No licence for Cobh or Tralee

Neither Cobh Ramblers nor Tralee Dynamos will appeal their failure to get First Division places after the composition of this season’s Airtricity League was confirmed with the news that 20 clubs have received licenses.

Following a meeting of the FAI’s Independent Club Licensing Committee, 15 Premier Division licences and five First Division licences were awarded, translating into 12 teams in the Premier Division and eight in the First Division.

As was strongly indicated when they failed to appear in the preliminary fixture list, neither Cobh nor Tralee were successful in their applications for a First Division licence.

In a statement yesterday, Tralee Dynamos confirmed: “While disappointed that we have not been successful this year, we fully intend to apply for the 2013 season.

“We assure the people of Kerry that the desire is within the club to provide top level soccer for the young players of Kerry for the first time in the 93-year history of [the] league.”

Meanwhile, although there was no official confirmation that the club would not lodge an appeal, a spokesman for Cobh Ramblers also indicated yesterday that work would now begin to put a bid together for a license for next season.

The 2012 licence awards are as follows: Premier Division Licence: Athlone Town FC, Bohemian FC, Bray Wanderers FC, Cork City FC, Derry City FC, Drogheda United FC , Dundalk FC, Longford Town FC, Monaghan United FC, Shamrock Rovers FC, Shelbourne FC, Sligo Rovers FC, St Patrick’s Athletic, UCD AFC, Waterford United FC.

First Division Licence: Finn Harps FC, Limerick FC, Mervue United FC, SD Galway, Wexford Youths FC.