NERL COACHING LEAGUE RULES and FORMATS

AGE GROUPS	7 Boys & 8 Girls on MDL Small Sided Pitches
Eligibility	Age Group 7 Boys Age Group 8 Girls
Format	5 v 5 GK and 4 outfield players
Playing Time	75%
Facilitator	6.50 euro per team
Ball Size	5 (290 gms)
Match Duration	2 x 12.50
Footwear	Molded studs molded blades only
Spectacles	No ordinary spectacles allowed for Health & Safety reasons
Pitch	Divided into thirds with retreat lines
Retreat Line	When ball goes wide and hits the boards opposition retreats beyond retreat line When a goal is scored opposition retreats beyond retreat line
Restart after a goal is scored or a wide	Play resumes with player either dribbling or passing ball to a team mate with-in retreat line Opponents can advance beyond retreat line once player commences the dribble or when team mate receives the ball
Ball out of play	If ball goes out of play at the sideline the nearest player will recommence play as quickly as possible by dribbling or passing ball into play Opponent must retreat 3 meters
Scoring	Normal rules apply All players allowed enter and play the ball inside small box
Corners	Opponent must be 3 meters away
Free Kicks	All indirect and opponent must be 3 meters away
Penalty Kicks	Not applicable

NERL COACHING LEAGUE RULES & FORMATS

AGE GROUPS	8 Boys 9 Boys 10 Girls on MDL Small Sided Pitches
Eligibility	Age Group 8 Boys Age Group 8 Girls Age Group 9 Boys Age Group 9 Girls Age Group 10 Girls
Format	5 v 5
Facilitator	6.50 euro per team
Playing Time	75%
Ball Size	8 Boys 5 (290 gms) 9 Boys 5 (320 gms) 10 Girls 5 (320 gms)
Match Duration	2 x 12.50
Footwear	Molded studs molded blades only
Spectacles	No ordinary spectacles allowed for Health & Safety reasons
Pitch	Divided into thirds with retreat lines
Retreat Line	When ball goes wide and hits the boards opposition retreats beyond retreat line When a goal is scored opposition retreats beyond retreat line
Restart after a goal is scored or a wide	Play resumes with GK throwing or passing ball to a team mate who is inside the retreat line Opponents can advance beyond retreat line once player receiving ball touches the ball
Ball out of play	If ball goes out of play at the sideline the nearest player will recommence play as quickly as possible by dribbling or passing ball into play Opponent must retreat 3 meters
Scoring	Normal rules apply All players allowed enter and play the ball inside small box
Corners	Opponent must be 3 meters away
Free Kicks	All indirect and opponent must be 3 meters away
Penalty Kicks	Not applicable
Back Pass	GK not allowed handle ball from a back pass If it happens coach must remind GK that it is not allowed GK not allowed kick out ball from hands down the pitch

NERL COACHING LEAGUE RULES & FORMATS 2018

AGE GROUPS	10 Boys MDL Grounds 11 Boys St. Patrick’s Classical School Navan
Eligibility	Age Group 10 Boys Age Group 11 Boys
Format	7 v 7
Referee	10 Boys 6.50 euro per team 11 Boys 7.50 euro per team
Playing Time	50%

Ball Size	5 (320 gms)
Match Duration	10 Boys 2 x 22.50 minutes 11 Boys 2 x 25 minutes
Footwear	Molded studs, Molded blades only NO STEEL STUDS NO STEEL BLADES
Spectacles	No ordinary spectacles allowed for Health & Safety reasons
Pitch	Divided into thirds with retreat lines
Retreat Line	When ball goes wide one opponent is allowed inside retreat line GK can resume play by throwing the ball out to a team mate and remaining opponents cannot enter retreat line until player receiving ball touches it GK can also resume by passing long to a team mate from the ground (not out of hands) but emphasis should be on playing out from the back
Restart after a goal is scored	Kick off center circle
Ball out of play	If ball goes out of play at the sideline restart with throw in
Scoring	Normal rules apply All players allowed enter and play the ball inside the box
Corners	Opponent must be 5 meters away
Free Kicks	Normal rules apply opponent must be 5 meters from the ball
Penalty Kicks	Applicable 8 meters from goal
Back Pass	GK not allowed handle ball from a back pass If they do then indirect free is awarded
Off Side	Not applicable

NERL COACHING LEAGUE RULES & FORMATS

AGE GROUP	12 Girls
Eligibility	Age Group 12 Girls
Format	9 v 9
Referee	Yes
Ball Size	5 (370 gms)
Match Duration	2 x 30 minutes
Pitch	6 yard box to 6 yard box OR 18 yard box to 18 yard box 70m to 80m in length and 50m to 55m in width
Goal Size	2m x 5m
Spectacles	No ordinary spectacles allowed for Health & Safety reasons
Rules	Normal rules apply

How to Calculate the unders

The term Under 7 under 8 is regularly used in Football and can cause confusion.

The “Under” is based on the year the player was born minus the year the competition ends, this is why in national cup games the “under” is always a year ahead.

The following table is based on 2024 being the year that the competition ends and in our case that the competition takes place

Year Born	Age

2006	18
2007	17
2008	16
2009	15
2010	14
2011	13
2012	12
2013	11
2014	10
2015	9
2016	8
2017	7

In this example an under & player born in 2017 will turn 7 during the year. But the import bit is the competions ends in 2024 and Year of bith

2024-2017=7 Therefore Under 7