Galway Masters football 2024

Galway Over 35s is celebrating its eleventh year in 2024.

We have 28 teams entered from clubs affiliated to the Galway FA (invitation was sent to all club secretaries via email on 28th February, with a deadline of 8th March for affiliation).

Click here for manager contact details

Junior O35s Premier

  1. Corrib Celtic
  2. Corrib Rangers
  3. Craughwell
  4. Dynamo Blues
  5. Loughrea
  6. Mervue
  7. West United

O35 NonJunior Division 1

  1. Athenry
  2. Kiltullagh Pioneers
  3. Kinvara United
  4. Knocknacarra
  5. Maree Oranmore
  6. St. Bernards

O35 NonJunior Division 2

  1. Athenry
  2. Corofin United
  3. Cregmore Claregalway
  4. East Galway Utd
  5. Galway Bohemians
  6. Kinvara United
  7. Moyne Villa
  8. Oughterard

Over 42s Premier

  1. Corofin United
  2. Corrib Celtic
  3. Cregmore Claregalway
  4. Kinvara United
  5. Loughrea
  6. Moyne Villa
  7. West United

Key dates

  1. Group games approx. mid-April* to end-July.
  2. Semi-finals and Finals tbc, depending on EDP availability#.

*Games to be completed in winter league 23/24 will take priority over O35s/O42s. This means the O35s/42s start may be delayed to allow winter leagues to complete requiring mid-week fixtures. This will help club secretaries to know there won’t be a clash of O35s/42s fixtures on top of them.

Realistically, finals for non-junior and O42s won’t be held in July-24, they are expected to be after race week.
We hope “O35s Junior” will complete by end July so that those players can prepare with their clubs for the upcoming 2024/2025 junior season ahead.
#Dates for all finals depends on EDP availability and weather.

Default KO Days

  1. Tue = O42* and O35 Premier
  2. Wed = O35 Division 1
  3. Thu = O35 Division 2
  • *O42s are encouraged to play O42s first, then in other games that week if required/and able!

 

FAIConnect (Comet) player registration

Player registration

  1. O35 Players must be aged 35 before the 30th April.
  2. O42 Players must be aged 42 before the 30th April.
  3. Players must be registered on the FAIConnect national database with a status of ACTIVE on the O35/O42 Team Roster no later than 48 hours before a fixture.
  4. O42 can be added to one O42 panel and multiple O35 panels for the same club, with only 1 registration fee of €15.
  5. For the avoidance of doubt, if a player is aged 42+ and is correctly on the O42 roster for a club, they do not have the right to play in the same clubs O35 team(s) until they have been added to the O35 team roster and approved.
  6. For the avoidance of doubt, if a player is aged between 35 and 41 and registered junior in season 2023/2024 they are only eligible to play in O35s Premier division.

Transfers

  1. Player transfer within the club or between clubs, rules and transfer windows as per GFA rulebook 15.2, all rules under “CR 16: TRANSFERS” and FAI rulebook.

Over 42s get a “Golden Ticket”

  1. Backfilling Across Teams in the one club:
  • Players age 42 and over will also be allowed to backfill any O35s teams within the same club regardless if they signed junior in the previous winter season.
  • This “golden ticket” is guaranteed for O35s incorporating O42s and will be in the rulebook for 2024.
  • This might extend to junior divisions for next season, subject to a rule change at the next AGM, which will be voted by clubs or not.
  • For the avoidance of doubt,
    • The current GFA rulebook would not stop a player age 42+ registering junior.
    • Without any changes, a player can now have been registered in 1 junior team 2023/2024 and also play in any or all O35s/O42 teams in 2024 for the same club.
  1. Increased Demand and Recruitment:
  • Over 42 players will be in high demand, encouraging clubs to actively recruit within this age profile, aiming to boost overall participation numbers.
  1. Flexibility Over Frequency:
  • While most Over 42 players may not be available or able for two games per week, the focus is on providing flexibility rather than frequency.
  1. Emergency Situations Support for Junior divisions:
  • The motivation is to assist clubs by allowing flexibility in calling in O42s players for emergency situations throughout the year, such as clashes with other sports, Debs, weddings etc, and also allowing those O42s players to play in O35/O42 competitions.
  1. Encouraged Priority:
  • Older players are encouraged to primarily play Over 42s, followed by Over 35s, and occasionally in junior or reserve teams.

6. It is the current intention to move up to O43s next year, and settle with O45s by 2027. This can be reviewed each year.

 

 

Potential Winter O35s 2024+:

  1. Astro Facilities Availability:
  • With numerous Astro facilities in the city and county, we can explore winter leagues.

 

  1. Financial Considerations:

- To cover referee fees and nominal Astro costs, a maximum fee of €5 per player is proposed.

 

  1. Sunday Evening Games:

- Games would be scheduled on Sunday evenings due to referee availability.