AUL JAN 01

CORK YOUTHS TAKE ON CLARE:




The Cork AUL youths take on the Clare District League at Midleton on Sunday afternoon (2.00pm) in the second round of the Snickers FAI Youths Inter-League championship. This competition has produced some thrilling games between the leagues in recent seasons and Sunday's encounter should be no exception.



The match has been transferred from Turner's Cross and the switch, forced by a decision of the MFA Grounds Committee last Monday that gave the Cross to regular tenants Cork City even though the AUL had it booked well in advance, will cause a good deal of inconvenience and expense to the local league, itself a great supporter of the Curragh Road venue where most if not all its finals are played.



Cork have been training hard under manager Liam McCarthy but his plans have been somewhat disrupted by the weather. Cork's first outing was a friendly against the Tipperary and Southern District League where goals by Lee (2), Rose, Fitzgerald, and captain Dekkers, earned the Cork visitors a 5 - 4 win.



The opening round of the championship came in November and, at Turner's Cross, the AUL pipped the Kerry District League 3 - 2, the Cork goals by Paul Rose (2) and Fitzgerald (who'll feel quite at home next Sunday afternoon).



Clare progressed with a victory over the Desmond League and here there is a line of form as Kerry just pipped the Desmond in a friendly. It looks as if Clare will be very bit as good as Kerry, perhaps even better, and that means a close encounter at Midleton's magnificent grounds in Knockgriffin.



Manager McCarthy has made one or two alterations to his panel but will be probably field most of the players that did duty against Kerry. Tramore's Ben Spicer kept a good goal that day. Lee of Kilreen was prominent in midfield while Douglas Hall's Rose was the ace upfront.



McCarthy's panel is: Willie Lee, Kevin Im, David Bennett, and Gerry Kerins (all Kilreen Celtic), Paul Rose, Derek Bowen, James O'Leary, and Brian Wilkinson (Douglas Hall), Ben Spicer and Mark Murphy (Tramore Ath.), Thomas Dekkers and Killian Lordan (Ballincollig), Trevor Fitzgerald, Aidan O'Driscoll, and Oliver Lynch (Midleton), Niall O'Regan (Bandon), Thomas Gettings (Leeside), Michael McBride (Rockmount), Jamie Cotter (Crosshaven), and Keith Kelleher (Leeds). The team bus will depart from St Patrick's Church at 12.15pm on Sunday.



* The remaining AUL game in the group stages of the Oscar Traynor Cup against the Red House League will take place in Tallow on January 28th (kick off 2.30pm).