Garda Vetting is a FAI Rule for all those working with children and or vulnerable persons (in a paid or voluntary capacity). Please see FAI Rulebook Part B Rule 36 and the FAI Child Welfare & Safeguarding Policy section 10 for more information on Garda Vetting, Section 11 Safe recruitment practises and section 2 for other very important statutory obligations such as the Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment.

Remember, if you are not Garda vetted through the FAI, you should not undertake any work in a paid or voluntary capacity with children or vulnerable persons in football. Garda vetting applications can be made both online and via post. Please see links below:

NVB 1 Garda Vetting Invitation 2020.pdf 

Garda Vetting ID Validation Form 2020.pdf

https://www.fai.ie/domestic/safeguarding/garda-vetting

FAI Child Welfare and Safeguarding Policy

Another part of the Safe recruitment is relevant training needed, full details can be found in section 11.4 of the Child Welfare and Safeguarding policy. 

The FAI are pleased to announce that the Safeguarding 1 face to face workshops are now available online via zoom in conjunctions with Sport Ireland. Over 60 coaches have recently completed the Safeguarding one workshop through the online Safeguarding 1 course, two more upcoming online courses have already become fully booked.

We hope to have more online courses available to register here in the coming weeks. The Safeguarding 2 and 3 workshops will also be available in the new future.

For more details on this please contactchildwelfare@fai.ie

Following a number of requests for further clarification from clubs, the FAI would like to confirm the following:

• This suspension includes ALL matches and ALL organised training in counties Kildare, Offaly and Laois until further notice
• Only players and coaches with SSE Airtricity League and Women’s National League adult teams, and match officials from either of those adult leagues, are allowed travel outside their homes in Kildare, Offaly or Laois for training or matches
• All underage players resident in counties Kildare, Offaly or Laois are not permitted to travel to training or matches with clubs or programmes outside their home county
• The FAI has called off all INTERSPORT Elverys FAI Summer Soccer Schools in the affected counties for the next two weeks

In addition, the FAI again confirms that anyone arriving into Ireland from a country outside the government’s Green List must restrict their movements for 14 days before taking part in any football activities.

The FAI reminds clubs to follow the Safer Return to Play Protocol available online at www.fai.ie

The Association also encourages everyone involved in the game to follow the Government and Health Service Executive (HSE) guidelines available at www.hse.ie

For a coach starting out in Grassroots football, what are the first steps that they should take?
Firstly, they should ensure they are Garda Vetted and have completed the Safeguarding one workshop, then they should look to enter on to our Coach Education pathway.

Look at the entry point video below and register for a course relating to the age group they are coaching. 

Video: Pathway Explained Entry Points

Webinar: 2021-2025 FAI Coach Education Pathway

Why is it important to complete the Garda Vetting form and Safeguarding course?
It is a statutory requirement, that all individuals, volunteers or paid, working with Children and Vulnerable Persons have completed Garda Vetting clearance before engaging with an Organisation or services.

Garda Vetting is a FAI Rule for all those working with children and or vulnerable persons (in a paid or voluntary capacity). Another part of the Safe recruitment is relevant training needed, it is a mandatory requirement that all coaches complete the Safeguarding 1 workshop. 

What is the PDP1 course exactly?
The PDP 1 course is an entry level course on the Coach Education pathway and for coaches who are coaching at Under-6 to Under-9 age group. 

The only prerequisite for this course will be that all participants are Garda vetted and have completed the Safeguarding 1 course before completing this course. 

The PDP 1 course caters for all levels of coaches and focuses on the specifics in the age group of 6-9. It’s a one day course lasting 8 hours with content being a mix of theory and practical.

The courses are available all year round and spread out geographically around the country. The course can even be held and delivered in your club if you have a minimum of 10 coaches looking to participate and complete it, contact coached@fai.ie for more details. 

What will I learn from the PDP1 course?
The course covers all areas of the game and training. Participants will learn about What is football?, the structure of the game, the playing formats and structures of the PDP plan for age the specific age groups.

How to plan and implement a coaching practice with examples and a booklet of coaching practice plans provided. The Coach Educator will deliver practical demonstrations and the participants then get the opportunity to get involved in small groups or pairs to put on a short practice. 

The role of the grassroots coach. the characteristics of the players aged 6-9 and the importance of fun and enjoyment for this age group. 

The course will also cover how the use of self-reflection can help improve you as a coach and therefore improve the players. 

Are many of these courses taking place with COVID-19 restrictions still ongoing?
Currently the only courses that have recommenced are at UEFA A & B Licence level. The grassroots courses have not recommenced yet. 

We are working very hard to get all courses back up and running and hope to have some good news very soon. We also recently recorded coaching practices with the intention of delivering PDP 1 and PDP 2 courses online with some post course assignments for participants in order to complete the course, this will be for those who have had their course cancelled due to covid-19. The participants who have registered for these courses will all be contacted by email with an update and options as soon as we have confirmation. 

What if I'm managing at a more senior level than kids but haven't done any coaching courses, where do I start out?
Great news! We have recently redesigned and updated our course catered for the senior game. The new course on our pathway is called the Adult Amateur Licence and covers all areas of the game relating to adult amateur football.

The only prerequisite for this course will be that all participants are Garda vetted and have completed the Safeguarding 1 course before completing this course. 

The course will be a mix of theory and practical content and will be 16 hours long. The structure of the game, football actions, and coaching practice demonstrations relating to the adult game are just some examples of what will be covered on the course. The participants will also receive a booklet of coaching practice session plans. 

What do I need in order to take part in any of the courses?
You need to book and register for the course online. Go to the FAI website and under the domestic section, click on book a course.

At the moment, due to COVID-19 there are no courses available online to book. We hope to update this soon so please keep an eye on the website, our social media and the newsletters. 

If you have any further queries or questions please feel free to email coached@fai.ie

What is the difference between the PDP1 and PDP2 course?
In the 2021-2025 Coach Education Pathway both courses are one day and eight hours long.

The PDP 1 caters for coaches coaching at U6-U9, where the PDP 2 caters for coaches coaching at U10-U12.

The PDP 2 course content goes into more advanced detail on what is football, football actions and the PDP 2 formats and guides for these ages.

The Coach Educator demonstrations are more advanced and each participant must take part and coach after the demonstrations are delivered. Feedback on the practical will be then be provided to the group by the Coach Educator where learnings can be identified. 

Similarly to the PDP 1, each coach will receive a booklet of age specific coaching practice plans, this time for the U10 – U12 ages, these plans will be more advanced than the PDP 1 coaching practice plans.

It is mandatory in the new pathway 2021-2025 to complete the PDP 1 course before completing the PDP 2 course.

The last time he took to the touchline was during the Under-19s European Championship qualifier against Austria last November.

Nine months on from that fixture, he was back at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown casting his eye over 60 home-based players, split between two training camps last Sunday.

With fixtures ahead of the new season to be confirmed, Tom is making sure his players are raring to go.

He said: “It’s important that we look at them [the players] early in the season. We’ll narrow the numbers down and look to do a home-based event again in September.

“I’ve spoken to the players and have said, for them to be playing Under-19s international football they’ve got to be looking at playing first team football here in Ireland or at least knocking on the door of the first team. That’s easier said than done but that’s the challenge.

“All of the players that have been playing first-team football, we’ve had a chance to see them play in that environment and it’s been brilliant. Some of them have been blossoming at that level and that’s a good early indication for the season going forward.”

Tom said the successful transition of players from his Under-19s team to the Under-21s and Senior Men’s Team have helped inspired the next generation of players.

He added: “The younger age groups that are coming through will take great inspiration from the players who have done really well and stepped up into the Under-21s and into the Senior team. That’s the bigger picture and it’s our job to help produce players ready to step into the Under-21s and senior football.”

Intent on creating a positive learning experience, the FAI Coach Education Department has been working hard within the High Performance Unit to introduce an updated structure that caters for the needs of the everyday coach.
 
FAI Head of Coach Education Niall O’Regan said: “When we were shaping the 2021-2025 Pathway, we relied heavily on the feedback of the hundreds of coaches whom we spoke with about what worked, what didn’t and what they wanted to see introduced.
 
“Along with guidance from UEFA and research into what other European nations are doing, we decided to place an even greater emphasis on making entry level courses cost-efficient and time-realistic in order to aid the development of Grassroots coaches. We are excited about these changes and believe that they will have a positive impact on Irish football.”
 
An example of the cost-effective measures being introduced is that through the previous Coach Education Pathway the route to completing the old Youth Certificate cost a coach between €450-€500 compared to €370 to reach the National D Licence level in the 2021-2025 Pathway.

• Entry Point 1 – No Fee
• PDP1 – €45
• PDP2 – €45
• Mandatory Workshops – 4 x €25
• Optional Workshops – x 2 (four free options available)
• Football Fitness D Licence – €45
• Performance Analysis D Licence – €45
• National D Licence – €90
• Total: €370

 
The changes are not solely focused on costs, however, with time management taken into account e.g. PDP2 has gone from a two-day course to a one-day event, dropping from €75 to €45. In addition, the contact time for coaches has increased which ensures they will have more contact with Coach Educators - with a reduction in cost rather than an increase in fee - which guarantees coaches as much support in person as possible in their fundamental development stages.
 
In the professional courses, the additional CPD events and modules are working out cheaper than the previous hours model. There will also be an introduction of reality-based learning whereby coaches are assessed by Coach Educators in their own environment from UEFA B Licence level upwards.  
 
The course fee stays the same with the UEFA B Licence being delivered over five contacts over a 9-12 month period costing €1,950 while the UEFA A Licence will be delivered over a 12-month period with six contact blocks, costing €3,250. These are elite level courses aimed at coaches wanting to work in the professional game.
 
Following on from the success of the Female-Only UEFA B Licence and the National C Licence courses provided for free to SSE Airtricity Under-17 & U-19 League and Women’s Under-17 National League players, the introduction of further free education is an important part of the 2021-2025 Pathway.
 
These courses and workshops will be available for free as part of the new Pathway:

• Entry Points Online Workshops
• PDP Workshop
• Performance Analysis Intro
• One Good Coach – Mental Health
• Grassroots Diet & Nutrition

The FAI Coach Education Department are also working on plans to offer free presentations and workshops to all coaches who register for the new e-Learning Coaches Club, which will have latest news, session plans, top tips, interactive videos and exclusive interviews.
 
FAI High Performance Director Ruud Dokter said: "The changes being implemented as part of the roll-out of the 2021-2025 FAI Coach Education Pathway mean that courses will be even more accessible & affordable to coaches as they map out their own coaching journey.
 
"It is important that we work with the coaches to support them throughout their journey and that is something that will shape the new Pathway. Whether they are a Grassroots coach, Elite Youth coach or Professional coach, it is now clear how they can go about developing further with the support of our Coach Education Department.
 
"It is fantastic that we will soon have an e-Learning platform, more courses available online, and a practical approach to delivering courses with the coach very much in mind. These changes will ultimately help develop better all-round and specialist coaches who, in turn, will help to develop better players for Irish football."

FAI Football Development Officers Nick Harrison and Chris McElligott talk about the work that is ongoing throughout the country, the advances that have been made, and what is coming next.

There are tips and advice for coaches who may want to get involved in various areas of the game, as well as talk of where Football For All fits into the 2021-2025 FAI Coach Education Pathway.

The cessation order on all football in the three counties was imposed last Friday, following the announcement of new Government restrictions.

The FAI has since sought Government guidance on the return of football activities and is now allowing the return of non-contact training in groups of 15 or less in the counties and under strict Protocol guidelines which have been made available to all affiliates.

The FAI will monitor the situation in Kildare, Offaly and Laois on an ongoing basis in conjunction with the Government and their agents. The health and safety of all stakeholders remains the key focus of the FAI in this regard as we continue to adopt a cautious approach to the return of all football activities in Kildare, Offaly and Laois.

The FAI urges all stakeholders to follow HSE guidelines in the battle against COVID-19. 

Cork's Carrigaline United, Knocklyon United FC in Dublin and Carlow's New Oak Boys FC all hosted Summer Soccer Schools for Football For All players in their respective areas.

Carrigaline’s camp organised by the club’s FFA coordinator Bryan McCarthy started proceedings in July and was a great success running alongside the club’s mainstream camp. Ten players attended over five days, ably assisted by a team of six coaches including the FAI’s Munster Football For All Coordinator Nick Harrison.

Next up was Knocklyon United where Mick Kennedy organised a three-day camp for 20 players, he was assisted by a team of coaches and the FAI’s Leinster FFA Coordinator Chris McElligott. FAI Interim Deputy CEO Niall Quinn also visited Knocklyon to see the work done by the 20 players at the camp.

In Carlow, Ken Lacey from New Oak Boys FC, the Local Sports Partnership and Carlow FAI Development Officer Garry Coady organised another 3-day camp for a 26 local children hoping to start on their football for all journey with the club in the coming months.

With a range of ability levels at all the camps, coaches designed activities that were inclusive to all and in many cases were able to employ a one coach to one player ratio to ensure children were able to take time-outs as needed or work on a different technique before joining back in with the main group when they were ready. Days were shortened to 3 hours and plenty of breaks were scheduled to maintain energy and interest levels. Some siblings were involved with the coaching as were older FFA Youth team players, wanting to give something back to the FFA clubs that gave them their start in the game

Coordinators Bryan, Mick and Ken were delighted with the success of the camps and felt it was so important to make the opportunity available after the months of lockdown. Ken Lacey said; “We were delighted to be in a position to host the camp and hope in the near future to become an official FAI Football For All club for Carlow and the surrounding area. Despite the rain on day one this did not stop the players from getting involved, great to see the attitude of players who just wanted to play”.

FAI Summer Soccer Schools coordinator Trevor Scanlon and FAI Grassroots Development manager Gerry Reardon helped in making these camps possible in what were very difficult circumstances. From risk assessments to health declarations and daily cleaning routines, camps this year were a challenge but all the coaches and players should be congratulated on all the work they did to make them a possibility.

The players can now look forward to starting regular training with their FFA clubs in the coming weeks and the hope of matches to come in the near future.

The funding is available through a Sport Ireland grant scheme designed in consultation with the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht. These grants are part of a €70million package of new funding announced by Government for National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and sports clubs affected by COVID-19.

The Application process, along with relevant Terms & Conditions and eligibility criteria, will be outlined in the coming days and made available to all FAI affiliated clubs with the applications to be made to Sport Ireland by the FAI on behalf of the affiliates.

The funding scheme is designed to address the financial and economic impact that COVID-19 has had on Irish sport and clubs. All clubs seeking funds will be asked to prove to the FAI and Sport Ireland that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in major financial issues for their club. Funding is available for sporting purposes only and cannot be used to offset loss of income from rentals etc. 

The €70million of state funding will be available across four targeted grant schemes:

• The FAI, the GAA and the IRFU to receive up to €40 million in total between them
• The National Governing Bodies, Local Sports Partnerships & Other Funded Bodies to receive up to €10 million
• A Sports Club Resilience Fund, delivered through National Governing Bodies, of up to €15 million to support clubs
• A Sports Restart and Renewal Fund of up to €5 million 

Welcoming the new grant scheme, FAI President Gerry McAnaney said: “This is a most welcome move by Government and Sport Ireland at a time when Irish sport and our own football clubs have been affected so badly by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding now available from Government will help to offset the loss of financial revenue for our clubs at this difficult time and I would encourage our clubs and affiliates to apply for this COVID-19 relief.”

The Expression of Interest form can be downloaded here. 

Closing date for grant applications will be Friday, 4th of September at 5pm. Late applications cannot be accepted.

All queries can be directed by email to CovidFundingSupport@fai.ie

Under the guidance of FAI Head of Coach Education Niall O'Regan, the Webinar series started in May to help coaches during the lockdown period caused by COVID-19 and to ensure that they were able to keep learning.

The variety of the topics covered in the series ensured that every coach, no matter their level, was able to take something from each Webinar. And that is reflected in the phenomenal numbers across social & digital media.

Overall, there were 26,000 views on YouTube, 2 million impressions on Twitter, excellent engagement on Facebook, and a strong audience of subscribers build up on the Coach Education digital newsletter.

There were also 580 coaches who completed the assignments set in selected Webinars that earned CPD hours, with up to 50 of those coaches completing all of the assignments.

"One of the key objectives of the 2021-2025 FAI Coach Education Pathway is to ensure that we provide a better support structure for coaches, to be part of their journey all of the way, and this Webinar series has helped us in that," said O'Regan.

"The positive feedback from coaches, all around the world, has been fantastic and it was great that we were able to give something back to them, not just in terms of informative Webinars but also by awarding CPD hours to those who did the assignments.

"I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in making the Webinars a success, particularly Gareth Maher and Matthew Turnbull in our Communications Department for their tireless work in recording, editing & promoting these, and also to the coaches for interacting with them.

"The future for Coach Education in this country is very bright and we are excited to take the next steps."

All Webinars are available to view on the FAI TV YouTube channel or click on the links below:
Grassroots
Paul Osam
Tom Mohan
Tom O'Connor
Colin O'Brien
Jim Crawford
Jason Donohue
Female Coaching
Performance Analysis
Session Planning
Football Fitness
Goalkeeping
Ruud Dokter
2021-2025 Coach Education Pathway
Football For All
Futsal
 

First-half goals from Keane Griffin and Kieran O’Connor gave Mervue a solid 2-0 lead going into half-time. 

Substitute Jay Martyn notched a third at Oscar Traynor Park to see them claim victory over their Meath opponents and take the trophy back to the west of Ireland.

Mervue’s Tom Kidd was awarded Player of the Match.

Parkvilla FC: Scott O’Sullivan, James Egan, Ethan Rathbone, Finn Murray, Christian Nicolenco, Kian Ratty, Bradlee Connor-Baldwin, Tommy Buchanan, Eoghan Heavey, Shane Maguire, Louis Collins.
Substitutes: Martynas Jacos, Bryan Kenny, Jamie Ayres, Adam Niven, Tristian O’Neill.

Mervue United: Jack Folan, Joey O’Hara, Josh O’Connor, Ben Stanik, Mark Cunningham, Daniel O’Connor, Keane Griffin, Tom Kidd, Kieran O’Connor, Aaron Neary, Dylan Traynor.
Substitutes: Owen Okore, Luke Doyle, Conor French, Jay Martyn, Jamie Hayes, Jack Nolan, Gradi Lombotto.

Result: Parkvilla FC 0-3 Mervue United

Two goals a-piece from Ian Byrne, Gabriel Yan Micoski Lucas and Armin Gecso and goals from Mateusz Kowaluk, Nebojsa Jocic and Anitoaie Eugeniu completed an emphatic victory over their Dublin rivals.

The Magicians will now go on to represent Ireland in the 2020/21UEFA Futsal Champions League.

Result: Blue Magic 9-0 Saints and Scholars

The FAI informs all affiliates of the following directives, effective from midnight tonight until further notice:

• The SSE Airtricity League and Women’s National League will continue behind closed doors
• Adult Amateur and Underage Football - including underage National Leagues - will continue, subject to updated Government and FAI guidelines
• No spectators are permitted at any match under the jurisdiction of the FAI
• Only those essential to a fixture may attend as per updated Protocols to be released by the FAI on Wednesday
• Outdoor training is permitted in groups of up to 15 maximum under the new Government guidelines
• More than one training session can take part at a venue provided the training pods are no larger than 15
• Underage training groups must include two coaches and up to 13 players as per FAI Child Welfare and Safeguarding Policy
• Adult training groups must include one coach and up to 14 players
• As per Government guidelines for indoor events, indoor football and Futsal events are suspended until further notice 
• Indoor club meetings must adhere to the new Government guideline of a maximum of six people in attendance

The Football Association of Ireland wishes to acknowledge the hard work to date of all players, coaches, match officials, club officials, volunteers, parents and guardians for their dedication to our Protocols in ensuring the safer return to football. The FAI urges all members to remain aware of their personal responsibility to abide by Government guidelines during this COVID-19 pandemic. We again thank all frontline workers for their efforts and commitment during this difficult time.

The FAI will remain in discussion with Government agencies in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

As soon as the Government has updated the association on a number of issues, we will communicate a revised Safer Return to Training and Safer Return to Play Protocols. 

We again ask all stakeholders to remain aware of their personal responsibility in the battle against COVID-19.

It is the first time either Dublin side has reached the final and presents both teams a chance to write their name into the history of the competition.

The game, which will be hosted at Tallaght Stadium, will a have a different feel compared to previous finals as it will be played without fans.

The final will however be screened on the FAI’s official YouTube channel www.youtube.com/FAIofficial with coverage begining at 4.45pm. 

Speaking about preparing his side for the behind-closed-door game, Killester Donnycarney’s manager Gary Howlett said: “We know now that the final will just be the players and staff. There’s nothing we can do about that so we’re just going to get on with it.

“The players can’t wait, you can see the edge in training. I love the feeling in training and hopefully we can bring that on throughout the week.”

St. Mochta’s manager Brain McCarthy added: “It’s a cup final no matter what way you look at it – whether there are spectators there or not. 

“Obviously people would prefer spectators there but it’s difficult circumstances. It is what it is but I don’t think there will be any difficulty getting our lads up for this cup final.”

People can download this special edition cup final e-programme below. 

•  FAI New Balance Intermediate Cup Final e-programme.pdf

Venue: Tallaght Stadium

Date: Saturday, August 22

Kick-off: 5pm 

As part of the new Protocols, the FAI has outlined who is essential to the staging of games and adopted the Government guideline precluding all spectators from fixtures.

The Association has also confirmed to all adult amateur and underage affiliates – including underage National Leagues -that one parent or guardian may now accompany a child under the age of 18 to a training session or match where it is deemed necessary.

Spectators are also banned from all SSE Airtricity League and Women’s National League games until further notice while the FAI will review its policy on indoor football and Futsal next week.

The updated Safer Return to Training Protocol can be accessed here

The updated Safer Return to Play Protocol can be accessed here

Two goals in the last 20 minutes were good enough for the Dublin 15 club to win the title for the first time in their history, with Dean Kelly and Denis Moran both beating Evan Whelan in the Killester Donnycarney net.

It was Killester Donnycarney who took the lead, just after the half-hour mark. Steven Nolan was taken down by Gavin Kearney in the box, and referee Barry Fitzpatrick had no hesitation pointing to the spot. 

Captain Stephen Chambers stepped up to give the team the lead, and they kept it to the half-time break.

The addition of Dean Kelly on the hour mark proved pivotal for St. Mochtas, and it was the substitute who set it up for captain Karl Somers to level things in the 74th minute. Somers’ cross missed everyone in the box, and flew into the bottom right corner.

Denis Moran won the game, ten minutes from time, with a shot from outside the box, to send the St. Mochtas bench into delirium.

The win ensures that the Clonsilla club add their name to the illustrious history of the FAI Intermediate Cup Roll of Honour.

Killester Donnycarney: Evan Whelan; Sean Rogers, Terry McAuley (Eric Whelan 89), Brendan Lee, Reece McEnteer; Cian McMullen (Mick Kelly 82), Steven Nolan, Mark Ryan (John Brophy 82), Stephen Chambers (capt), Josh Scully; Eoin Fowler

St. Mochtas: Craig Hyland; Niall O’Reilly, Alan Byrne, Gavin Kearney, Sean Byrne; Mark O’Neill Cathal O’Connor (Dean Kelly 60); Jason Marks (Jason Grouse 69), Karl Somers (capt), Denis Moran (Paul O’Connor 84); Gareth McCaffrey

Man of the Match: Karl Somers (St. Mochtas)

Waterford-born Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby and Cork native Adam Idah, the Norwich City striker, both receive their first call-ups to the senior Ireland squad. Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy, Fulham’s Harry Arter, Southampton’s Shane Long and Blackburn Rovers defender Darragh Lenihan all return to the squad for the games in Sofia and Dublin.

David McGoldrick, the Sheffield United striker and the 3 FAI Player of the Year for 2020, will join the squad for the Finland game, pending the assessment of a long-term foot injury.

The squad was announced at JACC headquarters in Dublin as the FAI unveiled a new six-year partnership with the New Era brand of headwear and leisurewear.

The Irish players will meet up on Sunday ahead of two day’s training at the National Training Centre in Abbotstown before flying to the Bulgarian capital on Tuesday afternoon. Both the UEFA Nations League games will be played behind closed doors.

Ireland squad v Bulgaria and Finland
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Mark Travers (Bournemouth), Kieran O’Hara (unattached)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Wolves), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).
Midfielders: James McCarthy (Crystal Palace), Harry Arter (Fulham), Jeff Hendrick (unattached), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Jayson Molumby (Brighton and Hove Albion), Robbie Brady (Burnley).
Forwards: Callum Robinson (Sheffield United), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (Stoke City), Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur – on loan at Millwall), Shane Long (Southampton).

Note: David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) will join the squad for the Finland game.

The collection, which features the iconic Ireland Crest, will give football fans a number of popular headwear styles to choose from including the 9FORTY adjustable, 9FIFTY stretch snap and a seasonal offering of knitwear.
 
Established in the US in 1920, New Era is steeped in sports heritage and serves as the official headwear partner to a host of major sports teams and leagues such as the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Basketball Association (NBA) as well as Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC. 
 
Paul Gils, Vice President EMEA at New Era, said: “With 100 years of traditional sports heritage, New Era is thrilled to form a truly authentic partnership with the FAI. We’re looking forward to bringing a range of quality headwear to the supporters of Irish football for the very first time.”
 
Mark Russell, Commercial Director with the FAI, said: “We are delighted to launch this partnership with New Era and look forward to working with such an innovative and inspiring brand over the next six years. New Era are world leaders in headwear and I know our loyal Ireland fans will really enjoy their product range.”
 
New Era is distributed in Ireland by JACC Sports. Jonathan Courtenay, MD of JACC Sports, said “We are delighted to bring New Era product to the FAI and fans will see the product in store from October. New Era is an iconic global brand which produces brilliant headwear and apparel and we can’t wait to add these product categories to our FAI retail offering”.

These grants are part of a €70million package of new funding announced for National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and sports clubs affected by COVID-19

The funding is available through a Sport Ireland grant scheme designed in consultation with the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.

Affiliated clubs, leagues and provincial Associations that are seeking funding via this scheme are invited to complete the below application form.
 
To apply for the COVID-19 Funding, click here.

The application process will close at 5pm on Wednesday, September 2.  No late applications will be accepted under any circumstances. 
 
All clubs seeking funding under this scheme will be asked to prove to the FAI and Sport Ireland that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in major financial issues for their club. Funding is available for sporting purposes only and cannot be used to offset loss of income from rentals etc.

All applicants should first read the terms and conditions of this funding scheme prior to completing an application.

A Webinar will take place on Friday, August 28 regarding the application process. Clubs looking to attend should complete the Expression of Interest Form to receive an invitation.

Key Points of Grant Schemes Application Process:

• FAI will apply to Sport Ireland on behalf of the applicant clubs under this scheme.
• The primary purpose of this this funding scheme is the prevention of sports clubs from becoming insolvent due to the impact of COVID-19.
• These grant schemes are designed to support sporting activity only.

Any clubs that have any questions related to their application of the funding scheme in general should contact CovidFundingSupport@fai.ie