Girls set for a feast of football 

MORE than 500 girls will descend on the AUL complex in Clonshaugh this Saturday, August 17 for a major soccer tournament. 

The Fingal Festival of Football, now in its 17th year, has become a fantastic promotion for girls’ football in the county.

Run by Fingal County Council’s sports office, in collaboration with FAI/Fingal Development Officers Paul Keogh and Sharon Boyle, the event provides opportunities for some girls to put on a club jersey for the very first time and also acts as pre-season warm up for the more established teams. 

This year’s festival will see teams come from all over Dublin, Meath and Louth and while some will be travelling from as far as Donegal. 

FAI/Fingal County Council Development Officer Paul Keogh said they are delighted to assist Fingal’s sports office with the event which has grown from four U-13 teams nine years ago to 60 teams in 2019. 

 “It provides for a fun-filled day and helps harness the great work of the volunteers who put in hours of work to ensure girls have regular football as without them there is no girls’ football,” said Mr Keogh. 

“We have seen great growth in girls’ football over the last few years, especially in the Fingal area and events like this are encouraging clubs to provide opportunities for girls to play on teams with their peers.”