Local Clubs have withdrawn Teams from The National Cup after SFAI ruling on the Draws: Below are some recent Newspaper Articles regarding the issue:

Irish Independent article Sat Feb 1

Cork clubs press nuclear button in row with SFAI

The ongoing troubles afflicting this season's Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland (SFAI) Cup competitions has reached breaking point after all 25 teams from the Cork Schoolboys League still involved informed the SFAI and FAI of their refusal to participate in the new version of the open draw.

This demonstration of solidarity on Leeside was provoked by the SFAI's decision to obey a directive from the FAI to conduct a second draw for the open stages of the competitions.

That draw on January 23 – featuring 32 teams in each age group – replaced last month's 28-team version that had excluded four slots originally reserved for qualifiers from the Dublin and District Schoolboys League.

Cork teams contend that the new draw, made in the presence of FAI board member Donal Conway, is flawed.

They claim that the DDSL were afforded an unfair advantage by the FAI in being permitted to remake their regional draw on January 8 using a seeded system.

Back in August, all eight regions had their draws made by the SFAI on an open basis and at a central-ised location, as per SFAI rule.

PERMITTED

While several leagues, including Kerry, Carlow and Kildare, vented their anger publicly at the U-turn by the SFAI, Cork have become the first affiliate to press the nuclear button. The first ties for the open section of the five competitions are due to be played over this weekend.

A letter on behalf of the Cork clubs, signed by Kieran O'Donovan of Corinthian Boys, has been sent to the SFAI and copied to FAI chief executive John Delaney.

It reads: "As we have not received any response whatsoever from the SFAI/FAI to our letter of January 23, or an explanation as to why a new draw was required, or why one region was permitted to conduct a seeded draw in order to select their representatives in the last 32 when all other regions complied with the independent SFAI draw made on August 24, we have been left with no alternative but to confirm that our teams refuse to participate in the National Cup as drawn by the SFAI/FAI on January 23."

It adds: "We reiterate that we remain committed to participating in the National Cup Competitions on the basis of the draw made in Wexford on December 14.

"In the event we do not receive a satisfactory response to this correspondence, we reserve our position in relation to pursuing this matter through whatever avenues are open to us."

As the SFAI's stance remains that any fixtures not fulfilled by teams will trigger walkovers, the prospects of further disruption to the competitions would appear inevitable.

SFAI National Cups - article in Examiner Sat Feb 1

Cork schoolboy clubs withdraw from cup competitions
Saturday, February 01, 2014
By John Fallon

Growing anger amongst Cork schoolboy clubs with the FAI has morphed into action as they last night withdrew from the Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland (SFAI) cups.


All but one of the 25 qualifying teams from the Cork region of the competitions from U12 to U16 level have issued the SFAI and FAI with notice of their refusal to participate in the new version of the open draw. 

The one exception of the 12 Cork clubs, Bandon United, have yet to decide on whether to withdraw their one team from the competition. 

The impasse centres on the involvement, or otherwise, of teams from the biggest affiliate, the Dublin and District Schoolboys League, in the five competitions. At their council meeting in December, the SFAI emphatically voted to conduct the open draw of the cups excluding four slots reserved for qualifiers from the DDSL region. 

While the DDSL disagreed, all other seven regions had contested their ties to supply teams into the ‘open draw.’ However, following a meeting called by FAI chief executive John Delaney with two senior SFAI officers, a second draw was held last week to include DDSL qualifiers. 

Cork contends the new draw, made in the presence of FAI board member Donal Conway, breaches the SFAI’s own rules. 

The first ties for the open section of the five competitions are due to be played next weekend. A letter on behalf of the Cork clubs, signed by Kieran O’Donovan of Corinthian Boys, was yesterday sent to the SFAI and copied to FAI chief executive John Delaney. 

“As we have not received any response whatsoever from the SFAI/FAI to our letter of January 23, or an explanation as to why a new draw was required to be held, or why one region was permitted to conduct a seeded draw in order to select their representatives in the last-32 when all other regions complied with the independent SFAI draw made on August 24, we have been left with no alternative but to confirm that the following teams refuse to participate in the National Cup as drawn by the SFAI/FAI on the January 23.” 

The FAI yesterday declined to comment on a situation that may now lead to walkovers against Cork teams and consequent appeals up to and including an expensive arbitration stage. 

The teams effected: Corinthians Boys U12 U13 U15 U16; Carrigaline United U13 U14 U15 U16; Mayfield United U12; Wilton United U15; Rockmount U12 U15; Douglas Hall U13 U14 U15; Buttevant U16; Lakewood Athletic U12 U13; Springfield Ramblers U13 U16; Ringmahon Rangers U12 U14 U16; Leeds U14.

SFAI National Cups - article on Evening Echo on Sat Feb 1
 

NOEL SPILLANE
Soccer
THE SFAI National Cup competitions row took a new twist overnight when eleven clubs in the Cork Schoolboys League withdrew from the national competition.
Kieran O’Donovan, Secretary of Corinthians Boys in Cork with the support and backing of the other clubs in a letter to Martin O’Hanlon, the general secretary of the SFAI at Abbotstown in Dublin have informed the league that they have no option but to pull out of the cup.
“We are extremely surprised and disappointed not to have received a response to the very reasonable questions raised in our letter of the January 23 or indeed the courtesy of an acknowledgment of same. 
“As we have not received any response whatsoever from the SFAI/FAI, or an explanation as to why a new draw was required to be held, or why one region was permitted to conduct a seeded draw in order to select their representatives in the last 32 when all other regions complied with the independent SFAI draw made on August 24 last, we have been left with no alternative but to confirm that the following teams refuse to participate in the National Cup as drawn by the SFAI/FAI on the January 23 last.
Corinthians Boys U12 U13 U15 U16, 
Carrigaline United U13 U14 U15 U16, 
Mayfield United U12, 
Wilton United U15, 
Rockmount U12 and U15, 
Douglas Hall U13 U14 U15, 
Buttevant U16, 
Lakewood Athletic U12 U13, 
Springfield Ramblers U13 U16, 
Ringmahon Rangers U12 U14 U16 and 
Leeds U14’s.
“We reiterate that we remain committed to participating in the National Cup Competitions on the basis of the draw made in Wexford on December 14, 2013. 
We confirm that in the event that we do not receive a satisfactory response to this correspondence, we reserve our position in relation to pursuing this matter through whatever avenues are open to us. In this regard as members of the SFAI/FAI we would be obliged if you would please outline to us the appropriate procedure for referring this matter to arbitration or other dispute resolution forum in line with the policy of the SFAI/FAI.”
The statement was issued by Kieran O'Donovan, Secretary, Corinthian Boys in Cork with the full support and backing of the following clubs: Corinthian Boys, Carrigaline United, Mayfield United, Wilton United, Lakewood Athletic, Rockmount, Douglas Hall, Buttevant, Springfield Ramblers, Ringmahon Rangers and Leeds.