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Irish Examiner
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
FAI admit defeat on 'summer soccer' plan
The FAI have admitted defeat in its controversial plan to expand the League of Ireland summer season across all levels of the game. Recently departed chief football officer Marc Canham produced a Football Pathway Plan 18 months ago which claimed 65% of surveyed participants preferred an alignment of the seasons from underage to senior. Yet that position was soon challenged, with the two largest affiliates in the country, Schoolboys/girls FAI and Leinster FA pleading with the parent body to consider allowing leagues freedom to choose their format. The board backing of Canham's 11-point blueprint was passed at General Assembly level by a narrow 57% majority but the LFA branded the latter outcome as 'flawed'. Whereas the LOI voted among their clubs for the switch in 2002, this ballot was taken across all strands. Opposition soon spiked. On top of established affiliates, which included the majority of Ulster and Connacht, the Grassroots Amateur Football Clubs of Ireland was founded from the coalface. It was a fusion of 600 clubs across 22 leagues in 17 counties seeking autonomy, raising their concerns in political circles. Rather than helping the game grow, this move was perceived as hindering it, as the overlap with the core GAA games programme was cited. Other factors such as summer holidays, referee shortages and drop offs after breaks were raised, as well as the absence of impact study on clubs fearful of losing volunteers. Belatedly, the FAI bowed to pressure by undertaking a 'Listening and Learning exercise' in May – with the inevitable outcome of plans for roll-out from January 2026 being culled. Their ploy of linking grants for the Gaynor and Kennedy Cup tournaments to compliance with the move spectacularly backfired. A proposal to postpone implementation by three years was rejected by the SFAI, who highlighted the point that even the minority of leagues moving to summer supported the right to choose for others. It was noteworthy that FAI executives were not invited to these sessions, only elected officials. They relayed feedback to board level that the concept was a non-starter. An email from President Paul Cooke to the 145-strong General Assembly on Friday afternoon confirmed the climbdown. 'The FAI board of the Football Association of Ireland has decided to implement an exemption process by application for leagues with regard to our Aligned Football Calendar. 'The terms of reference of the exemption process will be agreed by the board and communicated with members of the General Assembly in due course. 'The FPP continues to be implemented as part of the on-going development and future of Irish football whilst also respecting the implementation challenges that leagues may encounter in relation to the Aligned Football Calendar.' The initial feeling is that leagues are reluctant to engage in this committee having already informed their clubs at recent AGMs of continuity. The traditional September-June format will be maintained by the majority, as it is for 80% of national associations across Uefa's 55 members.
Irish Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Katie Taylor's football career: Famous teammates, caps and scholarship option
Katie Taylor is world-famous for her stellar boxing career, having earned her place on Ireland's Mount Rushmore of sporting talent. But she was also known at one stage for her football exploits, having earned eleven caps for the Ireland senior women's national team before focusing solely on her boxing career. She scored two long-range efforts during her time with the Girls in Green against Hungary and Italy, in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Indeed, speaking to SportsJOE in 2022, she revealed that at one stage football was her preferred sport. She said: "I think at one stage during my teenage years, it was probably my number one sport, and I was thinking about pursuing it professionally at some point. "But obviously, eventually, the boxing hit and there was no real competition about which sport I was going to choose." She began her football career with St. Fergal's and Newtown Juniors, both local sides in Bray. She regularly played boys football throughout her underage career, lining out for Wicklow in the Kennedy Cup in 2000. In a 2019 interview with Sky Sports, Taylor revealed that she had received offers to play college football in the United States. She said: "I did have a chance to get a football scholarship over in America when I left school, but boxing was always my number one passion. "I knew I had to choose between the two sports and I obviously chose boxing." Stephanie Zambra, Aine O'Gorman and Niamh Fahey are among the undisputed super-lightweight world champion's former teammates.
Irish Independent
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wicklow boy Drew Mernagh (14) tops Kennedy Cup goal-scoring charts
Mernagh scored seven goals in just 180 minutes of football to claim the Golden Boot The name Mernagh has long been synonymous with the pinnacle of Wicklow sport. Messrs Anthony, Barry and Nicky have practically done it all – represented Wicklow, played for Bray Wanderers & dominated GAA championships and Wicklow soccer. But now there's a new sheriff in town – Barry's son Drew. The 14-year-old shot to stardom last week as he became the joint top goalscorer at the prestigious Kennedy Cup competition in Limerick. It is the first time in history that someone from the Garden County has won the golden boot.
Irish Independent
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wexford's Kennedy Cup journey ends on high as they beat North Tipperary on penalties
An eleventh place finish was the order of the day for the Wexford Under-14 football team at the prestigious Kennedy Cup held in Limerick last week.
Irish Independent
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Kerry schoolboys denied seventh place in Kennedy Cup as Galway snatch late winner
Kerry's Kennedy Cup campaign ended in heartbreak after a dramatic stoppage-time goal saw them fall 1-0 to Galway in the 7th/8th place play-off. It was a cruel finish to what had been a spirited and impressive week from the Kerry squad, who showed determination, flair, and teamwork throughout the tournament to earn a well-deserved eighth place overall.
