland. So poor was Spurs away form last season that they failed to win away from home until after Christmas. A repeat of that poor run of form will certainly prevent the White Hart Lane club from breaking into the top four next season.
Long suffering Spurs fans have been through enough false dawns before, but as with every pre-season, hope springs eternal.
If Bale can provide the ammunition, Berbatov Bent, and Keane score the goals and a couple of new quality defenders are introduced then who knows, maybe Champions League football will arrive at White Hart Lane for the 2008 / 2009 season?
Jol's optimism is well founded considering Tottenham have finished 'best of the rest' - in fifth place - in each of the previous two seasons in the Premiership. A successful run in last season's UEFA Cup was also encouraging as well runs in the Carling Cup (semi finalists) and FA Cups (quarter finalists).
The addition of Bale, in particular, is crucial, as Spurs have been crying out for a natural left-footer on the wing, which will add much needed balance to their midfield. Bale is unproven at Premiership level, but has impressed in recent Welsh internationals with both his crossing and dead ball skills.
The arrival of Darren Bent has sparked much debate about the somewhat excessive price-tag of £16.5 million which accompanied the former Charlton striker. Bent is a proven goal-scorer in the Premiership with 37 goals in 68 Premier League games. Jol is unlikely to have bought Bent to warm the subs bench for the season but the England striker will have to continue his form of the last two years to have any hope of deposing either Dimitar Berbatov or Robbie Keane in the Spurs first team. The move is seen as somewhat of a gamble for Jol considering Bent’s price tag has smashed the previous Spurs transfer record. Tottenham's previous biggest transfer was the £11m paid for Sergei Rebrov from Dynamo Kiev in the summer of 2000, but Spurs fans would probably prefer not to dwell on that…
The signs are positive though as Jol invested heavily in Berbatov a year ago this summer and what a superb signing he turned out to be. The Dutchman was willing to spend big for the Bulgarian when other English clubs seemed disinterested and Jol obviously saw enough quality in Berbatov to know he would score goals in the Premiership.
Jol is quoted at saying: "Darren's strength is his stamina. Normally players will make runs three or four times in 45 minutes, he will do it all the time and if you manage to play balls behind the defence, he will be there. That's what I like about him. He has pace, he links play well and can see a pass - he can exploit the space and play as well. He knows Spurs is the place to be and that's something to be proud of."
The perennial worry for Spurs supporters is the lack of investment in the recurring problem area, the defence. Without Ledley King for much of last season Spurs defence looked porous and were it not for the heroics of Michael Dawson, they may well have missed out on fifth place finish. Paul Robinson had an average year by his own high standards while Chimbonda, Lee and Rocha struggled for much of the campaign. Rumours of the possible purchases of both Curtis Davies (West Brom) and Younes Kabul (Auxerre) have been muted and the arrival of either would be welcome.
Irrespective of who Tottenham manage to bring in before the start of the season the team will have to gel quickly and hit the ground running for the big kick off on the 11th of August away to Sunderland. So poor was Spurs away form last season that they failed to win away from home until after Christmas. A repeat of that poor run of form will certainly prevent the White Hart Lane club from breaking into the top four next season.
Long suffering Spurs fans have been through enough false dawns before, but as with every pre-season, hope springs eternal.
If Bale can provide the ammunition, Berbatov Bent, and Keane score the goals and a couple of new quality defenders are introduced then who knows, maybe Champions League football will arrive at White Hart Lane for the 2008 / 2009 season?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
