Three Limerick sides primed for Kennedy Cup festival of football at UL

THE Kennedy Cup underage inter-league soccer tournament kicks off later today at the University of Limerick. 

The tournament which features 30-interleague U14 soccer sides runs across five-days with multiple trophies up for grabs. 

Three Limerick sides are competing in different groups throughout the competition.

Limerick District Schoolboy League (LDSL) will compete in Group 4 alongside Waterford, West Cork and North Eastern Counties (NECSL). 

District will play their first fixtures this evening at 4pm against NECSL. 

Group 1 features Limerick Desmond who will face Carlow in their opening game also at 4pm this Monday evening.

Kilkenny and West Waterford East Cork (WWEC) make up the remainder of Group 1.

The last remaining Treaty team, Limerick County, will get an easier start to the tournament with their first game not being played until 12pm Tuesday. 

The Limerick County Kennedy Cup squad 2023

This is due to there being just two other teams in their group, the Midlands and South Tipperary.  

The group phase of the competition continues until Tuesday evening, before the quarter-finals take place on Wednesday, the semi-finals Thursday and the final taking place on Friday. 

The SFAI U14 Kennedy Cup has been in existence since 1976 and was originally placed as a knockout competition with only a small number of teams taking part. 

There will be a feast of soccer at the UL campus all week so make sure to get out and support the three Limerick sides. 

The Limerick District Kennedy Cup squad

Squad Details: 

Limerick District: 

Players: Jake Carmody, Dylan Kett, Aaron McNamara, Ruairi Bulman (All Fairview Rangers), Jack O’Donoghue, Ken Griffin, Adi O’Meara, Uchenna Obi Kabi (All Aisling Annacotty), Cian Robertson, Michael Omojoefodun, Daithi Mullins, Nathan Robinson (All Regional Utd), Brian Moroney, Shane Moloughney (All Lisnagry), Darragh Kirwan, Colin McNamara (All Caherdavin Celtic), Ruaidhri Mitchell (Corbally Utd), Michael Carey (Mungret Regional), Mduduzi Ncube (Limerick FC), Bryan Mambouana (Pike Rovers). 

Management: Manager Noel O’Connor; Assistant Manager Aidan Ryan; Physio Barry Heffernan; GK Coach JJ Hartigan; Coach Sean Heagney.

Limerick County: 

Players: Shay McCarthy, Gavin O’Brien, Ronan Collins, Joshua Wormald (All Kilmallock), Paddy O’Dwyer (Herbestown), Conor Reardan, Kevin Kearns, John O’Riordan, Ronan Connelly, Dan Barry (All Holycross), Bryan Nagy, Jamie O’Toole (All Charleville), Ben Corbett, Sam Mitchell (Knockainey), Eoin O’Connell (Cullen), Calum Compton (Galbally), Conor O’Mahony (Croom), William Ryan, Rian Horgan, Donagh Horgan (All Murroe) 

Management: Manager Noel Corbett; Coach Adam Reardan; Coach Peter Kearns; Coach John Connelly; Goalkeeping Coach Andrew Wormald; Sports Injury Therapist PJ Mahony. 

Limerick Desmond: 

Players: Zach Bennis, Cian Barry, Brooklyn Delahunty, Thomas McMahon (All Dromore Utd), Rowan Collins, Eamon O’Sullivan, Charlie McCarthy, Michael Kirby, Andrew Johnson (All Shountrade AFC), Mikolaj Pater, Matthew Walshe, Tiarnan Kelly (All Newcastle West Town), John Ross O’Reilly, Eoin Hennessy, Ryan Foley (All Breska Rovers), Sheagh Mulvihill, Dylan Buckely (All GB Rovers), Aaron Murphy (Abbeyfeale Utd), Ben Hough (Creeves Celtic), Sean O’Flynn (Broadford Utd). 

Management: Manager Niall O’Connor; Assistant coach Tommy O’Connor; Coach Kevin Taylor; Goalkeeping Coach Jason Quinn; Physio Alan Loftus.