Ballylinan · County Laois
A practical guide to St Anne’s AFC
Use this page to identify the correct Ballylinan club, find the ground, understand the youth and senior pathway, and know what to check before training or match day.
For parents and players
What St Anne’s AFC offers locally
St Anne’s AFC is the soccer club for Ballylinan and surrounding communities in County Laois. It is the St Anne’s record tied to Ballylinan, not a Dublin park listing or the UK club with a similar name.
For a family looking at this page, the important picture is straightforward: this is a local football club with underage teams in the Carlow juvenile structure, adult links in Carlow & District football, a green-and-white club identity, and a facilities plan focused on giving players a stronger year-round home.
New players and parents should use the current club channel for the child’s birth year, team availability, registration route, training night and coach contact. The public records show activity across several age groups, but the live team list changes by season and by numbers in each squad.
Identity
Green and white from Ballylinan
The public club shop page for St Anne’s FC Ballylinan shows a green match jersey with white trim and a shield crest. The crest carries crossed green-and-white bands, a central shamrock, the club initials and a football at the base.
That identity matters for visitors as well as locals. If you are checking a fixture, look for St Anne’s AFC, St Annes, St Anne’s FC Ballylinan or St Anne’s Ballylinan depending on the competition feed. They point to the same Ballylinan soccer club in this profile.
| Listing name | Where it appears |
|---|---|
| St Annes | SFAI national club map entry. |
| St Annes AFC | Carlow & District Juveniles League club directory wording. |
| St Anne’s AFC | Regional match reports and facilities coverage. |
| St Anne’s AFC Ballylinan | Public 2025/2026 fundraising and licensing pages. |
Where to go
Ballylinan club grounds
For home fixtures, Ballylinan is the place to start. Carlow juvenile match reports list St Anne’s home games at Ballylinan, while public facilities pages and licensing material identify St Anne’s AFC with Ballylinan, County Laois.
Use the map as a guide, then follow the fixture message or league listing for the final detail. A youth match, senior fixture, cup tie, training session or club event may use different arrival times, parking directions and pitch access.
If you are travelling with a team, check the surface, warm-up space and parking arrangements before leaving. If you are dropping off a child for the first time, arrive early enough to find the group and speak to the coach without rushing.
Youth football
Underage teams in the Carlow juvenile scene
St Anne’s AFC appears in the Carlow & District Juveniles League club directory with other local clubs such as Bagenalstown AFC, Burrin Celtic, St Fiacc’s, St Joseph’s AFC, St Patrick’s Boys, Vale Wanderers and Parkville United.
Regional match coverage gives a useful feel for the age range. Published St Anne’s fixtures and reports include U10, U12, U13, U14 and U15 football, with home games named at Ballylinan and away games across the Carlow-Laois football area.
For parents, this means the club is not just a name on a national map. There is a visible underage fixture trail with boys and girls in the local football ecosystem. The exact squad offer for a new season still needs confirmation with the club, because age groups depend on player numbers, coaches and league entries.
| Age area | What the public record shows |
|---|---|
| U10 | Non-competitive Carlow juvenile fixture references include St Anne’s AFC. |
| U12 | Reports include St Anne’s against Killeshin and Kilree Celtic in Ballylinan. |
| U13 | Reports include St Anne’s against Vale Wanderers and New Oak Boys. |
| U14 | Reports include St Anne’s against Parkville United and St Joseph’s AFC. |
| U15 | Reports include St Anne’s against St Patrick’s Boys in Carlow league football. |
Senior and community football
A club for more than one age group
The Ballylinan club is also connected to adult football. The Irish football league structure lists St Anne’s Ballylinan in Carlow & District Football League adult competition, and older league notices show St Anne’s in Carlow District fixtures over multiple seasons.
That senior link matters to younger players. A club with youth teams and adult football gives families a clearer local pathway: children can start in age-group football, older players can stay around the club, and volunteers can keep experience inside the Ballylinan community.
For visiting clubs, it also means fixture wording can vary. Check whether the match is underage, youth, junior, senior, cup or league football before assuming the same competition rules, pitch format or kickoff routine.
Facilities
The 4G pitch plan and why families will care
Public club fundraising material describes a new 4G astro pitch for Ballylinan and surrounding areas. The purpose is practical: fewer weather cancellations, safer training in poor conditions, a stronger year-round surface and more room for local schools, clubs and community groups.
Planning coverage in 2025 said the Ballylinan project includes a full-size astroturf pitch, drainage, floodlighting, fencing, an extended car park and a walking track. The Laois Nationalist reported in May 2025 that planning permission had been granted for the upgrade.
For parents and players, the takeaway is not a planning headline. It is the direction of travel: the club is trying to give Ballylinan football better facilities and a more reliable base. Before assuming what is already available on a given day, check the current status with St Anne’s AFC, especially around works, parking and event access.
Joining and registration
What to ask before your first session
If your child wants to try St Anne’s AFC, start with the year of birth. That is usually how underage football is organised, and it helps the club point you to the right coach or group.
Ask whether the age group is open for new players, where the next training session is, what footwear is needed, whether registration is open, and whether there are separate instructions for new players, transfers or late-season enquiries.
For older players, ask whether the enquiry is for youth football, junior football, senior football or a specific competition panel. The public evidence shows both underage and adult links, but the current route into each group belongs with the club.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Birth year | Gets a player to the correct age group. |
| Training night | Teams can train on different days or surfaces. |
| Fixture venue | Not every match or cup tie is necessarily at the same ground. |
| Footwear | Grass, astro and all-weather surfaces may need different boots. |
| Registration status | Some squads may be full or limited by league deadlines. |
Match day
For visiting teams and supporters
Check the venue in the fixture message before you set off. Ballylinan is the club base, but competition feeds, cup ties and opposition arrangements can still change match-day details.
Bring layers, water and suitable footwear. For parents of younger players, allow enough time for parking, finding the group and listening to the coach’s arrival instructions. For visiting teams, confirm colours if there is any chance of a kit clash with St Anne’s green and white.
Respect local parking and entrances. Rural community grounds are often close to homes, narrow roads and shared spaces, so a few extra minutes makes the morning easier for everyone.
Local football trail
What the match reports tell us
The best public football detail comes from Carlow juvenile reports. They show St Anne’s teams competing in real local fixtures rather than only appearing as a database entry.
Reports include a U13 match with Vale Wanderers at Ballylinan, a U12 win against Killeshin, a U12 fixture with Kilree Celtic, a U14 result against Parkville United and a U15 match with St Patrick’s Boys. Together, those records show a club active through several stages of school-age football.
Those reports are useful for context, but they should not be treated as the current squad list. Use them as a guide to the club’s footprint, then check the latest season directly.
Sources
Where this profile was checked
SFAI club map
Carlow & District Juveniles League club directory
Nelligan Sports St Anne’s FC Ballylinan club shop
St Anne’s AFC public 4G pitch page
Win a Kia terms naming St. Anne’s AFC Ballylinan
St Anne’s AFC 4G pitch fundraiser
Laois Nationalist planning report
Striker Online U13 report
Striker Online U12 report
Striker Online U12-U15 report set
Current registrations, contacts, fixtures, facility status and pitch assignments should be confirmed with St Anne’s AFC, the Carlow & District leagues or the relevant competition before travelling.
