Orchard calling on SFAI to revisit the cancellation of National Cup competitions
By Stephen Leonard
CHERRY Orchard FC are among the 20 schoolboy clubs nationwide calling on the SFAI to hold off on their decision to cancel the 2019/20 Skechers National Cup competitions until a clearer picture of the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 crises emerges later in the year.
The Association, last month, informed all its affiliated leagues that the National Cups from Under 12 right through to Under 16 level were being scrapped as a result of the pandemic despite those competitions having made it as far as quarter and semi final stages.
Cherry Orchard’s Under 16s were among the teams still left in SFAI Cup competition
The clubs involved believe that the decision was made too hastily and that the SFAI should take another look at the situation around September.
The Orchard had three teams still involved at Under 13, 15 and 16 level and Club Treasurer Nigel Brothers who also manages the Under 16 team, insists the competitions should be given every chance to be completed.
“We all totally understand the severity of the problem and we empathise completely with all the families who have been affected by COVID, but we felt that the SFAI could have delayed the decision to cancel all competitions just to see how things developed” Brothers told The Echo.
“The All-Irelands in schoolboy football is the highest honour to be competing for and all the clubs had put in a huge effort and commitment to see their teams make it this far, and then to have the rug pulled from beneath them before exploring all possibilities, it was just very disappointing.
“The country is making relatively good progress and we feel that they could have at least waited until September to see where we’re at.
“There’s 29 teams still involved in all the All-Irelands and 20 clubs represented. As it stands, there would be 24 matches left to be played, and that could possibly be done over three weekends in September. If that meant a delay to the new season, it wouldn’t be by much.
“We all wrote individually to the SFAI Chairman John Earley and we’ve sent a collective email just to see if this could be brought up at the next Executive Committee meeting.
“We all completely understand that the games can only be run if it is completely safe for everyone involved.
“And if we got to September and we found that that wasn’t possible, then we’d just have to hold our hands up and say well at least we gave it a good shot.
“It’s a wonderful achievement for any team to get this far in the All-Ireland. There was great excitement in our club and then to be told that everything was cancelled was just a real sickener” he said.
Brothers, whose own team was scheduled to play host to Waterford outfit Villa FC in their semi final in Elmdale, insists they would be willing to give up home advantage if it helped ensure that the match got the green light.
“I think that the thinking, certainly from our own point of view, is that we’ll do whatever is required get these matches played, even if that means playing the game in a neutral venue, somewhere halfway between Dublin and Waterford maybe” he said.
The Orchard Under 15s were into the last four of their competition while the club’s Under 13s had made it to the last eight against Willow Park with near neighbours St Francis and Shamrock Rovers also having some involvement still.
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