New Under-17 league

WEXFORD YOUTHS are participating in the new Continental Tyres Women’s Under 17 National League which was launched last week. The new eleven-team league began on Saturday and is the first under-age national league in women’s football in Ireland.

As well as Wexford Youths, the participants are Athlone Town, Cork City, Donegal League, Galway Women, Greystones, Limerick W.F.C., Peamount United, Shelbourne, Sligo Rovers and U.C.D. Waves.

The eleven teams have been split into two groups and will play a shortened season with the final stages set to take place in September, with the first full season planned to begin in March, 2019.

And Wexford manager Alan Browne and his crew got off to a positive start with a draw away to Limerick on Saturday.

The league was launched with players from all eleven clubs, Republic of Ireland internationals Heather Payne and Isibeal Atkinson, Tom Dennigan, Continental Tyres General Sales Manager, and the FAI Director of Competitions, Fran Gavin, at the FAI National Training Centre.

‘We’re delighted to launch the league as some of our best young players from around the country will have a platform to play on,’ Gavin said.

‘It is the next logical step as we look to improve that elite player pathway for women’s football in Ireland, all the way to the Continental Tyres Women’s National League and the women’s national team.’