The Corrib WPC U13 boys retained the U13 cup title held at the Kingfisher pool at the University of Galway last weekend, beating Sandycove in what was a repeat of the 2022 final.

With both sides drawn together at the group stages, Corrib progressed as group winners after winning 11-6 in their first meeting. Corrib WPC remained unbeaten winning their quarter final 11-0 against Half Moon, and their semi-final 15-2 against St Vincents to progress to the final.

Sandycove faced a much harder route to the final, after beating Clonard 6-2 in their quarter final, they came up against a strong Cathal Brugha side where it finished 7-7 at full time, with Dublin side matching their girls by winning their semi-final on a penalty shoot 10-8 to take their place in the final.

The Corrib boys found the Sandycove team harder to breakdown in the first quarter of the final and had to dig deep to contain a strong Sandycove attach. With a minute left in the first quarter, Luca Sablic opened the scoring, followed by another quick goal from Mihajlo Lazic to leave Corrib ahead.

Corrib found their rhythm in the second quarter, and Luca Sablic began to dominate the possession, contributing three more goals, and additional goals from Mihajlo Lazic and Ronan Keane left the score 6-1 at half-time in favour of Corrib.

This Corrib U13 squad is certainly once of the most potent attacking teams the club has produced at this age grade, and they dominated their opponents in the second-half with commanding performances especially from Sablic, Lazic, Ronan Keane Eoin Connery, Eogan Walsh, Ruairi Conroy and goal keeper Danial Le Duigou Etayo.

Corrib added three more goals in the third quarter to put daylight between the sides, with two further goals form Eoin Connery, before eventually running out 10-4. Luca Sablic, son of former senior player and coach Goran Sablic, was awarded the winning trophy as captain and fittingly the MVP award for a commanding performance throughout the tournament.

The Corrib U-13A squad which won the 2023 Irish Cup, back row, from left: Noel Rigney (assistant coach) Daniel Le Duigou Etayo, Vincent Troy, Simon Geraghty, Ronan Keane Dorin Costras (head coach), John Maloney, Mihajlo Lazic, and Richard Geraghty (manager). Front: Orry Higgins, Eoin Walsh, Lula Sablic (captain and MVP), Conor Rigney, Eoin Connery, and Ruaidhri Conroy. Missing from photo: Eoghan Volz O’Dowd.