Clare Girls League Start

**shelbourne1904** · 07/01/2006, 7:29 PM

A major piece of football history will be written when,after a successful u-15 tournament,held in Ennis a month ago,it was decided to start an u15 5 team league on the 22nd January.There wasa league in Clare years ago but it fell by the wayside but hopefully this start ,at one age group will see expansion into other age groups next season.Good Luck to all teams involved.Anymore teams interested contact
Martin Hehir at 0879077038

**Spudd** · 07/01/2006, 10:59 PM

What clubs are involved?

**Numero** · 08/01/2006, 10:30 AM

There is also a winter league for women's footballers in Dublin starting, haven't heard much about it, is it not supposed to be promoted? Hey CTID maybe you can answer that one

**CollegeTillIDie** · 08/01/2006, 6:39 PM

Originally Posted by Numero

There is also a winter league for women's footballers in Dublin starting, haven't heard much about it, is it not supposed to be promoted? Hey CTID maybe you can answer that one

It's a tournament officially not a league it will be played on All Weather pitch in Clonshaugh and will have about 15 teams who will play each other twice and games will take place twice a week under lights . It's run by the AUL.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 02/02/2006, 8:53 AM

Well done to the good people of Clare on setting up the Under 15's League. The trick will be to continue the development into adult ranks, so that Lifford do not have things all their own way in the Banner County anymore

**grounded** · 02/02/2006, 10:23 AM

From reading the posts on here I get the impression that womens football in Ireland is categorized into the different counties. Is there an all Ireland League for womens like for example the EL?

**CollegeTillIDie** · 08/02/2006, 8:07 PM

Originally Posted by grounded

From reading the posts on here I get the impression that womens football in Ireland is categorized into the different counties. Is there an all Ireland League for womens like for example the EL?

No there is no National League in the Republic at present. It is part of the development plan for Women's soccer however, currently being part of Noel King's brief as full time director fo Women's football at the FAI.

**Number9** · 09/03/2006, 5:57 PM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

Well done to the good people of Clare on setting up the Under 15's League. The trick will be to continue the development into adult ranks, so that Lifford do not have things all their own way in the Banner County anymore

Fully agree. It's quite easy to get a few girls teams started, especially at U15 (I believe that the community games offer a national competition at this age group). The difficulty will lie in keeping the impetus going, progressing those girls to ladies. Perhaps these clubs have no desire to field teams over 15 years of age and the clubs and local community games organisers are working in tandem. Lifford have been fielding ladies teams for years - as far as I am aware there are no other ladies teams in Clare. Unless those u15 girls have a progression pathway within their club (Connolly, Bridge, Moneypoint etc) then the better players will simply head towards Ennis to continue their soccer careers.
IMO many clubs (not just in Clare) will start up girls teams in order to qualify for development grants (FAI funding). Once the grants are awarded and the clubs facilities are upgraded, what then? A rather pessimistic outlook or is it closer to reality ? perhaps this posting should be the start of a new thread?