As part of our ongoing Football For All initiatives, we are looking forward to a new partnership with Cork City FC Amputees and the Irish Amputee Football Association #LetsGoAstro

We are delighted to offer use of our proposed new facility to Cork City FC Amputees for training and for National Amputee League Fixtures. In addition, and even more exciting we will see our facility used as a South of Ireland Training Hub for the Irish International Amputees Team.

This highlights and helps focus all of our minds on achieving our objective to build an artificial playing surface in Gortnaglough Park - to help us as a club increase participation and performance in all sporting acumen across all age, gender and ability. #FootballForAll #LetsgoAstro

Did you know...

Amputee Football was first played competitively in America in the 1980s. America, Great Britain, Russia, Brazil and Uzbekistan were among the first nations to adopt the sport and compete Internationally.  Today the sport is played by 31 nations from across the World, 20 of whom competed at the Amputee Football World Cup in Culiacan, Mexico in 2014. Amputee Football was considered for inclusion in the games at the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi Russia in 2014.

Rules of the Game..

• An amputee is defined as someone who is 'abbreviated' at or near the ankle or wrist. 
• Outfield players may have two hands but only one leg.  
• Goalkeepers may have two feet but only one hand.
• The game is played with metal crutches and without prostheses. Players may not use crutches to advance, control or block the ball.  Such an action will be penalised in the same way as a hand-ball infringement. However, incidental contact between crutch and ball is tolerated. 
• Players may not use their residual limbs to voluntarily advance, control or block the ball. Such an action will be penalised in the same way as a hand-ball infringement. However, incidental contact between residual limb and ball is tolerated.
• Use of a crutch against a player will lead to ejection from the game and a penalty kick for the opposing team.
• Shin pads must be worn.
• Playing pitches measure a maximum of 70 x 60 metres.
• Goals measure 2.2 metres maximum (height) x 5 metres maximum (width) x 1 metre (depth).
• Ball used is FIFA standard.
• Games consist of 2 x 25 minute halves (variable according to the tournament), with a ten-minute rest period in between. Both teams are allowed one, one-minute, time-out per half.
• The Offside rule does not apply in Amputee Football.
• International rules stipulate that a team be made up of six outfield players and a goalkeeper. However, certain tournaments require teams of four outfield players and a goalkeeper.
• A goalkeeper is not permitted to leave his or her area. Should this occur deliberately, the goalkeeper will be ejected from the game and the opposing team awarded a penalty kick.
• An unlimited amount of substitutions can be made, at any point during the game.