FAI Club & Schools Offer 🎟️

Calling all clubs!

The Ireland Women’s National Team continue their 2027 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Campaign against Poland on Saturday 18th April in Aviva Stadium and we would love to see you there with the FAI Clubs & Schools offer.

https://tinyurl.com/clubsoffer

Children’s (U16) tickets are priced at €10
For every 10 purchased we will provide 2 adult tickets at the discounted price of €10 each.

Any additional adult tickets ordered outside of this ratio will cost €25 each.

Please note the minimum requirement to register an order is 10 kids tickets & 2 adults, terms & conditions apply.

Contact customer-relations@fai.ie if there are any questions. COYGIG! 🇮🇪

April – Coach Education

Please see below DDSL Workshops coming up next week. Please share with coaches, parents and players (16+) in your club. Booking links below. Thanks
Encouraging Improvisation and Flair
Audience: U7–U16 Coaches
Location: Abbotstown
Date: 13/04/2026
Time: 7pm–9pm
Cost: Free
Registration: Sportlomo : Event Registration
Passing & Support Play in 5v2, 3v1 & 4v2 Rondos
Audience: U7–U16 Coaches
Location: Leixlip Utd FC
Date: 14/04/2026
Time: 7pm–9pm
Cost: Free
Registration: Sportlomo : Event Registration
The Fundamental Aspects of Being a Goalkeeper & Supporting Young Goalkeepers
Audience: U8–U18 Coaches
Location: Homefarm FC
Date: 15/04/2026
Time: 7pm–9pm
Cost: Free
Registration: Sportlomo : Event Registration
Click Below to Register

Swords Celtic – Football for All Blitz

Our next scheduled DDSL ‘FOOTBALL FOR ALL BLITZ ’ will take place in SWORDS CELTIC on SATURDAY 25th APRIL 2026  from 1.30pm to 4pm.

The games will be very flexible & again we want it to be a fun day as well as having competition for the older sections.

 

Age-Groups:

  • U5 to U10: These players will mix into different teams i.e. Brazil etc so the standard will be even & can be changed through-out the games
  • U10 to U14: We should have 12 x Teams participating at this age group within their own teams. However, if there are a couple of players from new clubs/existing clubs who do not have a full team, they can amalgamate with other teams.
  • U14+..We are expecting one/two teams from the country to participate in this Blitz but will update all on the Format once all teams are confirmed.

 

Can you let me know what teams you are looking to enter & what ‘Age Groups’?

It would be great to have some of the new DDSL FFA Clubs participating or attending to see what’s involved & how exited the players are.

Once I have all the applications received, I will forward on the ‘FFA Blitz’ Fixture Schedule.

SCHEDULE FOR THE FFA BLITZ

  • Arrive 1.30pm
  • Saturday 25th April 2026
  • Address:
  • Both Grass/Astro…teams will be advised prior to the Blitz
  • Games expected to begin approx.. 2pm & to finish approx. 3.30pm/4pm
  • Footwear : TBC
  • Players to bring water/towel & any medicine required
  • Coaches to bring a couple of footballs/bibs/medical kit
  • Goody Bags presented to all the players

More details to follow.

Any issues/queries, please contact me at the details below. 

Mick Kennedy

 M:+353 86 058 0332

E-Mail: gm@ddsl.ie

 

Sponsor a Trophy

We are reaching out again to invite clubs to be part of a special initiative that celebrates the dedication and contributions of your club’s volunteers and legends who have left a lasting impact on both your club and the whole soccer community. This initiative was introduced last season & was a great success.

 

Your club’s history is built on the dedication and passion of its volunteers and legendsand now, you have the opportunity to honor their legacy in a truly meaningful way.

We are inviting clubs to sponsor a trophy in their name—a fabulous tribute to those who have shaped your club’s journey. This is your chance to celebrate a cherished volunteer or club legend, including those who are no longer with us, ensuring their name remains forever tied to the club and the game they loved.

The named trophy will be awarded annually for the next five years and can be presented by a family member or club official. This powerful gesture will not only recognize their contributions but also inspire future generations to carry on their legacy.

Would your club be interested in supporting this initiative?

Please see attached the ‘Trophy Sponsorship Poster’ with further information. Once you are happy to sponsor a Cup please complete the form attached & forward all correspondence to Mick Kennedy at gm@ddsl.ie 

More information

 

DDSL Logo

Expression of Interest for the season 2026 – 2027

Expression of Interest for the season 2026 – 2027 will open on April 1st @ 6PM and will remain open until May 15th @ 5PM.

Clubs who fail to complete their application before the close date will be placed on a wait list and reviewed by the FSMT and the Submissions Committee.

Expression of Interest season 2026 – 2027 application criteria.

The Expression of Interest is open to all current DDSL member clubs only.

The Expression of Interest application process which is Phase 1 has two sections applied.

  • All clubs please complete Section 1.
  • Clubs who are involved in transferring teams from another league please complete Section 1 and Section 2.

DDSL x ADHD Ireland Presentation

DDSL x ADHD Presentation last evening in Abbotstown which was very well attended.

The DDSL were delighted to be part of this important presentation to highlight the issues/difficulties for players/coaches in dealing with ADHD.

Thanks to the following for been part of this presentation.

             INTRODUCTION: Mick Kennedy

  • Ann Murray Shelbourne Fc
  • DDSL Director of Football Barry Ferguson
  • Ken Kilbride; CEO ADHD Ireland: ‘Power Point’ Presentation
  • Barry Heneghan TD: Barry to speak after Ken’s presentation on ADHD

Any comments/suggestions can be forwarded to Mick Kennedy at gm@ddsl.ie

 

 

New Online FAI Safeguarding Course

Please see below details of a new ‘FAI Online Safeguarding 1 Course’

Please ensure all your managers/coaches complete or have completed this course as well as all been ‘Garda Vetted.

We are pleased to provide you details of the new online FAI Safeguarding 1 course.

FAI Safeguarding 1- Basic awareness:

This course is targeted at all volunteers, coaches, committee members and staff within a service for Children. It provides a good basic understanding of Child protection legislation and educates participants on the implementation of best practice in protecting the welfare of children involved in football.

The course should be refreshed every 3 years.

Duration:

Approx. 45 minutes of own learning time.

Method:

The course is an online modular course that the participant accesses via the learning pool system. The participant will read through the content of the course and complete knowledge-based checks throughout. At the end of the course there is a multiple-choice assessment to complete.

Once the participant has registered and paid for the course, they will receive an email from meandmylearning@fai.ie. This contains the link to the course on the Me & My Learning platform. Please note, the email will be sent to the email address on their Comet account. On completion of the course and the assessment, if passed, this will then reflect on the participant’s Comet profile.

Please find a link to the course below:

Safeguarding 1 Basic Awareness Online Course

If you have any questions, please email childwelfare@fai.ie. 

Date Change – Free Online Sports Capital information evening

A Free Online Sports Capital Information evening to be held on Wedn April 1st,  2026 from 8pm to 9pm.

This ‘Webinar’ is organised by our partners ‘S3 Solution’ & should be of huge interest to clubs applying for the ‘Sports Capital Grants’ to be announced in April/May.

Please register ASAP.

 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ddsl-information-evening-community-sports-facilities-fund-2026-tickets-1985273286843?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

DDSL INTouch Magazine – February 2026

DDSL Cup Final Dates

We are delighted to announce the schedule of cup finals as of today, with over 97 cup finals taking place in what has become Ireland’s largest underage event of the year.

This is a massive undertaking for the league, involving 4,000 participants and almost 20,000 spectatorsacross both weekends.

The finals will take place on Saturday/Sunday 16th–17thand Saturday/Sunday 23rd–24th. There will be no more than two kick-off times per day, to help manage the large volume of cars and people attending.

We will need huge support from our clubs to ensure the smooth operation of this event. The focus on the day must always be about the players and the experience they have (win or lose). Everything we do impacts that experience, so thank you in advance for your cooperation and support.

Clubs are advised that no alterations or cancellationswill be permitted to the event schedule under any circumstances. Further information will be issued to teams and clubs as they progress to participating in finals.

Finalist packs will be issued closer to the event and will include player/coach wristbands, car park vouchers, match cards, and other relevant materials.

All tickets for the event will go on sale on 1st May, and the event is expected to sell out. Car parking is limited and also expected to fill quickly, so we strongly suggest clubs inform parents early and encourage car-pooling where possible. Fixtures and ticket links will be launched across all our website and social media channels on 1st May.

An online meeting for all managers of finalists will be held during the week before the finals (approximately 30 minutes).

This will cover key areas such as organising on the day, sideline behaviour, referee abuse, player registrations, and match cards. Please note that player panel validation and match cards will be completely onlinefor all finals. Clubs must ensure all panels are complete, with a registered coach assigned to each team to operate match cards for the finals.

Further communication will follow closer to the time. Along with our partners Q102, we will be piloting a number of initiatives during the event, including silent sidelines, and the support of clubs and parents will be essential to their success.

Attached Cup Final Days/Times below:

DDSL Cup Finals 2026