Schools chief voted on to FAI board

Schoolboy football will have a voice at the FAI top table for the first time since 2007, after Schoolboys FAI (SFAI) chairman Tim Fitzgerald was voted onto the association’s 10-man board.

The Limerick man will assume the prestigious role on foot of his election as chairman of the underage committee, one of the FAI’s key committees. Fitzgerald’s predecessor in that role, Donal Conway, became vice-president at the FAI’s AGM in Athlone last month, creating a vacancy.

The elevation of Fitzgerald — elected unopposed by his 11 fellow committee members on Wednesday — means the board has its first new member in four years.

It is also significant in affording the SFAI representation in the highest echelon of the game. For all their numerical strength, by a long distance the largest affiliate under the FAI umbrella, with 100,000 members, the SFAI’s presence amongst the power brokers has been absent since Maurice Fleming stepped down seven years ago.

The SFAI are the sole governors of the underage boys game for players aged between 6 and 16 in this country, with 32 individual leagues nationwide.

Fitzgerald’s ratification marks the apex of a rapid ascent up the football legislative pyramid. From representing his local league, Limerick County, on the SFAI council, he became vice-chairman six years ago before replacing chairman Mick O’Brien eight weeks ago.

The Munster man’s renowned negotiation skills in football and in his full-time employment at Kerry Foods as an employee representative are sure to be beneficial in ensuring the needs of the underage sector are catered for. Fitzgerald is one of only four members on SIPTU’s 26-strong national executive council acting for the entire manufacturing industry.

All major decisions in Irish football, such as the sacking of Giovanni Trapattoni in September and hiring of Martin O’Neill as the Italian’s replacement two months later, are rubberstamped by the FAI board.

They were also responsible this summer for giving chief executive John Delaney a fresh five-year contract.

Delaney is the only FAI-employed member on the board, with the other nine working in a voluntary capacity.

Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland’s long-awaited home friendly against England, scheduled for Aviva Stadium in June of next year, will be shown live on Setanta Sports as part of a new four-year deal between the FAI and the broadcaster.

Under the agreement, Setanta Sports will have exclusive live rights to Ireland’s home friendly matches over that period, starting with next Wednesday’s clash against Oman, followed by the USA in November and the historic rematch against England in 2015.

Setanta will also show 16 live senior women and U21 matches and will become sponsor of the FAI’s Emerging Talent Programme.

FAI BOARD 2014: Michael Cody (Honorary Secretary), Tony Fitzgerald (President), Donal Conway (Vice-President), Eddie Murray (Treasurer), Milo Corcoran (International Committee), Eamon Naughton (National League), Paraic Treanor (Finance Committee), Jim McConnell (Domestic Committee), Tim Fitzgerald (Underage Committee), John Delaney (Chief Executive).