FOR the second year in a row, the Cork Schoolboys League are through to the final of the SFAI Umbro Kennedy Cup as they narrowly beat a strong Wexford and District Schoolboys League side 1-0 at the University of Limerick on Thursday afternoon.

Not for the first time this week, Mallow United’s Eoin Looney proved to be the hero as his sensational finish from the edge of the penalty area in the first half was enough to defeat Wexford, who saw their goalkeeper sent off before that strike and secure Cork’s place in the showpiece occasion where they will meet Munster rivals Waterford on Friday.

“It was an end-to-end battle,” Cork manager Robin O’Day told the SFAI’s Facebook page shortly after full-time.

“It was a cracking goal and Eoin has been fantastic. The whole team has been fantastic all week and we can’t really have expected any more from them so we are delighted.

“The boys have been fantastic since October. It’s been a long, long road and we felt if we could come through our group we had a good chance of getting to the final.

“And now we have the final to look forward to it’s a huge, huge opportunity for these young lads.

It’s about enjoying it because this experience and the feeling these lads will feel today… it’s very hard to get anywhere else.” 

Cork’s aim for this tournament is to go one better than last year when they progressed to the final of the Kennedy Cup for the first time in 14 long years.

They were hoping to become just the fourth side in the history of the Cork Schoolboys League to win the trophy but unfortunately, it wasn’t to be their day as they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by South Belfast.

Cork came into this semi-final clash with Wexford high on confidence following their impressive performances and results earlier in the week.

On Monday the Leesiders made a statement of intent as they put six goals past Cavan/Monaghan without reply including a hat-trick from Eoin Looney.

Then on Tuesday, the men from the Rebel county produced another excellent display to claim a 3-0 win over Roscommon and they then followed that up with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph against Limerick Desmond which saw them march through as Group 5 winners.

And on Wednesday in the quarters against Donegal, they only needed one goal - again from Looney - to seal their place in the semis with Wexford.

And on Thursday he proved to be the match winner again as his low drive from 20 yards rolled into the bottom left corner to seal their place in Friday’s final with Waterford, who were 1-0 winners in their last four clash with the Dublin District Schoolboys League.

CORK SCHOOLBOYS LEAGUE: 

Adam Lee (Carrigtwohill United), Scott O’Sullivan (Rockmount), Ryan Dineen (Leeside), Ross O’Herlihy (Avondale United), Luke McDonnell (Springfield Ramblers), Matthew Dowling (Douglas Hall), Lewis Linehan (Douglas Hall), Matthew Kiernan (Carrigaline United), Colin Healy (Mallow United), Cormac Deane (Midleton), Eoin Looney (Mallow United), Jamie Horgan (Douglas Hall), David O’Connell (Douglas Hall), Liam Cregan (Douglas Hall), Darragh Lynch (Tramore Athletic), Rory Cullinane (Leeside), Eoghan Hogan (Lakewood Athletic), Ben Fitzgerald (Midleton), Aaron O’Mahony (Leeside), Shane Murtagh (Churchvilla).