U16 Cup Farce

**4goodsport** · 23/08/2009, 10:08 PM

That's just crap...is there any sense of decency left...Raheny I applaud you...hold your heads up high, your day will come.

**AWOL** · 23/08/2009, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by The Chosen One

I can confirm that indeed Raheny did play only players born 1993 and younger i.e. 1994 and 95s in todays game.Stella Maris however played 7.. yes thats SEVEN players, born in 1992...poor consolation for the tear filled faces of the Raheny players who gave their all at the end of the game.It was a close game Raheny took the lead in the first half but Stella equalised.Nip and tuck for the rest of normal time however the physical strength of the older players showed in extra time and Stella ran out winners 3-1.........best of Luck to Stella in the Final...yeh rite

Well done Raheney. Your girls held them to 1 -1 in normal time. I think you guys will be ones to watch in the future. The fact that Stella went on to score 2 more really means very little, considering they were fielding a team that would have been thrown out of all competitions had they been schoolboys. What does that say about how the WFAI really feel about women in soccer? Every one to the AGM with submissions in hand and lets fix this. Can someone post here when AGM is on. Well done Raheney hold your heads high ye did it honestly.

**37Beour** · 23/08/2009, 11:25 PM

Well done Raheny...ye did it the right way abiding by the rules its a pity the WFAI couldn't do the same. And more of a pity the competition was ruined this year and now older players are inelgible for next year....or are they who knows?!!!

I am astounded that in 2009 such a thing can happen....needs to be a serious clear out in WFAI ranks. Not that such a thing would ever occur...more politics than the Dail.

**The Chosen One** · 24/08/2009, 7:31 AM

Just so those of you reading this forum don't quite get the gist of the problems faced in this years competition here is the "clarification" of the age rule passed by the council and communicated by Paul Brady FAI Domestic Manager, for the U16 cup 2009 "Players who were under the age of 16 on Jan 1st 2008 and who were registered to play at U16 level for a club,are eligible to compete in the 2009 U16 competition for that club provided they are still registered with the same club for 2009 season"
They completely ignored the fact that those players who were 16 in 2008 actually played in the U16 All Ireland in May 2008.Who do they think they are kidding.WFAI its time to fall on your swords and get out of womens soccer.
p.s. If that is a clarification of a rule that doesn't exist I would love to see what a rule looks like.

**The One** · 24/08/2009, 11:26 AM

That's different from what I heard back in May/June. I was told that the player must have played U16 level over the Winter of 2008-2009.
The way you are putting it...it's even worse! The FAI/WFAI have effectually made the competitions U15 and U17 for 2009.
I know that this matches up with the UEFA age groups. (The FAI/WFAI changed the Gaynor Cup age groups last season...to.....U15 + U17 age groups.)
Is this rule "clarification" a way of covering-up a commitment to UEFA that the FAI/WFAI needed to make by this season(and forgot...until the season had already begun) to receive funding?.......

......either way it is just another example of the incredible incompetence at the higher level in women's soccer here in Ireland.

(I have done a bit of research through the Women's forums going back to 2006 and every year there are problems with the National Cup competitions so this is nothing new girls(and guys!). (With the exclusion of a couple of people), it seems there is an ongoing and increasing lack of interest in Women's football in the FAI).

**The Chosen One** · 24/08/2009, 5:53 PM

You are indeed correct regarding the realignment of the age groups in the Gaynor Cup however oooops!!! they got it wrong again...dear oh dear. The age by year of birth for the under 17 competition this year was set by the WFAI at players born in 1992...amazingly none of the players who traveled to the Gaynor Cup born in 92 are eligible to play in this years UEFA U17 competition as players born in 1993 are the qualifying age not 92.Another waste of players time and incompetent WFAI management.How many players who were the correct age trailed and not selected were sitting at home while the overaged 92's enjoyed a free weekend in Limerick

**BBB In a sui** · 27/08/2009, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by The Chosen One

You are indeed correct regarding the realignment of the age groups in the Gaynor Cup however oooops!!! they got it wrong again...dear oh dear. The age by year of birth for the under 17 competition this year was set by the WFAI at players born in 1992...amazingly none of the players who traveled to the Gaynor Cup born in 92 are eligible to play in this years UEFA U17 competition as players born in 1993 are the qualifying age not 92.Another waste of players time and incompetent WFAI management.How many players who were the correct age trailed and not selected were sitting at home while the overaged 92's enjoyed a free weekend in Limerick

Look they are probably hoping that UEFA re-write the age rules so that this can be accomodated

**The One** · 27/08/2009, 5:11 PM

Thanks BBB.....How could I be blind.......it's so obvious when someone points it out....

Of course...the FAI are ALWAYS the first organisation UEFA approach for advice on how to make their organisation more professional, especially in relation to Women's Football.

I now await the changes in age groupings across Europe.

We're a few steps ahead as usual.....proactive, innovative and all those other good things......specifically in Women's Football eh?

**Squeez** · 03/09/2009, 8:50 AM

Originally Posted by The Chosen One

You are indeed correct regarding the realignment of the age groups in the Gaynor Cup however oooops!!! they got it wrong again...dear oh dear. The age by year of birth for the under 17 competition this year was set by the WFAI at players born in 1992...amazingly none of the players who traveled to the Gaynor Cup born in 92 are eligible to play in this years UEFA U17 competition as players born in 1993 are the qualifying age not 92.Another waste of players time and incompetent WFAI management.How many players who were the correct age trailed and not selected were sitting at home while the overaged 92's enjoyed a free weekend in Limerick

Surely 92's would be seen for U19s international team so not entirely a waste.!

**apo11o** · 04/09/2009, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by The Chosen One

Just so those of you reading this forum don't quite get the gist of the problems faced in this years competition here is the "clarification" of the age rule passed by the council and communicated by Paul Brady FAI Domestic Manager, for the U16 cup 2009 "Players who were under the age of 16 on Jan 1st 2008 and who were registered to play at U16 level for a club,are eligible to compete in the 2009 U16 competition for that club provided they are still registered with the same club for 2009 season"
They completely ignored the fact that those players who were 16 in 2008 actually played in the U16 All Ireland in May 2008.Who do they think they are kidding.WFAI its time to fall on your swords and get out of womens soccer.
p.s. If that is a clarification of a rule that doesn't exist I would love to see what a rule looks like.

This mean that a players who turned 16yrs of age in 2008 can play u16 in 2009?

Is this a Winter league or did the competition begin on or after the 1st Jan 2009?

**The One** · 04/09/2009, 5:10 PM

Hi Apollo,

The competition is a 2009 competition, which normally means that the players competing would be required to be 15 or younger on the 1st January 2009.

The WFAI/FAI "clarified" a rule that doesn't exist to allow players who were aged 16(or over) play in the 2009 competition.

Aside: I heard that Raheny put in a protest against Stella after the semi-final. Anyone hear what happened?

**The Chosen One** · 04/09/2009, 5:29 PM

Yeh T.O.Raheny protested against Stella as they discovered that Stella had registered 9 players from their 16's up to Premier DWSL in May for the 2009 season.They played in the Prem league and the Senior Cup before the U16 Cup started...so in my estimation that makes them 17 and registered Premier players the Rules are very specific in this regard no Premier DWSL players can play in any other competition other than the Senior Cup........Raheny lost the protest.FAI ruled that Senior players are ok and that Stella are properly registered to play in 16's Cup...I give up

**The Chosen One** · 06/09/2009, 1:19 PM

Originally Posted by apo11o

This mean that a players who turned 16yrs of age in 2008 can play u16 in 2009?

Is this a Winter league or did the competition begin on or after the 1st Jan 2009?

Just to clarify the league / cup situtation for you. DWSL league started in Sept 2008 with players born in 1992 eligible to play in the u16 section.This league was due to finish in May 09.Players born in 1992 were eligile to play in the National cup which started in May 08 and finished Sept 08.Traditionally the National Cup competition signals the begining of the season therefore players born in 1993 and younger qualify for the 2009 u16 cup and the following seasons league up to May 2010.Not the 2010 Cup.
The WFAI/FAI decided to allow players who turned 16 in 2008 to play in 2009 cup.The Stella keeper for example will be aged 17 years and 7 months next Sunday when she plays in the U16 Cup final.In Feb she will be 18.

**BBB In a sui** · 10/09/2009, 8:08 PM

Originally Posted by The Chosen One

The WFAI/FAI decided to allow players who turned 16 in 2008 to play in 2009 cup.The Stella keeper for example will be aged 17 years and 7 months next Sunday when she plays in the U16 Cup final.In Feb she will be 18.

Not entering an under 11 team in the 7 a side competiton. As we have had enough expense and hardship with older grades in this competition. Will be having a vote at AGM as what to do next year. Looks unlikely we will enter any teams, as these competitons have no creditability.

**The Chosen One** · 10/09/2009, 9:04 PM

I think we have to wait and see what the WFAI/FAI descision makers do regarding next years competitions.They are now compelled to continue with the age policy implemented this year i.e. next year U14 Cup for 1995's and U16 Cup for 1993's. If there are any age changes we should boycott all FAI organised competitions at all ages and canvas every club in the country to ensure we make them understand we will not stand for their incompetence any more.

**olegunnar** · 13/09/2009, 3:37 PM

Some how i reckon a national cup that no-one else entered apart from Stella Maris, would still be allowed go ahead!!

And they'd be happy enough with that too.

Stella for club of the yr

**The Chosen One** · 13/09/2009, 6:35 PM

Congrats to a wonderful Stella team on their victory in todays final.They managed to beat Killala 3-0 to secure a much needed national title.I'm sure they will celebrate long into the evening and their humility in victory will be unmatched.Congratulations also to the FAI/WFAI on a very successful cup campaign well organised, fair and consistant in its findings throughout.

We, the rest of womens football applaud you both.