General
- Sunday May 1st, 2016 @ 9:56
Saints Announce Affiliation With Kildare And District Underage League
Kildare and District Underage League are delighted to announce an affiliation agreement with SSE Airtricity League club St Patrick's Athletic.
Kildare and District Underage League is delighted with this affiliation as it creates a player pathway for players from within the League to SSE Airtricity League football.
The KUDL and St Patrick's Athletic intend working closely together to create an environment to nurture and develop young talent in the interest of players and clubs within the Kildare League.
Pat Mc Nally Secretary of the Kildare and District Underage League is delighted with this new innovation.
"I have worked with Liam Buckley Manager of St Patrick's Athletic before and I am very much aware of Liam's philosophy and I am sure that this affiliation will benefit both the League and St Patrick's Athletic."
St Patrick's Athletic currently have former players Mark Mc Ginley (Moone Celtic) and Rory Feely (Athy Town) within their ranks.
The partnership further strengthens the aspiration of St Patricks' Athletic under the ownership of Garrett Kelleher to provide greater opportunities to young players from the immediate community enabling them to further their footballing ambitions in Ireland, a goal that Saints' manager Liam Buckley has promoted during his entire management career.
"I'm delighted that we are able to work together with The Kildare & District Underage League," said Buckley.
"Kildare & District Underage League have made giant strides in the last few years and are currently ranked as second only to DDSL in the rankings for the Kennedy Cup. The work they have carried out in recent years has been outstanding, with many players having come through their underage structures."
"Working with local clubs is something that St Pat's have always tried to do as we're one of the strongest community clubs in the Country," added Buckley.
"Working with the KDUL is an extension of this arrangement and is certainly something that I am really excited about and look forward to progressing in the years to come."
St Patrick's Athletic, whose Richmond Park ground is based in Inchicore, is one of the closest Airtricity League clubs to Kildare, only 25 minutes away.
The following points we agreed following various meetings and the Official Launch took place at the KDUL Academy in Tougher Park on Tues evening 26 April attended by the KDUL Kennedy Cup squad and parents, Managers and Coaches of the KDUL Academy as well as Liam Buckley ( 1st Team Manager), Dave Campbell ( Asst Manager) , Ger O'Brien ( Club Captain) and Brian Dalton( Liaison Officer) from St Patrick's Athletic FC.
Both St Patrick's Athletic and KDUL have agreed the following
Brian Dalton, Asst Manager of Sallins Celtic under 16 team and who has had a long standing involvement with St Patrick's Athletic FC, and who has been heavily involved with youth football for many years, will act as the main liaison between the Kildare & District Underage League and St Patrick's Athletic and will continue to promote the interests of football and help ensure both bodies strengthen the underage game.
