By JOHN HUDSON
The FAI National League Executive Committee (NLEC) have agreed the formats for the return of all four of the SSE Airtricity League Underage Divisions and the fixtures for the the season are expected be released next weekend.
The Leagues will now begin a truncated 2020 season with a full programme of fixtures over the weekend of Saturday August 15 and Sunday August 16.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the complete close down of all football in March forced the postponement of the start of the Under-Age Leagues but with restrictions having been eased they will now commence in August in accordance with the FAI Safer Return to Play Protocol.
Each league will play a shortened season in smaller groups to localise matches as much as possible.
There will be five groups in the Under 13, Under 17 and Under 19 leagues with six groups at the Under 15 level.
A knock-out competition will follow in either the League final stages or the subsequent Shield competition.
Both the Under-13 and the Under 17 leagues will comprise of five groups with the groups of four set to play each other twice whilst a group of six will play each other once.
The top team in each group will qualify for the final stages plus the three best runners-up.
Those teams will then go into two groups of four and play each other once with the top two teams set to contest the final.
It has also been decided that the Under 17 league final will be two-legged affair.
All other teams will compete in a Shield competition with the format to be confirmed at a later date.
The Under 15 league will be made up of six groups comprising of five groups of four plus one of five.
The teams in all six groups will play each other twice with the top team from each group and the two best runners-up set to qualify for the final stages.
Finally the Under 19 league, will consist of five groups of four teams.
Each team will play the other twice with the top team from each group and the three best runners-up set to qualify for the final stages.
Those final eight teams will then be grouped into two groups of four with the top team in each group going on to contest a two-legged final.
SSE Airtricity UNDER 13 LEAGUE
Group One
Derry City
Finn Harps
Cavan-Monaghan FC
Sligo Rovers
Group Two
Cork City
Kerry League
Klub Kildare
Waterford FC
Group Three
Athlone Town
Galway United
Longford Town
Mayo League
Group Four
Bray Wanderers
Shamrock Rovers
UCD AFC
Wexford FC
Group Five
Bohemians
Cabinteely FC
Drogheda United
Dundalk
Shelbourne
St Patrick’s Athletic
SSE AIRTRICITY UNDER 15 LEAGUE
Group One
Derry City
Finn Harps
Cavan-Monaghan FC
Sligo Rovers
Group Two
Cork City
Cobh Ramblers
Kerry League
Limerick FC
Group Three
Athlone Town
Galway United
Longford Town
Mayo League
Group Four
Bray Wanderers
Cabinteely FC
Shamrock Rovers
UCD AFC
Group Five
Carlow/Kilkenny FC
Klub Kildare
Waterford FC
Wexford FC
Group Six
Bohemians
Drogheda United
Dundalk
Shelbourne
St Patrick’s Athletic
SSE AIRTRICITY UNDER 17 LEAGUE
Group One
Derry City
Finn Harps
Longford Town
Sligo Rovers
Group Two
Cork City
Cobh Ramblers
Kerry League
Limerick FC
Group Three
Carlow/Kilkenny FC
Waterford FC
Wexford FC
UCD AFC
Group Four
Athlone Town
Bray Wanderers
Galway United
Shamrock Rovers
Group Five
Bohemians
Cabinteely FC
Drogheda United
Dundalk
Shelbourne
St Patrick’s Athletic
SSE AIRTRICITY UNDER 19 LEAGUE
Group One
Derry City
Finn Harps
Longford Town
Sligo Rovers
Group Two
Cork City
Cobh Ramblers
Kerry League
Waterford FC
Group Three
Cabinteely FC
Shelbourne
UCD AFC
Wexford FC
Group Four
Athlone Town
Bray Wanderers
Galway United
Shamrock Rovers
Group Five
Bohemians
Drogheda United
Dundalk
St Patrick’s Athletic
