REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE Ulster Senior League are to meet with officials from two junior leagues in the coming weeks in a bid to save intermediate soccer in Donegal.
Just six teams are participating in this year’s Ulster Senior League and there are real fears for the future of a League that was founded 30 years ago, in 1986.
On Sunday, Letterkenny Rovers overcame Ringmahon Rangers of Cork to reach the final of the FAI Intermediate Cup and twice in the last three years the USL representative team has won the FAI Intermediate Interprovincial competition.
Picture caption: Letterkenny Rovers, who beat Ringmahon Rangers in Sunday’s FAI Intermediate Cup semi-final replay. Picture by Stephen Doherty.
However, domestically, the USL has been given its version of the Last Rites by observers.
The drain of clubs from its ranks has hit hard with only Letterkenny, Cockhill Celtic, Bonagee United, Derry City Reserves, Fanad United and Swilly Rovers now competing.
“It’s very important that we can keep intermediate football in Donegal – we can’t have a team going to the Aviva for an Intermediate final one year and going to play junior football the next,” Niall Callaghan, the USL secretary, told Donegal Sport Hub.
“We have to retain intermediate football in some form or the other.”
USL representatives will meet committee members of the Cavan-Monaghan League and they have also requested talks with the Donegal League.
It remains unclear what is to be tabled at these meetings, but the possibility of retaining an intermediate league, albeit under the auspices of the Donegal League, could be one option.
A notion of joining forces with teams from the Connacht Senior League was floated previously, but officials in the west have been reluctant to correspond, much to the annoyance of the USL committee.
“We have been onto them about different things, stuff like joint competitions, things like that, but we’ve had no correspondence back,” Mr Callaghan said.
Derry City did not field yesterday in a crunch League game against Cockhill Celtic.
Despite this, there are no fears that Derry could withdraw, given that their first team manager, Kenny Shields, is actively involved in their USL side and is a keen supporter of the intermediate league.
City had requested the game to be put back. Their first team was in Longford Town on Saturday night and are back in action against Sligo Rovers on Tuesday in the EA Sports Cup, while the Candystripes’ Under-19s played on Saturday.
A midweek date did not suit Cockhill so the fixture remained live, but Derry opted not to field.
The matter will now be referred to discipline and will, in all likelihood, result in Cockhill being awarded a 3-0 win.
Of real concern is what happens to the USL post this season.
Back in October 2014, USL members voted 12-3 to return to an August-May season after seven years and eight seasons operating off the summer season timetable.
In February 2015, Finn Harps Reserves pulled out of the USL in the interim season after three heavy defeats and a 9-0 loss against Bonagee United sounded their death knell.
Fanad United, the record 14 times USL Champions, didn’t participate in the interim season, but have since returned to take the numbers up to six teams.
Drumkeen United confirmed last July that they would not be returning, saying in a statement that they ‘quite simply do not have enough players of the calibre necessary to compete at that level’ and are now competing in the Donegal Saturday League.
Buncrana Hearts, Convoy Arsenal, Glenea United, Keadue Rovers, Kildrum Tigers, Killea FC and Quigleys Point Swifts are among the other teams to have dropped out in the last decade or so.
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