DDSL teams denied entry into Kennedy and Gaynor Cup tournaments

The FAI have been requested to intervene after the Dublin District Schoolboys/girls league had their applications rejected for next month’s Kennedy Cup and Gaynor Cup tournaments.

The Schoolboys FAI (SFAI) are the affiliate responsible for organising the U14 tournaments at Limerick University and they’ve cited the DDSL’s “financial standing” to justify their stance.

Both tournaments assemble the best players in the country to represent their league over a four-day blitz, with the DDSL racking up most wins in the 48-year history of the boys Kennedy Cup.

Final selections from extended squads preparing for the annual event all season were due to be selected this week but the DDSL were last week informed by the SFAI they won’t feature in the upcoming draws.

The DDSL stopped paying their annual affiliation fees to the SFAI three years ago, complaining at being underrepresented within the national body relative to their numerical strength that has swelled to 40,000 players since adding female sections to their age-groups starting at U8.

They contend the non-payment didn’t deny their Kennedy Cup tournament entry of 2022 whereas it is now potentially leaving 50 children deprived of featuring on the national stage where scouts from the FAI as well as domestic and UK clubs monitor what’s deemed the showpiece event for high-potential players. They have paid their entry fees for the two tournaments.

The SFAI were unavailable for comment but it’s believed an FAI delegation will review the standoff on Thursday.

The governing body, having officially parted ways with chief executive Jonathan Hill at the end of April, are staging a scheduled quarterly meeting of their 145-strong General Assembly on Thursday night over Microsoft Teams.