In the upcoming Gaynor and Kennedy cups scheduled for next month in Limerick, the under-14 teams of boys and girls from the Dublin District School (DDSL) will contend. This change of plans comes following interference from FAI board members and higher-ups in Abbotstown, prompting the School Football Association of Ireland (SFAI) to reverse prior decisions preventing Dublin’s elite youth players from participating in the annual competitions.
Despite its stature as the largest youth league countrywide, accommodating nearly 50,000 youngsters, the DDSL raised eyebrows a fortnight ago when its football director, Barry Ferguson, declared the under-14 teams wouldn’t be participating in the Gaynor and Kennedy cups, regardless of routine training undertaken since October last year. The ongoing bone of contention cites the DDSL’s non-payment of affiliation costs over three years, arguing inadequate representation in SFAI’s governance structures.
As per The Irish Times, the subject remains unresolved, but this administrative hiccup won’t obstruct the growth of DDSL players. Yet to be executed are proposals contained in a 2022 independent report by the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), funded by the FAI, which declares the SFAI’s governing frameworks as “unfit for purpose.”