Sports Minister warns FAI after 400 girls locked out of football leagues

Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education Thomas Byrne TD. Photo by Seb Daly/ Sportsfile

The Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne has warned the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) that it is “unacceptable” for some 27 girls’ teams with over 400 players in north Dublin and east Meath to be left without league football this season.

The FAI had an emergency meeting with the affected grassroots clubs on Friday night and made proposals that included mixing up age groups and having girls’ teams play against boys’ sides from lower age groups so they could have matches.