Soccer

DDSL under-14 squads to play Gaynor and Kennedy cups after FAI intervention

Players from Dublin league will now be able to feature at annual tournaments in Limerick

The DDSL is the biggest youth league in the country, facilitating almost 50,000 children. Photograph: iStock
The DDSL is the biggest youth league in the country, facilitating almost 50,000 children. Photograph: iStock
Gavin Cummiskey
Thu May 16 2024 - 18:54

The Dublin District School boys and girls (DDSL) under-14 squads will compete at this year’s Gaynor and Kennedy cups in Limerick next month.

Following an intervention by FAI board members and senior management in Abbotstown, the School boys and girls section of Irish football (SFAI) changed their decision to block the most talented Dublin players from featuring at the annual tournaments.

The DDSL is the biggest youth league in the country, facilitating almost 50,000 children, but two weeks ago its director of football Barry Ferguson informed the under-14 squads that they would not be attending the Gaynor and Kennedy cups despite weekly preparation since October.

The dispute centres around the DDSL not paying affiliation fees for the past three years, citing a lack of representation within SFAI governance structures.

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That issue remains ongoing, The Irish Times understands, but the administrative dispute is not going to hinder the participation of DDSL players in Limerick.

The FAI has yet to implement recommendations included in an independent report from 2022 by the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) that said the governance structures of the SFAI are “not fit for purpose”. The FAI funded the IPA report.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent