Alain Flavigny’s French side travel to face the Irish Third Level side having been beaten 1-0 by Japan in the Universiade Final in Chinese Taipei last August. Both sides faced each other in Xinzhuang Stadium, New Taipei City in the opening game of Pool A in a 0-0 draw.

Last year's match in Taipei was the second between Ireland and France in 2017. They had already faced each other earlier that summer in the Stade de la Colombière, Épinal with France winning 3-2 despite Ireland leading 2-1 at half-time through goals from Cork City’s Sean McLoughlin and now-New Zealand based Garbhan Coughlan.

Greg Yelverton’s Irish side remain unbeaten in 2018 with victories over Scotland (1-0) and the Irish Defence Forces (5-0) on their record. The Cork native makes seven changes to his squad that dismantled the Defence Forces in April.

NUI Galway and Galway United defender Maurice Nugent misses out through injury with the likes of Ross Taheny and Alan O’Sullivan both unavailable. There are first call-ups for Conor Keeley, Darragh Gibbons, and Jack O’Keeffe whilst SSE Airtricity League First Division top scorer Georgie Kelly is included in the squad for the first time since the clash with the Defence Forces last year.

Speaking ahead of the game, Yelverton said; “We have never had it easy against France. They are a well organised side and pose plenty of threats to us. This is the type of challenge that our players should be hungry for. Scotland and the Defence Forces posed different kind of challenge which we counteracted with our game plan. We will require a lot more focus and discipline to handle France.

"However, despite all of that, France will have to fear us also. We have different types of players that will cause France problems. Georgie Kelly has proved in the last 18 months that he is growing into one of the top number nines in the SSE Airtricity League. Shane Daly-Butz was the standout for the Republic of Ireland Amateurs in their recent game also.

"We have good young talent in this squad, so hopefully they can go out and express that against France. They may be the second best team in the world right now but we certainly possess the talent to trouble them."

Colleges & Universities Squad to face France Universities
Goalkeepers: Matt Connor (Waterford IT/Waterford FC), Cathal O’Hanlon (UCC/UCC AFC)
Defenders: Shane Elworthy (IT Blanchardstown/Longford Town), Conor Kane (Maynooth University/Drogheda United), Conor Keeley (Griffith College Dublin/Cabinteely), Liam Scales (UCD/UCD AFC), Pierce Phillips (UCC/Cobh Ramblers*), Darragh Gibbons (Maynooth University/Bray Wanderers)
Midfielders: Jamie Hollywood (IT Blanchardstown/Longford Town), Shane Daly-Butz (UCC/UCC AFC), Georgie Poynton (Dundalk IT/Dundalk FC), Daire O’Connor (UCD/UCD AFC), Anthony McAlavey (IT Carlow/Cobh Ramblers), Jonny Bonner (IT Carlow/Crusaders),
Attackers: Georgie Kelly (UCD/UCD AFC), Jason McClelland (UCD/UCD AFC), Jack O’Keeffe (Dundalk IT/Dundalk FC), Carlton Ubaezuonu (Dundalk IT/Galway United*)
*On Loan

Friday’s loss sees the team drop to third-place in Group 3, two points behind Norway, with the Netherlands a further point ahead in top spot.

The visitors took the lead in the 21st-minute. Striker Lisa-Marie Utland got her head on the end of a Norwegian corner. Her head flew over Hourihan and into the back of the net.

Buoyed by their opening goal, Norway could have doubled their lead on the half-hour mark. Hesitancy in the Ireland defence saw Isabell Herlovsen back-heel the ball towards an onrushing Guro Reiten, whose shot flew off the crossbar.

Colin Bell’s side suffered another blow before the break. Defender Louise Quinn had to be substituted after breaking her nose in a collision. She was replaced by Claire O’Riordan.

Ireland were lucky not to concede moments before the break. Norway’s Herlovsen had another decent opportunity, but her header flew wide.

After the break, Ireland started much the stronger on front of over 3,100 fans. Leanne Kiernan consistently troubled the Norwegian defence. A mazy run, saw the striker beat three opponents, but her shot from the edge of the box was comfortably saved by Ingrid Hjelmseth.

Despite an impressive start, Ireland conceded their second goal of the game on the hour mark. Unable to clear the ball from a free-kick, Utland scored her second off the game, slamming the ball home from close range.

As Ireland searched for an elusive goal, Norway were able to go on the counter-attack. With ten minutes to go, a three-player overlap couldn’t result in a goal, with Herlovsen’s tame effort being easily saved by Hourihane.

Karen Duggan volleyed over in added-time from a Sophie Perry-Campbell cross with one of the last efforts of the game, as Ireland suffered their second successive defeat in the FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifiers.

Speaking after the game WNT Head Coach Colin Bell said his team struggled at times against Norway.

"We conceded from a corner and a free kick. You cannot concede those type of goals and expect to stay in the game.

"If we lose again to Norway, our qualification hopes are over. A draw would be a positive result."

The two teams meet again next week in the second of their back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday evening in Stavanger’s Viking Stadion. Kick-off is at 5pm Irish time.

Republic of Ireland: Marie Hourihan; Sophie Perry-Campbell, Diane Caldwell, Louise Quinn (Claire O’Riordan 36), Aine O’Gorman; Tyler Toland, Niamh Fahey (Amber Barrett 70); Denise O’Sullivan, Karen Duggan, Katie McCabe (capt); Leanne Kiernan.

Norway: Ingrid Hjelmseth; Ingrid Wold, Maren Mjelde (capt), Maria Thorisdottir, Synne Skinnes Hansen; Caroline Graham Hansen (Vilda Boe Risa 70), Frida Maanum, Ingrid Syrstad Engen, Guro Reiten; Lisa-Marie Utland (Elise Thorsnes 76), Isabell Herlovsen (Synne Jensen 90)

Referee: Kateryna Monzul (UKR)

The 24-year old, who is the current Republic of Ireland WNT Player of the Year, had travelled with the squad to Stavanger in hope of featuring but has now been ruled out through injury. 

Louise Quinn is set to play the qualifier against Norway, despite suffering a fractured nose in Friday's 2-0 defeat at Tallaght Stadium. Quinn has had a protective mask fitted and should feature for Colin Bell's side tomorrow night. 

The squad trained at the Viking Stadion earlier today ahead of tomorrow's match which is live on RTE2, with kick-off at 5pm (6pm local time).

Republic of Ireland WNT Head Coach Colin Bell said: "We worked hard with Harriet to try and get her fit but it wasn't to be. 

"I'm never going to risk the health of one of my players so I've made that decision to leave her out. It's been great to have her around the squad though as she's an important part of the journey we're on and a great influence on the other players. 

"We've been able to get Louise a mask so she should be ok for the match. We'll obviously monitor it to make sure she feels she can play with the mask but her desire to play has been admirable. 

"As soon as it happened, she wanted to get back on the pitch but we had to hold her back. It shows the passion and determination the players have for this team. They want to succeed and that's fantastic for me to see."

Aine O'Gorman is set to win her 100th cap if she features tomorrow night. The Peamount United star made her debut in 2006 against Denmark and will reach the milestone against Norway after a 12-year international spell. 

Ireland need a result to keep their qualification hopes alive with just two games in their FIFA 2019 World Cup qualifying campaign left and Bell believes the players are prepared.

"It's a simple equation for us now and in many ways, that can make the picture a lot clearer for the players," Bell said.

"We've obviously just suffered defeat against Norway but we've been able to pick out so much from that game which we can learn from. There were a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes in the game and the players have been able to see that.

"We've got to take what we've learnt into tomorrow night's game and try our best to get the result we need. We've made a lot of progress throughout the campaign but we want to go all the way and so do the players."

The WNT Head Coach has limited options in defence with SC Sand defender Diane Caldwell suspended for the fixture after picking up her third yellow card of the campaign in Friday's defeat. 

The DDSL, seeking their sixth win in the 32-team U-14 inter-league competition in seven years, led their spirited opponents 1-0 at half-time, thanks to a well-taken goal from Evan Ferguson.

When St Kevin's Boys striker Ferguson headed home his second goal early in the final quarter, Carlow's stubborn resistance was finally broken. Further goals from Cherry Orchard's Thomas Lonergan and Jamie Kelly, late on, sealed the win.

Elsewhere, the Cork Schoolboy League, seeking their first Kennedy Cup success in 29 years, opened with a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Drogheda League. The Leesiders had a a brace from Midleton's David Cremin, while Ben O'Connor, of Corinthian Boys, also netted.

Home side, the Limerick and District Schoolboy League (LDSL) began with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over local rivals North Tipperary. Second half goals from Darragh Murray, of Aisling Annacotty, and Corbally Utd's Cian Specht, secured the three points for the LDSL.

Each of the 32 teams competing in the Kennedy Cup will play two fixtures on Tuesday after which the group stages of the competition will be complete. 

Kennedy Cup Day 1 Results:

Group 1

Kerry 2-1 Roscommon; Cavan/Monaghan 3-1 Mayo;

Group 2

Limerick Desmond 3-0 Wicklow; Wexford 1-4 Clare;

Group 3

Galway 1-1 NEC; Donegal 1-2 Kilkenny;

Group 4

Midlands 2-0 WWEC; North Tipperary 1-2 Limerick District;

Group 5

DDSL 4-0 Carlow; Athlone 1-1 South Tipperary;

Group 6

NDSL 4-0 Longford; Dundalk 2-0 Inishowen;

Group 7

Kildare 1-3 Limerick County; SDFL 1-1 West Cork;

Group 8
Cork 3-0 Drogheda; Waterford 1-0 Sligo Leitrim

The event was the second cross-border Walking Football festival to take place, following a similiar event earlier this year in Dublin.

Nine teams competed in the event, including three based out of the National Indoor Arena and Cellbridge.

Played in sunny conditions, players from all nine teams enjoyed the day in a non-competitive environment.

FAI Chief Executive John Delaney was delighted to see the cross-border event prove to be so successful.

“I had the pleasure of attending the first event that took place earlier this year in the National Indoor Arena. It was brilliant to see so many people getting the chance to play football, while improving their health at the same time.

“The fact we were able to send some teams to Lisburn for this event shows the popularity of walking football in Ireland, and it continues to grow around the country. I look forward to seeing the relationship between the FAI and Irish FA continue to grow, as we both show the game we all love can be played be people of all ages.”

Alan Crooks from the Irish FA said the event was enjoyed by all the players in attendance

"The Irish Football Association are delighted to continue the relationship in walking football development with the FAI. It was great to welcome three visiting walking football groups to play six groups from Northern Ireland at Lisburn's Leisureplex.

"All of the player were over the age of 55, and they enjoyed over two hours of games. It was great to see the enjoyment as the players mixed. I would like to thank Gerry Reardon from the FAI for organising it. We look forward to working together as the sport continues to grow."

After the success of the first two events, there are plans to host another event in the buildup to November's friendly between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in November.

Dundalk's Poynton fired the home side in front on 35-minutes with a firmly struck 30-yard free kick that hit the top corner of the French net with the helpless goalkeeper Alexandre Lefebre rooted to his goal line.

Two minutes later the Irish had doubled the lead and it was defender Darragh Gibbons who had replaced the injured Conor Kane just over ten minutes earlier who touched home a Poynton free kick at the near post.

The goals brightened up a first half that was a nigglly affair riddled with numerous fouls and referee Declan Toland was a busy man dishing out three yellow cards to the feisty French.

The visitors made ten changes at the break with skipper Mathieu Blasco the only player to remain on and for a while they did threaten to claw back the deficit.

Ryan Ebene Talla should have got a touch on a well delivered Blasco free but he allowed the ball to go past him and out over the back line.

The Irish might have increased their advantage and Poynton set up Shane Elworthy but he was unlucky to slice a volley just past the post.

Ireland had a number of chances to seal the win with Anthony McAlavey cracking the crossbar, Conor Keeley saw his header well saved by substitute 'keeper Bastien Rempp and Carlton Ubaezuonu missed the target with another headed chance.

The French managed a late consolation when Tanguy Guerineau availed of an slip by substitute goalkeeper Cathal O'Hanlon to tap the ball home.

It is a well-deserved first time win over the French side, ranked second in the world at this level for Greg Yelverton's charges after three previous meeting had failed to see the Irish come out on top. 

Speaking after the game, coach Yelverton said, "I am delighted for the boys, they have really taken on board the style of play we want to produce on the pitch. You always want to play against the best teams. France at times showed they were a bit more experienced than our lads. We've one eye on the 2019 World University Games but today it was just a matter of getting a win against France on Irish soil and show that our lads are just as good as the best teams."

Ireland: Matthew Connor (Cathal O'Hanlon 68); Shane Elworthy, Conor Keeley, Liam Scales, Conor Kane (Darragh Gibbons 24) (Pierce Phillips 63); Jonny Bonner (Jamie Hollywood 68); Dáire O'Connor (Carlton Ubaezuonu 64), Georgie Poynton, Anthony McAlavey, Shane Daly Butz (Adrian Delap 82); Georgie Kelly (Jack O'Keeffe 64).

France: Anthony Lefebre (Bastien Rempp 46); Gabriel Melis (José Machado 46), Jacques-Antoine Pelletier (Alex Marchadier 46), Roméo Vendiambu (Ryan Ebene Talla 46), Clément Bassin (Clement Tourtelot 46); Mick Dash Hatime (Tanguy Guerineau 46), Tidiane Keita (Léo Servanton 46), Brian Feneuil (G Guerineau 46), Mathieu Blasco; Sami Ayachi (Florian Chavanon 46), Kevin Cardinali (Vincent Roux 46).

Referee: Declan Toland.

Caroline Graham Hansen converted a 21st minute penalty to secure three points for the home side despite a valiant effort by an Ireland squad which has been hit hard by injuries. 

Hansen slotted the ball past Marie Hourihan but it was Ireland who created the better chances in the rest of a pulsating contest at the Viking Stadion. 

Leanne Kiernan fired a shot narrowly wide on the half-hour before Ireland had a strong claim for a penalty turned down as Megan Connolly went down in the area five minutes later.

Ireland should have been level at the break after a spate of chances in the final two minutes of the half. First, Sophie Perry's right-sided cross was only half-cleared to Connolly who fired a fierce effort narrowly wide. A minute later, the tireless Kiernan found space in the area but her low effort was blocked. From the resulting corner, Claire O'Riordan put a free header wide to ensure Norway remained in front at the break.

Colin Bell's side continued their form into the second-half and created a number of openings. Once again, Norway only half-cleared a Connolly corner and Denise O'Sullivan fired over with 30 minutes remaining. 

Ireland toiled as Isibeal Atkinson came on to claim her first senior international appearance, replacing centurion Aine O'Gorman who claimed her 100th cap, and almost claimed a point in the final minute. Louise Quinn's long-ball forward fell for Katie McCabe in the area but her low effort was straight at the keeper to condemn Ireland to defeat.

Republic of Ireland WNT Head Coach Colin Bell said: "I'm very proud of the players. We've created a number of openings and we should have got something out of the game.

"It's really tough on the players as they've given their all for the entire 90 minutes and if we can take one of the many chances we created, we'd be coming away with a brilliant result.

"I can't fault the effort of the players and the progress this young team has made. We've got a number of players sidelined by injury and other players have had to stand up. We may be out of the World Cup but the signs of progress give me real hope for the future."

Norway: Hjelmseth, Moe Wold, Mjelde, Thorisdottir, Haavi, Hansen, Maanum (Boe Rise 64), Engen, Reiten, Utland (Thorsnes 61), Herlovsen (Skinnes Hansen 90).

Ireland: Hourihan, Perry-Campbell, O’Riordan, Quinn, O’Gorman (Atkinson 89), Duggan, Toland, O'Sullivan, Connolly (Barrett 83), McCabe, Kiernan (Jarrett 83).

Both the holders, the DDSL, and Cork, won each of their three group fixtures and neither side has conceded a goal to date.

The DDSL followed an emphatic 7-0 victory over South Tipperary at lunchtime on Tuesday with a 2-0 success over Athlone that evening, when Alex O'Brien and Matthew Brennan netted the goals to seal a date with the Leesiders.

Cork also maintained their 100% record, beating Waterford 2-0 in their final group fixture with goals from Jamie Dinneen and Alex Healy Byrne. Earlier, the Leesiders had beaten Sligo/Leitrim 2-0 with Leon Ayinde and David Cremin on the mark.

Local side, the Limerick and District Schoolboy League (LDSL), marked their return to the Kennedy Cup quarter-finals in emphatic fashion by also winning all three group games.

The LDSL set up Wednesday's quarter-final clash with Group 7 winners Kildare thanks to a clinical 2-0 win over West Waterford-East Cork in their final group fixture. Aisling Annacotty's Stephen Kiely grabbed both goals.

Joining Limerick District in the last eight are Group 2 winners Wexford, who secured top spot in Group 2 with an emphatic 4-0 win over Limerick Desmond in their final game.

First half goals from Eoin Whelan and Sam Norval sent Wexford, who led 2-0 at half-time, on their way.

Wexford will face Cavan-Monaghan in the quarter-finals, while the last eight line-up in the Kennedy Cup is completed by the meeting of the Dundalk and Donegal Leagues.

The quarter-finals, which will take place at 5pm on Wednesday, are preceded by fixtures in Kennedy Cup Trophy, Shield and Bowl competitions.

Kennedy Cup Day 2 Results:
Group 1
Kerry 1-0 Mayo; Cavan/Monaghan 5-1 Roscommon 1; Kerry 1-2 Cavan/Monaghan; Mayo 2-0 Roscommon

Group 2
Limerick Desmond 1-1 Clare; Wexford 4-0 Wicklow; Limerick Desmond 0-4 Wexford; Clare 1-4 Wicklow

Group 3
Galway 1-1 Kilkenny; Donegal 3-0 NEC; Galway 0-2 Donegal; Kilkenny 0-1 NEC

Group 4
Midlands 0-2 Limerick District; North Tipp 0-0 WWEC; Midlands 2-0 North Tipp; Limerick District 2-0 WWEC

Group 5
DDSL 7-0 South Tipp; Athlone 0-1 Carlow; DDSL 2-0 Athlone; South Tipp 3-0 Carlow

Group 6
NDSL 1-1 Inishowen; Dundalk 4-0 Longford; NDSL 0-3 Dundalk; Inishowen 4-0 Longford

Group 7
Kildare 2-0 West Cork; SDFL 2-0 Limerick County; Kildare 4-0 SDFL; West Cork 0-2 Limerick County

Group 8
Cork 2-0 Sligo/Leitrim; Waterford 0-2 Drogheda; Cork 2-0 Waterford; Sligo/Leitrim 3-0 Drogheda

RELEVENT, a multi-national media, sports and entertainment group, today announced Arsenal and Chelsea will meet at Aviva Stadium on August 1 as part of the 2018 International Champions Cup.

Arsenal and Chelsea legends Ray Parlour and Tor Andre Flo joined Charlie Stilitano, Executive Chairman of RELEVENT to make the announcement in Dublin.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 15 at 11:00am and can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/180054B6E67CEE45

The matches will mark the third-time that the International Champions Cup comes to Ireland and the second time to the Aviva Stadium. In 2016, FC Barcelona beat Celtic 3-1 at the Aviva, while F.C. Internazionale beat Celtic 2-0 at Thomond Park in Limerick.

RELEVENT will also collaborate with As I Am, Ireland’s leading autism charity and the official charity partner for the match. As I Am works to build an inclusive Ireland for autistic people through a range of programs from early years through adult life as well as working to build increased awareness across Ireland. Further details on the involvement of As I Am in the match will be announced in the near future.

This year’s chase for the Cup features 18 of the best clubs in the world playing 27 matches across the United States, Europe and Singapore, delivering on the premier sports property’s mission to transform European soccer’s presence around the world.

In its sixth installment, the tournament is known for kicking off the international soccer season by bringing world-class soccer to the masses and slating marquee match-ups that attract record-breaking crowds – including the largest recorded attendance for a soccer match in the United States. 

With matches scheduled between July 20 and August 12, the 2018 International Champions Cup will take on a new format. Whereas past tournaments recognized a winner within each participating continent, this year’s competitive structure will take on a more cohesive format, reigning one overall global champion. 

For the complete tournament schedule and other details, please visit http://www.internationalchampionscup.com 

CMUL defeated Wexford 1-0 in a tense quarter-final clash played in wet conditions on Wednesday afternoon to set up an historic semi-final showdown with Kildare.

Christian Hennessy, of Cootehill Harps, grabbed the game's only goal in the opening quarter to seal the CMUL's passage into the last four stage of the inter-league U-14 competition. Their semi-final opponents, Kildare edged past local side, Limerick District Schoolboy League, 2-1 to progress.

After a scoreless opening half, Kildare grabbed the upperhand with goals from Athy Town's Dean Owens on 36-minutes and his clubmate Jack Dooley 10-minutes later. Limerick did manage a late consolation goal through Leon Kirrane from the penalty spot.

Holders and pre-tournament favourites, the Dublin and District Schoolboy League (DDSL) were pushed all way by a spirited Cork side before recording an exciting 2-1 victory in their quarter-final clash. Two goals in three minutes from Thomas Lonergan and Evan Ferguson shortly before half-time had the Dubliners 2-0 up at the break.

Cork rallied strongly in the second half and were rewarded with a goal from David Cremin. However, the DDSL maintained their lead until the final whistle to set up a semi-final meeting with the Donegal League.

Donegal came from behind to edge past Dundalk 3-2 in a thrilling quarter-final. The winners led 1-0 at half-time with the first of a brace of goals from Milford Utd's Liam Donnelly, while Callum Gillen, of Drumkeen, was also on target. Goals from Ryan Halpenny, of Ardee Celtic, and Stephen Mooney, Blaney Academy, had the Co Louth side 2-1 up well into the second half.

Kennedy Cup Day 3 Results:
Trophy Quarter-Finals
West Cork 0-2 Galway; Athlone 2-0 WWEC; Longford 1-4 Drogheda; Wicklow 1-4 RDYSL

Shield Quarter-Finals:
SDFL 0-1 NECSL; NDSL 1-0 Carlow; Limerick Desmond 3-1 North Tipperary; Sligo/Leitrim 0-0 Mayo (Mayo win 6-5 on pens)

Bowl Quarter-Finals 
Clare 1-1 Kerry (Clare win 4-3 on pens); Inishowen 0-2 Kilkenny; Limerick County 1-0 Waterford; South Tipperary 0-0 Midlands (Midlands win 4-2 on pens);

Cup Quarter-Finals
Donegal 3-2 Dundalk; Cork 1-2 DDSL; Kildare 2-1 Limerick District; Wexford 0-1 Cavan/Monaghan

Kildare defeated Cavan/Monaghan 2-0 in their semi-final clash to book a final date with a DDSL side which proved too strong for Donegal, winning 3-0, in their last four showdown.

Kildare's win was secured courtesy of a terrific first half goal from Kilcullen's Aleksander Vassenin, when he cut in from the left and curled a sublime effort past the Cavan/ Monaghan keeper on 10-minutes. That 1-0 lead was doubled 18-minues into the second half when Kildare were awarded a penalty after Matthew McCarrick was fouled as he raced through on goal.

Dean Owens, of Athy Town, kept his composure superbly to convert the spot kick and secure their passage into Friday's decider.  This was a battling Cavan Monaghan side's first time to reach this stage of the competition.

Earlier, the DDSL had taken control of their semi-final with Donegal by blitzing their opponents with three goals inside the opening 12-minutes. After Jamie Mullins, of St Kevin's Boys FC, had fired the pre-tournment favourits in front, the prolific Thomas Lonergan doubled the DDSL's lead with he finished superbly from the edge of the box.

The holders made it 3-0 a short time later when Ben Quinn, of Cherry Orchard, produced a smart finish from inside the six-yard box. The DDSL have scored 18 goals and conceded just one on route to Friday's final.

Elsewhere, on Friday, Cork will take on Wexford in the Kennedy Cup Plate final to decide fifth place in the competition, while the Bowl final to decide ninth place will be between Kilkenny and Midlands.

Limerick Desmond take on NDSL in the Shield final for 17th-18th places, while Drogheda and Galway meet in the Trophy final to determine the 25th and 26th-placed finishers. 

Kennedy Cup Day 4 Results:
Trophy Semi-Finals
Drogheda 2-1 Roscommon; Athlone 2-3 Galway

Trophy Quarter-Final Losers
Wicklow 1-1 WWEC (Wicklow win 4-1 on pens); Longford 0-1 West Cork

31st-32nd Place Play-Off
WWEC 2-1 Longford

27th-28th Place Play-Off
Roscommon 0-2 Athlone

29th-30th Place Play-Off
Wicklow 2-1 West Cork

Shield Semi-Finals
Mayo 0-1 Limerick Desmond; NDSL 5-0 NEC

Shield Quarter-Final Losers
Sligo Leitrim 1-3 Carlow; North Tipperary 2-3 SDFL

Bowl Semi-Finals
Kilkenny 0-0 Limerick County (Kilkenny win 5-4 on pens); Midlands 1-0 Clare

Shield Quarter-Final Losers
South Tipperary 2-3 Inishowen; Waterford 0-2 Kerry 

Bowl - Playoffs
Inishowen 1-3 Kerry; South Tipperary 1-0 Waterford 

11th-12th Place Play-Offs
Limerick County 1-1 Clare (Clare win 6-5 on pens)

20th-21st Place Play-Offs
Carlow 2-0 SDFL

19th-20th Place Play-Offs
Mayo 1-5 NEC 

23rd-24th Place Play-Offs
Sligo Leitrim 2-0 North Tipperary

Kennedy Cup Plate
Cork 5-1 Limerick District; Wexford 2-0 Dundalk

7th-8th Place Play-Off:
Limerick District 1-1 Dundalk (Dundalk win 4-3 on pens)

Kennedy Cup Semi-Finals
DDSL 3-0 Donegal; Kildare 2-0 Cavan/Monaghan

Kildare had rallied from two goals down to trail 3-2 with eight minutes remaining of a highly entertaining contest remaining, before hat-trick hero Quinn collected the ball from Glory Nzinga's pass and rifled a terrific left foot shot into the bottom right corner of the net.

The goal finally broke Kildare's resistance as they had fought valiantly to claim the prestigious Under-14 inter-league title for a first time.

The DDSL's success is their third in successive years and their sixth in the last seven years.

The free-scoring Kennedy Cup winners managed 22 goals in their six games, conceding just three times. 

Kildare made a dream start in the final when Jamie Duggan's free-kick was headed home by striker Dean Owens inside three minutes.

However, the DDSL drew level two minutes later when Quinn finished a rebound to the net from close range after Evan Ferguson's goal attempt was parried.

The pre-tournament favourites were in front in the 14th minute when Cherry Orchard's Craig King's cross was headed home superbly by Evan Ferguson, of St Kevin's Boys.

The DDSLs 2-1 half-time lead was quickly doubled when Ferguson turned provider for Quinn to grab his second of the game three minutes after the restart.

Battling Kildare, who recovered from losing their opening group game against Limerick County to reach the final, pulled a goal back with 10 minutes remaining when Owens, of Athy Town, scored his second with a superb volley, following excellent work from Matthew McCarrick.

However, the DDSL nerves were settled in the 52nd minute when Quinn completed his hat-trick, bringing his tally to four goals in two days, to help the competition's most successful side retain the Kennedy Cup.

Meanwhile, Donegal claimed third place in the 32-team tournament when easing past Cavan Monaghan 6-2 in their play-off.

Callum Gillen bagged a brace of goals for the winners, while Oisín Caulfield, Adam Carr, Luke McGlynn and Jamie O'Donnell were also on target.

Cork claimed a fifth-place finish when edging past Wexford 3-1 in the Plate final.

The Leesiders had two goals from Shane Tobin, of Corinthian Boys, while Harry Nevin, Douglas Hall, was also on the mark.

Results - Day 5 Kennedy Cup 2018

Kennedy Cup Trophy (25-26th places)
Drogheda 1-3 Galway 

Shield Final (17th-18th places)
Limerick Desmond 0-0 NDSL (NDSL win 4-2 on pens aet)

Bowl Final 
Kilkenny 1-0 Midlands (aet)

Plate Final (5th-6th place play-off)
Cork 3-1 Wexford

Third-Fourth place play-off
Cavan-Monaghan 2-6 Donegal

Kennedy Cup Final
DDSL 4-2 Kildare

As the excitement builds towards another summer of European games, SSE Airtricity League supporters can get their research done with an exclusive media guide for clubs involved in European competition.

Created by Michael Hayes, the guide is a must-read for fans of the domestic game interested in European battles gone by, key statistics and vital information. 

Read the media guide:  SSE Airtricity League Clubs in Europe 2018.pdf

To coincide with the school's Sports Day, a Blind Football pitch was brought to the school to encourage the children to play the game.

20 boys and girls of various ages took part on the day, using Blind Football equipment, making it easier to play.

FAI Development Officer David Rake has been working with the school in recent weeks, in the buildup to Tuesday's School Day.

Speaking at the event, FAI Football For All Development Officer Nick Harrison revealed the benefits of working with ChildVision.

"The FAI and Vision Sports Ireland are delighted to make a link with St Joseph's Primary School in ChildVision in Drumcondra.

"Principal Gwenda Johnson is incredibly positive about the value sport can bring to children’s lives and we will be going regularly to the school in the coming years to coach football to all the young people attending ChildVison, from age six up to 18.

"There are FAI Regional Centres for players with Vision Impairments in Cork and Dublin at the moment and we have plans to grow the game in Limerick, Waterford, Galway and Dundalk in the coming months."

There are plans in place to run an annual programme with ChildVision in an effort to make football available to those with Vision Impairments.

The game finished 2-2 after normal time, with the Kildare side scoring twice in extra-time to win the game 4-3.

Emanuel Moldovean gave FutSambas an early lead. His shot was saved, before he was able to score the rebound from an acute angle, into the top corner. 

From the resulting kick-off, Blue Magic equalised. Sergui Musteata was able to run through the FutSambas defence, before scoring.

FutSambas took the lead again in the second-half through Raymond Daniel. A counter-attack from the back saw Daniel rifle his shot into the back of the net.

Tadeusz Radziwoniuk scored to send the game to extra-time, before FutSambas pulled away to secure the win.

Guilherme Padovani scored from the penalty spot, before Ian Byrne scored from long range, as Blue Magic searched for the equaliser.

Alexandru Gutu scored a late consolation, but it was not enough as the 4-3 win gave FutSambas the FAI Futsal Cup.

The Under-14 and Under-16 competitions both begin on Thursday, with the group games set to conclude on Friday evening.

Thursday's games sees each Under-14 sides play two group games, with the Under-16 teams playing once. On Friday, each competition completes the group stages, with all four group winners advancing to the Gaynor Tournament semi-finals on Saturday.

Saturday sees the conclusion of the Under-12 Tournament, with the final four teams competing in Limerick, in two semi-finals and the final.

In the Under-14 competition, the Galway and District League will be looking to retain the title, but will face competition from the Metropolitan Girls League. Both Leagues have shared the title in the past four years, with two wins each.

In the Under-16 competition, the Metropolitan Girls League will hope to retain the title they won last year, while the Galway and District League and the Cork Womens and Schoolgirls League will hope to add another title to their recent Gaynor Tournament triumphs.

All of Friday's fixtures are available on facebook.com/FAIwomen with 24 games scheduled for the opening day.

The Under-14 and Under-16 Tournament group stages both kicked-off with all Under-14 sides playing twice.

Three teams in the Under-14 Tournament have a 100% record after their opening two games. 

In Group A, the Midlands League have two wins from two. They are the only team to have six points without conceding. Wins over the Mid Western League and the Metropolitan Girls League put them into a strong position going into Day 2.

In Group B, the Kilkenny League are the only team with six points. Aided by Player of the Day Ellen Molloy, the Leinster side defeated the Galway and District League and Limerick Desmond. Tomorrow sees the side play the Sligo/Leitrim League. The winner of that game will reach the Under-14 Semi-Finals.

North Tipperary are in top spot of Group D with six points. Wins over Donegal and Cork, puts them in top spot with their final game to come against local rivals South Tipperary tomorrow.

In the Under-16 Tournament, the Waterford League had the biggest win, after defeating the NECSL 4-0 in Group A. Freya Roche scored twice to give the Munster team a perfect start in Group A.

In Group D, the Mayo League defeated South Tipperary 4-1, while the Cork League were 3-1 victors over South Tipperary.

The Metropolitan Girls League, started the defence of the 2017 Gaynor Tournament triumph with a 1-0 win in Group C against Clare.

All eight groups in the Under-14 and Under-16 tournaments will be completed on Friday, with the Under-16 teams each playing twice.

2018 Gaynor Tournament Results - 21 June
Under 14:
A: MGL 1-0 Limerick County. Mid Western 0-2 Midlands..
B: Galway 1-2 Kilkenny. Limerick Desmond 0-1 Sligo/Leitrim.
C: Inishowen 0-2 Carlow. Mayo 2-0 Longford.
D: Donegal 1-2 North Tipperary. Cork 3-0 South Tipperary.
 
A: Midlands 1-0 MGL. Limerick County 6-1 Mid Western.
B: Sligo/Leitrim 2-2 Galway. Kilkenny 2-1 Limerick Desmond.
C: Longford 0-4 Inishowen. Carlow 0-0 Mayo.
D: South Tipperary 2-1 Donegal. North Tipperary 1-0 Cork.
 
Under 16:
A: Galway 2-0 Sligo/Leitrim. Waterford 4-0 NECSL.
B: Midlands 1-0 Wexford. Donegal 3-1 Limerick County.
C: MGL 1-0 Clare. Inishowen 3-1 Limerick Desmond.
D: Cork 3-1 South Tipperary. Mayo 4-1 Longford.

The Football Association of Ireland has been able to assist two domestic clubs in facility repairs with Natural Disaster Grants thanks to support from UEFA.

After Storm Ophelia wreaked havoc on the country in October 2017, the FAI worked quickly to help the Munster FA repair the Derrynane Stand at Turner's Cross ahead of the final game of the SSE Airtricity League season.

In August 2017, Cockhill Celtic suffered severe flood damage at the Charlie O'Donnell Sports Ground and the FAI committed to helping with immediate repairs.

On top of financial and facility support from the FAI, both clubs will receive grants from UEFA amounting to €160k - (€59k for Turner's Cross, €101k for Cockhill Celtic).

FAI CEO John Delaney said: "One of the best examples of how grassroots football makes a real difference in communities around the country is how the people react when natural disasters hit clubs hard.

"The FAI works closely to assist clubs on every level and we reacted quickly to help the Munster FA once storm damage wreaked havoc at Turner's Cross and the same when flooding affected Cockhill Celtic.

"I would like to thank UEFA's Football and Social Responsibility Committee, and administration, in particular, chairman Peter Gillieron for their support with Natural Disaster Grants that will make a big difference."

Following grant submissions made by the FAI, UEFA were happy to commit funding to support both projects with Peter Gillieron, Chairman of UEFA's Football and Social Responsibility Committee, recognising the work that the FAI has done at grassroots level.

"UEFA, through the Football and Social Responsibility Committee, are delighted to assist the Football Association of Ireland in helping clubs recently affected by natural disasters," said Gillieron.

"UEFA makes a yearly budget of €500,000 available to help rebuild football infrastructure when hit by natural disasters. It is essential to continually help grassroots clubs with the support that they require and it is an area that the FAI, to their credit, has done tremendous work in over recent years."

A new name is guaranteed on the Under-14 Gaynor Cup, after 2017 champions Galway and District League finished second in their group.

Carlow League, Midlands League, North Tipperary League and the Kilkenny League all top their groups to advance to the last four.

Three of the four sides all came through this year’s Qualifying Competition, before arriving in Limerick.

In the Under-16 competition, the last two champions have both reached the semi-finals with the Galway and District League and the Metropolitan Girls League being kept apart in the last four.

Player of the Day Kayleigh Shine helped the Midlands League win their group to reach the semi-finals. Three wins from three saw Midlands top their group.

The first winners of the weekend will be crowned on Saturday, as the Sligo/Leitrim League and the Kerry League face Galway and the MGL respectively in the Under-12 semi-finals on Saturday afternoon, before the 6pm Final.

2018 Gaynor Tournament Results - 22 June
Under 16:
A: NECSL 1-3 Galway. Sligo/Leitrim 1-3 Waterford.
B: Limerick County 0-2 Midlands. Wexford 2-1 Donegal.
C: Limerick Desmond 0-2 MGL. Clare 1-3 Inishowen.
D: Longford 1-0 Cork. South Tipperary 3-0 Mayo.

A: Galway 2-0 Waterford. NECSL 1-0 Sligo/Leitrim.
B: Midlands 1-0 Donegal. Limerick County 1-2 Wexford.
C: MGL 2-0 Inishowen. Limerick Desmond 1-1 Clare.
D: Cork 0-3 Mayo. Longford 0-0 South Tipperary.

Under 14:
A: MGL 1-1 Mid Western. Midlands 0-0 Limerick County.
B: Galway 2-0 Limerick Desmond. Sligo/Leitrim 1-3 Kilkenny.
C: Inishowen 0-1 Mayo. Longford 0-4 Carlow.
D: Donegal 1-1 Cork. South Tipperary 0-1 North Tipperary.

2018 Gaynor Tournament Fixtures - 23 June
Under 12:
Cup Semi Finals: Kerry v MGL. Sligo/Leitrim v Galway. (1pm)
3th/4th Place: Kerry or MGL v  Sligo/Leitrim or Galway. (6pm)
Cup Final: Kerry or MGL v  Sligo/Leitrim or Galway. (6pm)

Under 14:
Cup Semi-Finals: Carlow v Midlands. North Tipperary v Kilkenny (10am)
Shield Semi-Finals: Cork v Galway. MGL v Mayo. (10am)
Plate Semi-Finals: Inishowen v Limerick County. South Tipperary v Sligo/Leitrim. (11.30am)
Bowl Semi-Finals: Donegal v Mid Western. Longford v Limerick Desmond. (11.30am)

Under 16:
Cup Semi-Finals: Galway v Mayo. MGL v Midlands. (3pm)
Shield Semi-Finals: Wexford v Waterford. South Tipperary v Inishowen (3pm)
Plate Semi-Finals: Longford v Donegal. Clare v NECSL. (4.30pm)
Bowl Semi-Finals: Limerick County v Sligo/Leitrim. Limerick Desmond v Cork. (4.30pm)

Despite having never won the Under-14 and Under-16 competitions, the Midlands League could win both titles on Sunday afternoon.

In the Under-14 competition, it took a penalty shootout for Midlands to defeat Carlow, after the game finished 1-1 in normal time.

They will face Kilkenny in the Final, after the south Leinster side were 2-0 winners over North Tipperary.

In the Under-16 competition, a stunning volley from Katelyn Keogh gave Midlands a 2-1 win over the 2017 winners Metropolitan Girls League in the Cup Semi-Final.

2016 Champions Galway await in the Final. A goal from Anna Fahey helped them defeat Connacht rivals Mayo in the last-four.

The first trophy of the weekend was also won, as MGL were crowned Under-12 Champions.

After a 6-0 win over the Kerry League in the Semi-Final, they defeated the Sligo/Leitrim League 2-1 in the Final.

Despite the best best efforts of Sligo-Leitrim goalkeeper and Player of the Day Sarah Kiernan, two goals from Joy Ralph gave the Dublin side the win.

Tomorrow sees the final placing matches take place in both the Under-14 and Under-16 competitions.

2018 Gaynor Tournament Results - 23 June
Under 12:
Cup Semi Finals:
Kerry 0-6 MGL
Sligo/Leitrim 1-0 Galway

3th/4th Place:
Kerry 0-3 Galway

Cup Final:
MGL 2-1 Sligo/Leitrim

Under 14:
Cup Semi-Finals:
Carlow 1-1 Midlands (Midlands win 4-3 on penalties)
North Tipperary 0-2 Kilkenny

Shield Semi-Finals:
Cork 3-1 Galway
MGL 1-0 Mayo

Plate Semi-Finals:
Inishowen 2-1 Limerick County
South Tipperary 1-0 Sligo/Leitrim

Bowl Semi-Finals:
Donegal 0-3 Mid Western
Longford 1-1 Limerick Desmond. (Limerick Desmond win 4-2 on penalties)

Under-16
Cup Semi-Finals:
Galway 1-0 Mayo
MGL 1-2 Midlands

Shield Semi-Finals:
Wexford 1-0 Waterford
South Tipperary 2-1 Inishowen

Plate Semi-Finals:
Longford 0-1 Donegal
Clare 1-1 NECSL (NECSL win 3-2 on penalties)

Bowl Semi-Finals:
Limerick County 0-1 Sligo/Leitrim
Limerick Desmond 2-1 Cork

2018 Gaynor Tournament Fixtures - 24 June
Under 14:
Cup Final:
Kilkenny v Midlands – Pitch 1 (1pm)

Shield Final:

Cork v MGL – Pitch 3 (11.45am)

Plate Final:

South Tipperary v Inishowen – Pitch 8 (11.30am)

Bowl Final:
Longford v Mid Western – Pitch 5 (11.15am)

3rd/4th Play-Off:
North Tipperary v Carlow – Pitch 1 (10am)

7th/8th Play-Off:
Galway v Mayo – Pitch 2 (10am)

11th/12th Play-Off:
Limerick County v Sligo/Leitrim – Pitch 3 (10am)

15th/16th Play-Off:
Limerick Desmond v Donegal – Pitch 4 (10am)

Under 16:
Cup Final:
Midlands v Galway – Pitch 1 (2.15pm)

Shield Final:
South Tipperary v Wexford – Pitch 2 (11.45am)

Plate Final:
Donegal v NECSL – Pitch 8 (11.30am)

Bowl Final:
Sligo/Leitrim v Limerick Desmond – Pitch 6 (11.15am)

3rd/4th Play-Off:
MGL v Mayo – Pitch 5 (10am)

7th/8th Play-Off:
Inishowen v Waterford – Pitch 6 (10am)

11th/12th Play-Off:
Longford v Clare – Pitch 7 (10am)

15th/16th Play-Off:
Limerick County v Cork – Pitch 8 (10am)