Mayo FC withdraw from Under-23 League of Ireland campaign

Mayo FC will not be entering a Women’s Under-23 team in the upcoming League of Ireland academy campaign after withdrawing from the competition following discussions with the League of Ireland.

It is understood the decision was taken at the eleventh hour, with the new season set to launch this weekend.

The club is believed to have faced difficulties securing sufficient player numbers at the Under-23 age grade, with educational commitments cited as a major factor in the withdrawal.

The move comes as the FAI introduced a change in age grades from Under-19 to Under-23, aimed at increasing the number of teams and supporting the development of a second tier in the League of Ireland Women’s divisions.

However, sources within Mayo FC say the shift created significant challenges locally, particularly with last year’s Mayo FC Under-19 squad balancing preparations for the Leaving Certificate.

Those same players would also have been required to play an age grade up and compete against high-quality League of Ireland senior opposition like Athlone and Peamount, contributing to the decision not to enter a team for the forthcoming campaign.

It is understood Mayo FC has now released the players they had recruited for the Under-23 side back to their grassroots clubs across the county.