FAI GRASSROOTS ISSUE ONE a welcome message fai cup draw WELCOME to the pilot edition of our our footballing community have been The FAI Cup qualifying round draw has new FAI Grassroots eMag, launched affected by this virus, so many have been confirmed. to celebrate the return of football at been isolated and left with a feeling of all levels of the game as our sport loneliness and vulnerability. We have a The qualifying round for the 2021 continues the journey back to normality. sport that brings communities together FAI Cup will contain six fixtures with INSIDE across the country, we have a game six teams receiving a bye to the first It goes without saying that the Return that brings the world together. Let’s round. ISSUE ONE to Training, the Return to Play and the embrace that and let’s look after each Defibrillators Return to Watch has been eagerly other. All matches are set to be played on Page 4 anticipated and warmly welcomed by the week ending Sunday, July 11 Football Returns everyone involved with Irish football. My thanks to all the volunteers at our with a winner to be decided on the Page 8 clubs in every corner of Ireland and day. Dates and kick-off times will be It is a testament to you all that we are my thanks also to our hard working FAI confirmed at a later date. Leinster Football League Page 12 back on the pitch in June 2021. For staff for their role in getting football some 16 months now you have abided back. Thanks also to Eamon Scott and Girls Football by Government guidelines, you have his team for putting this eMag together FAI Cup Page 18 lived by the FAI protocols and you have as we return to the pitch at the start of 2021 Qualifying Round Draw Third Level Football proven beyond doubt that our sport is our Centenary year. Page 24 safe in a COVID-19 environment. For Maynooth University Town v Bonagee United Referee Focus that dedication and commitment, I There are many reasons for celebration Kilnamanagh v Home Farm Page 28 thank you all on behalf of the Football ahead of us in our one hundredth year Fairview Rangers v Athenry FC LSL Senior Division Association of Ireland. but just getting all our players, young and Ringmahon Rangers v Crumlin United Page 32 old and from every background, back Oliver Bond Celtic v Killester Donnycarney UCFL Focus We are not back to normal yet but on the pitch is cause for celebration like St. Mochtas v Cockhill Celtic Page 40 we are getting there. Together with no other. our stakeholders and our partners Amputee Football Page 42 in the Government agencies, we will We will share those stories on these Byes continue to fight the good fight against pages with you in the coming months. Malahide United, Banger GGFC, St. Kevin’s Amateur Football League coronavirus, together and united. Boys, College Corinthians, Liffey Wanderers, Page 48 Fàilte ar ais agus Usher Celtic. Wicklow League Every time we play a game, every time fanacht slàn. Page 52 we hold a training session, every time Grassroots Round-up we host an FAI Summer Soccer School, Page 56 we are winning the battle against COVID-19. Given time, we will win the Gerry McAnaney, Editor: Eamon Scott war as well. President FAI Contributors: John Hudson, Niall Scully, Paul Dowling, Dermot Clarke, FAI Grassroots Dept In the meantime, I ask you again to Designer: John Regan @ Junior protect each other in this pandemic, to Creative Solutions watch out for each other. So many of FAIRVIEW RANGERS: the FAI Junior Cup Contact: [email protected] or [email protected] 2 holders will face Galway’s Athenry FC 3 FAI GRASSROOTS ISSUE ONE (L-R): FAI President Gerry McAnaney, Gillian Tobin, FOCUS: DEFIBRILLATORS Margaret Fox, Honorary President of College Corinthians and CEO of Irish Mainport Holdings, Dave Ronayne, and Denis Barry at the unveiling of new defibrillators at the gates of College Corinthians - for use by ERIKSEN EPISODE PUTS the local community - sponsored by Irish SPOTLIGHT ON NEED FOR Mainport Holdings. DEFIBRILLATORS ACCESS BY eamon scott 4 5 FAI GRASSROOTS ISSUE ONE DENMARK’S Christian Eriksen was said John O’Regan College Corinthians’ given emergency CPR on the pitch club chairman. after collapsing just before half-time in Saturday’s Euro 2020 game between “We did have an incident three years Denmark and Finland; team doctor ago where one of our players collapsed Morten Boesen said 29-year-old was in the dressing room and intervention “gone”, but swift intervention of Simon from a doctor on the opposition came Kjaer and medical staff saved his life. to his rescue, so we do have close hand experience of what can happen.” The incident, which received global exposure, highlighted the importance “When you see a top class player like of rapid access to defibrillators and Christian Eriksen collapse on live medical expertise. TV it brings home to you that it can happen to anyone anywhere and I really Eriksen has now sent out a message would encourage any club without a for the first time since the incident via defibrillator to consider installing one.” a tweet from the Danish FA’s account, which read: “Hello everyone. Big thanks College Corinthians conducted a couple for your sweet and amazing greetings of courses on the usage of the items at and messages from all around the their Castletreasure base in Douglas world. It means a lot to me and my and O’Regan also indicated that family. platforms like Youtube are excellent for quick refreshers on their usage. “I’m fine - under the circumstances. I still have to go through some examinations “We were lucky that we had excellent at the hospital, but I feel okay.” sponsorship to meet the costs but they are now essential equipment and well Here in Ireland, many FAI affiliated worth having the comfort of knowing clubs have installed defibrillators on they were readily available.” their premises and clubs like College Corinthians in Cork have recently “The Irish Heart Foundation advised us installed additional units on site to leave the access door open and that including one at the club gates for use is the policy we have now adopted.” by the local community. Added O’Regan: “We were honoured to “We’ve had one on site for some time have FAI President Gerry McAnaney in and Irish Mainport Holdings generously attendance for the official opening of sponsored the additional ones. the community defibrillator at the club gates and everyone at the club would “We sent 500 flyers to the local also send their best wishes to Christian community alerting them as to where to Eriksen for a return to full health in the access one in case of an emergency,” coming weeks.” 6 7 FAI GRASSROOTS ISSUE ONE feature: FOOTBALL’S RETURN FIELDS OF FUN THE PERFECT FOOTBALL TONIC BY NIALL SCULLY THE church bells are beginning to chime face, or the mud on your again. It’s not so much that football’s boots. coming home……..more a case that football’s coming back. It’s good to see the grass being cut, pitches being Bands all over the country have been marked, and teams back out busy rehearsing. And soon enough, training. it will be the sound of the referee’s whistle……….what a beautiful noise. The other day, the tots were playing a practice match on the mini all- For many, the PlayStations have helped weather. In their bibs that came down to fill the long and lonely hours. But over their knees. Taking their first steps there’s no substitute for the rain in your in the game. 8 9 FAI GRASSROOTS ISSUE ONE The coaches were giving them their Trevor was long perfecting his craft time. And their wisdom. And doing it in without him even knowing it. He’d walk such a gentle way. to school kicking a tennis ball. And in kick-abouts with his Dad down in the The ball would arrive at feet. The child local park, his Dad had only one rule – would take a second, or two, to adjust two feet. and get it under control. Bobby Moore had the pass made before Once they had done that, came the soft he even received the ball. The “Look words: “Look up.” And look up they did. Up” advice of his childhood stuck like a penny stamp. At this age, it’s all about getting the basics right. And having fun trying to do In his early years, some people said he it. wouldn’t make the grade. They never told him he’d captain England to the Graeme Souness was talking about World Cup. Geoff Twentyman, who was the Liverpool Chief Scout. Encouragement is a song that never grows old. And, like on those Upton Park Souness said that their first thing Saturdays, or those Tolka Park Sundays, Twentyman looked for in a player was humour is so often the currency of the how cleanly he struck the ball. terraces. Connecting with the leather on the Football without the crowds just wasn’t laces. Just like the goal that saw the same. It’s like expecting U2 to be at Leicester win the Cup. A goal from the their best in an empty Croke Park. Bobby Charlton Scrapbook. James McDermott is a Lecturer in the One of the benefits of the Lockdown UCD School of Law. He is a season-ticket was the amount of old matches that holder for Fulham.