July start for new U-17 soccer league

THE NEW Continental Tyres Women’s National Under-17 League is set to start in July and will be the first national under-age competition of its kind in Ireland.

Seven current Senior National League teams will be represented in the league, with Wexford Youths, Peamount United, Shelbourne Ladies, U.C.D. Waves, Galway United W.F.C., Cork City W.F.C. and Limerick Women all included.

Four additional teams have been awarded a place in the Under-17 League, with Athlone Town, Greystones United, Donegal Women’s League and Sligo Rovers set to complete the eleven-team line-up.

The league will begin in mid to late July, with a truncated season before the start of the first full season in March, 2019.

F.A.I. Head of Women’s Football Sue Ronan said: ‘This is another huge step forward for Women’s football in Ireland.

‘The Gaynor Tournament continues to grow from strength to strength but it’s important we look to strengthen our elite player pathway with the new National Under-17 League.

The gap between the Women’s National League and elite grassroots football is a big one, so now the creation of this league will help breach that gap.’

In other news, Wexford Youths Women’s striker Claire O’Riordan was included on the 24-strong squad for a training camp in Cork for the international Senior team.

And she will be expected to be leading the charge this coming Sunday when the the Ferrycarrig Park outfit begin the defence of their Continental Tyres league title with a mouth-watering clash against one of their main rivals, Shelbourne.

The fact that the Dubliners have signed Jess Gleeson, a mainstay of that successful Wexford side in 2017, will add further spice to proceedings.

Sunday’s game has a 2 p.m. kick-off.