Cork Schoolboys 1 

West Cork 1 

(West Cork win 4-3 on penalties) 

WEST CORK defeated Cork Schoolboys 3-2 on penalties to top their group in the SFAI U15 Inter League at Ballea Park last Sunday afternoon after the sides finished level 1-1 after full time.

Played in brilliant late autumn sunshine, Cork, playing against a stiff wind, had the first chance after only a minute of play when Eoin Looney’s free kick from just outside the area was tipped over the bar by William Doyle in the West Cork goal at the expense of a corner kick.

However, just 8 minutes later the visitors took the lead when Tim Sweeney met a long kick out from the keeper and raced towards the goal sending the ball low into the far corner giving Cork keeper Diarmuid O’Riordan no chance.

Cork continued to press forward, Conor Burke’s effort going just wide while Liam Lynch’s shot from 25 yards was well covered by Doyle. Additional chances fell to Darragh Lynch whose ball from Looney was just a little too long for him and followed by Lewis Lenihan’s deflected shot from outside the area as Cork looked to get back into the game, but it was West Cork who led by a single score at the break.

Cork pressed forward following the restart, David Scannell heading over from a corner kick, but West Cork almost added a second moments later only for Tim Sweeney’s touch near the goal going out for a goal kick.

The home side were pressing forward but found themselves up against a stern West Cork defence who were hanging on to their slender lead and scrambling the ball away at every given moment as Cork were piling on the pressure but couldn’t get a decent shot in at goal.

West Cork substitute keeper Rory Curtin did well to block efforts from Ben Fitzgerald and Cian Daly as Cork won no less than seven corners looking for the equalising score.

West Cork counter attacked on a few occasions, their best chance on goal coming from Tim Sweeney whose effort was well covered by the Cork substitute keeper Adam Lee while at the other end Cork’s Ben Fitzgerald had a chance from a free kick, but it came off the defensive wall and out for a corner.

Three minutes from time Cork managed to get the score they were so desperately looking for when Alex McSweeney’s cross on the near side found Darragh Lynch at the far post who neatly slotted the ball into the far corner away from West Cork keeper Rory Curtin as the Cork team celebrated.

Time eventually ran out for both teams, and instead of extra time being played, a penalty shoot-out took place to decide the winner and it was the West Cork team who took the points on the day winning 4-3 on penalties and top the group.

Cork: Diarmuid O’Riordan, Aaron O’Mahony, Sara Birdthistle, Liam Lynch, David Scannell, Eoin Looney, Lewis Lenihan, Darragh Lynch, Ben Fitzgerald, Conor Burke, Alex McSweeney, Adam Lee, Cian Daly, Stephen Daly, Scott O’Sullivan, Darragh Sheehan, Matthew Dowling 

West Cork: William Doyle, Rory Curtin, Conor Vastello, Ronan Collins, Aaron White, Sean Maguire, Adam Barry, Jack Brown, Damien Williams, Padraig Hegarty, Tim Sweeney, Ryan O’Boy, Sam Logan, James Maguire, Ronan Hayes, Conor O’Brien, Shane Hallihane, Jerry O’Leary, Finn O’Mahony 

Referee: Pat Ryan.