A girls team in South Dublin are standing up to the council after a "ridiculous" decision to allocate a local pitch to a team from outside the area.
Protests have been held outside Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council after Rosemount Mulvey FC's U10 and U13 girls teams were denied the use of Rosemount Park on Sundays so that Mount Merrion FC could use it instead.
The girls have less than two weeks before their first ever season in the Metropolitan Girls League which is played on Sunday mornings when the Merrion team will be using the local spot.
Rosemount Park lies in the middle of the Rosemount estate, Dundrum, where 44 new houses were completed last Christmas.
The local pitch in the middle of the estate is owned by the council who have allocated it between Mulvey and Mount Merrion for weekends this season.
Overlooking the girls need to play on Sunday has been branded "ridiculous" by the Dundrum club who have voted not to accept the decision.
In a statement they said: "In recent times, the committee and parents alike, have collectively put in a huge effort in providing football for girls in Rosemount Park.
"Following on from a number of meetings with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, we are deeply disappointed in their decision to refuse pitch allocation to girl's football in Rosemount Park on Sundays.
"The committee of Rosemount Mulvey FC have voted NOT to accept this ridiculous decision, and are willing to challenge dlrcoco by all means necessary, until our girls receive fair and equal treatment.
"Rosemount Mulvey FC are committed to providing girls with equal opportunities as boys in participating and developing both social and footballing skills. We are determined as ever to provide this basic need to our girls in Rosemount Park."
Speaking to Dublin Live, head coach Richie Baker said the council were told almost six months ago that Rosemount would be entering a girls team - and that they believe the immediate community should be getting preference to play on the estate's pitch.
He said: "They gave us the use on a Saturday for the boys and mixed teams, but they gave Sunday to another club instead.
"I've been in and out of meetings with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown for two years myself, and we've been telling them how many kids are coming through and how big it's growing.
"A few months ago the girls were all coming through and we knew we'd have two teams so they were told. They knew well six or seven months ago we were going ahead with this.
"We were in talks with them and Mount Merrion about what's going on. Merrion were very reasonable, they said once the council find them somewhere to go they'll move on. There's no problem with them they just want their kids playing football.
"The council have all these booklets talking about social inclusion and providing things once the clubs grow. The club is getting huge.
"What's the point in having this stuff here if it can't go to the immediate community?
"Girls football has come on so strong and the FAI are trying to encourage it and bring it through.
"But these local girls are getting overlooked by a team who aren't from the area."
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have been contacted for comment.
