A resilient girls' football team in South Dublin will be allowed play on their local pitch after the council pulled a u-turn on a "ridiculous" decision to allocate the grounds to another team from outside the area.
Rosemount Mulvey's FC's U10s and U13s will now be able to play in Rosemount Park, Dundrum, after the team came to a compromise with the council to get use of the local pitch.
The girls had been "standing up for fairness and equality" after they were initially told Mount Merrion FC were getting the time on Sundays instead of them.
Last week, the girls stood outside Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Council with placards demanding equal treatment and were set to do it again on Monday evening before the deal was reached.
Council-owned Rosemount Park, which lies in the middle of the Rosemount estate, Dundrum, had been allocated between Mulvey and Mount Merrion for weekends this season.
The girls, who are taking part in their first ever season, needed to play on Sundays but were told by the council they wouldn't be able despite the pitch being on their doorstep.
The decision has been branded "ridiculous" by the Dundrum club who took to the streets and now a deal has been reached.
In a statement the club said thanked everyone for the support and said they'll now focus on getting on with the football.
They said: "The club are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with DLRD parks dept to allow our girls teams to play their games in our home in Rosemount .
"We will continue to grow the club, coach, train and help the children of this community.
"We have be given written commitments to ensure we our club, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is allowed to provide a sporting outlet for children of those community of Dundrum and Windy Arbour.
"As a result of this late agreement, the club has agreed to postpone our planned protests at tonight's DLRD meeting and other protests this week to allow, time and space to go back to let things settle.
"We only wish to work WITH the local authority.
"Our committee wish to Express our appreciation and pride at the amount of help that has come from locally, nationally and internationally.
"We have being blown away by all this support.
"Finally to our community, we cant thank you enough. We hope that we represent you with our best intentions and we apologise for having to bring this to the media but we were left with no choice.
"We wish to now just focus on the kids and there football .
"Our coaches parents and players we will always try our best for you. We will always work hard to ensure you are treated with respect and treated equally. You are our pride, our children and grandchildren.
"We will always strive for the best for you. You have been inspirational and have led this fight with us. We can never thank you enough.
"Your club in your community."
