DDSL Chairman Paddy Dempsey,  nominated by the Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland to go forward for consideration for election to the board of the Football Association of Ireland has today withdrawn from the process.

The position became available following the resignation of SFAI Chairman John Earley from the FAI Board last Thursday.

Dempsey, a former UEFA referee and now chairman of the biggest league under the FAI’s jurisdiction with 25,000 players, was unanimously approved at Saturday’s  SFAI Council meeting which was held in the Carlton Hotel at Dublin Airport.

Schoolboys and Schoolgirls are paired in a football constituency for electoral purposes to the FAI Board, with the representatives of schoolgirls football entitled to also put forward their own nominee.

Following his selection on Saturday and in discussion with family and friends Paddy Dempsey has now withdrawn his name from the process.

 “I was honored to be nominated by my colleagues within the Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland,” said Dempsey. “But, on reflection, I now appreciate that because of family and work commitments, I would not be able to devote my full commitment to a role which is sure to be demanding.”

“I recognise that the game and those elected to the Board of the Football Association of Ireland requires a huge demand on their time and energies.

“In the interests of providing clarity, I’m making this decision now so that the SFAI can look for a suitable alternative at the earliest opportunity. I would like to place on record my gratitude to all my SFAI colleagues on council and executive for their support of my nomination and hope they will be understanding of the reason why I must  withdraw my name at this time.”

SFAI Chairman John Earley commented: “I want to thank Paddy Dempsey allowing his name go forward for consideration as a member of the board of the Football Association of Ireland, but we fully respect his decision and the reason behind his withdrawal from the process.”

***ENDS***

The SFAI has today agreed at their Council meeting in the Carlton Hotel at Dublin Airport, to put forward SFAI Executive Committee member and DDSL Chairman Paddy Dempsey as their nominee for the FAI Board.

The seat was made vacant this week after SFAI Chairman John Earley resigned from the FAI board with immediate effect, as confirmed in a statement on Thursday.

Mr Dempsey will go forward as the SFAI’s nomination within the constituency of Schoolboys/Schoolgirls, with the representatives of schoolgirls football entitled to put forward their own nominee.

This will result in one of those two people being nominated by the constituency to go forward to the FAI Board.

Mr Dempsey is a former National and UEFA referee up until 1999, before he returned to Schoolboy football in 2000.

He is currently the Chairperson of the largest Schoolboys’ league in Europe, with 25,000 young players from age seven to 18 years of age.

He is a member of the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland Executive Committee and Rules Commission, while he is also a member of the FAI Senior Council.

Speaking today, Mr Dempsey said: “I’m delighted to be nominated by my peers at today’s SFAI Council meeting.”

He continued: “The SFAI represents the interests of 31 schoolboy leagues in Ireland, with over 120,000 players under their umbrella.

“Grassroots football is the base for all football in this country, and as the SFAI represents and works on behalf of the majority of grassroots players, representation at FAI Board level is crucial.

“Should I go forward as the representative from the constituency of Schoolboys/Schoolgirls, I will represent all grassroots players, both boys and girls, and their clubs and leagues, with equal measure.”

The SFAI Council meeting followed the draws for the SFAI Skechers National Cup Round of 32 which took place on Friday night.

All five draws covering the U12 to U16 competitions were live streamed, and to date, more than 15,000 people have viewed the streams.

The competition, sponsored by Skechers, has grown considerably in recent years, with the introduction of 40 regional finals to ensure children playing the game at a grassroots level have the opportunity to represent their clubs at both national and regional level.

The SFAI EGM scheduled to take place today was deferred until a later date.

There was some fantastic football on show in Cootehill last weekend as the SFAI Skechers Ulster Regional Cup Finals took place across Saturday and Sunday.

The opening tie saw Carndonagh FC and Kilmacrennan Celtic do battle in the U12 Final, and it was a single goal that separated the teams at the final whistle.

Ciaran Conaghan netted the all important winner for Celtic when he brilliantly headed home a perfectly deliver cross from the right.

Carndonagh FC, to their credit, pushed hard for an equaliser, but last year’s winners could not find the breakthrough.

In the second Final of the day, Qiuigleys Point Swifts faced Keadue Rovers in the U15 competition, and those in attendance were treated to a cracking cup tie.

Rovers raced into a three goal lead, and looked set for the win, but when QPS pulled a goal back, they were still very much in the tie.

However, a fourth for Keadue ensured they took home the cup, with their football on the day demonstrating the skill and ability of the players involved.

The goalscorers for Keadue Rovers were Michael Curran, Oran Gallagher, Ethan McCaffrey and Aidan Brennan.

The opening day of the SFAI Skechers Ulster Regional Cup Finals was brought to a close by Cappry Rovers and Bonagee United in the U16 showpiece event.

Goals from Daniel Marley and Sean Breen were enough to see Rovers over the line, with the game ending 2-1.

On Sunday Carrick Rovers and Illistrin FC were pitted against eachother in the U13 Final, and the quality of both teams was evident from the first minute.

It was Illistrin that raced into the lead, with Carragher Friel and Fintan Hasson hitting the back of the net, before Carrick pulled one back before the interval.

After that Leanne McGettigan came off the bench to make it 3-1 with a powerful strike, but Rovers again battled back and made it 3-2.

The final minutes of the tie were frantic, but Illistrin held on and added the SFAI Skechers Ulster Regional Cup to the three domestic titles they had already won.

The U16 contest between Cavan Shamrocks and Ballyraine FC brought the weekend to a close, and it was the Shamrocks that were celebrating at the final whistle as they etched out a 2-1 win after extra time.

In what was the tightest of games over the weekend, both teams gave their all, and even in additional time, there was no sense that either team was ready to relinquish their grasp on the match.

However, Cavan Shamrocks proved to have the edge, bagging the winner in extra-time.

A huge thanks to all who attended from Cavan/Monaghan, Donegal and Inishowen, to all at Cootehill Harps for their hospitality, and to the teams and their coaches for making it a weekend to remember.

The SFAI Skechers Ulster Regional Finals take place this coming weekend, with the CMUL hosting this season’s finale in Sherlock Park, Cootehill.

The five finals will see 10 teams from across the region compete in games from U12 to U16.

Last season Carndonagh FC lifted both the U12 and U13 cups, and this year their U12 side will be hoping to replicate that success when they face Kilmacrennan FC at 11.30am in the opening game of the weekend.

Quigleys Point Swifts will take on Keadue Rovers (1pm) in the second tie on Saturday, and having lifted the U15 cup last term, Rovers will be hoping to make it two in a row at this age.

The third match on Saturday will feature both Cappry Rovers and Bonagee United in the U16 SFAI Skechers Ulster Regional Final (3pm), and if their results to date are anything to go by, there should not be a shortage of goals.

Sunday will feature two finals, with the U13 clash between Carrick Rovers and Illistrin FC kicking off at 12 noon in Cootehill.

Carrick Rovers were beaten in two finals last season, and they will be hoping fortunes change this year, while for Illistrin FC, a defeat in the U13 final last term will no doubt be driving them on.

The U14 tie between Cavan Shamrocks and Ballyraine FC will bring the weekend of SFAI Skechers Ulster Regional Finals to a close, and the Shamrocks will need to be at their best to overcome a Ballyraine side that beat both Cappry Rovers and Bonagee United on their way to Cootehill.

Fixtures:

Saturday November 16th

U12 Carndonagh FC v Kilmacrennan Celtic 11.30am

U15 QPS v Keadue 1pm

U16 Cappry Rovers v Bonagee Utd 3pm

Sunday November 17th

U13  Carrick Rovers v Illistrin 12pm

U14  Cavan Shamrocks v Ballyraine 2pm

Limerick District SL and the North Tipperary SFL have both registered two wins from two in the U13 SFAI Subway Championship in Munster, with Group One featuring six teams in total.

All leagues involved have now played two games each, and South Tipperary and West Cork sit in third and fourth place respectively.

Kerry SBGL and WWEC make up the final two places, and both will be hoping for wins on the next matchday, scheduled for November 10^th

Elsewhere, in Group Two, the Cork SL and Limerick Desmond are tied at the top of the table, with both having played two games each.

Some other outstanding fixtures will be played in the coming weeks, and Waterford SFL, Clare SSL and Limerick County will all be hoping to pick up their first three points of the campaign.

Meanwhile, in U15 SFAI Subway Championship in Munster, it is still early in the competition, with both Kerry and Clare having won games in Group One.

While in Group Two, Limerick District have picked up six points from their first two games, while Cork SL and Limerick Desmond have both recorded one win each.