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By Murt Murphy
The Kerry District League were given a ringing endorsement at a meeting on Monday night by the clubs of the county, to press ahead with their plans to explore entry in the newly formed U-17 National League, due to commence in March 2016.
There was unanimous support from club delegates that Kerry should pursue entering a team, representing the best young talent in the county, in the proposed National Competition which would involve a three-year commitment.
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KDL Chairman Sean O’Keeffe outlined the pros and cons involved in entering a team in the National U-17 Competition, with the cost being a major consideration, but the need to provide a pathway for emerging talent was considered to outweigh any negatives on how it might be funded.
Delegates spoke about the need to provide a pathway for the brightest young talent emerging from the Schoolboys League, so that they would have somewhere to play at a higher level, within the county, rather than being forced to travel to neighbouring League of Ireland Clubs in Munster.
A KDL Sub-Committee under chairman Sean O’Keeffe and Secretary John O’Regan have been mandated to explore the matter further with FAI officials, Fran Gavin and Pat Duffy and then the KDL Executive will decide whether to enter the U-17 League, as there are other entities in the county interested.
The League will then have to have its application approved by the FAI, and at that point, it would then appoint a management team, make out a business plan for funding the venture and set about signing players and commencing training in early January.
It is an exciting step for the KDL to be taking, and one that will see young soccer stars of the future, being given the opportunity to wear a Kerry jersey.
