The competitive status of Ireland's top Under-14 schoolboys soccer team will be decided at arbitration early next week, the Circuit Civil Court has been told. Cherry Orchard's talented side had been demoted this season by the Dublin and District Schoolboys League from its Under-14s Premier Division to the lesser "Major" division after the club inadvertently fielded an over-age player in its Under-13s team in the Premier Division last year.
Cherry Orchard Football Club had appealed the decision to the Football Association of Ireland which reversed the decision of the Dublin and District Schoolboys League.
The Circuit Civil Court had been asked to determine the matter after the league had allegedly refused to reinstate the Cherry Orchard team to the Premier Division and had continued arranging fixtures for it within the Major division.
Following day-long talks in the Four Courts between Mr Shane Murphy, counsel for Cherry Orchard, Mr David Hardiman, counsel for the League, and Mr Martin Moran, of Finbar Cahill & Co., solicitors for the FAI, Judge Liam Devally was told the parties had agreed to put the matter before arbitration early next week.
The performances of Cherry Orchard Football Club schoolboy teams are closely monitored by talent scouts for both English and Irish teams and many former Cherry Orchard schoolboys have signed for cross-Channel clubs. Following next week's arbitration the matter is again to be mentioned before Judge Devally in the Circuit Civil Court.