Inter-Island Games Football Tournament 2019

Group A

Monday 17th June 2019

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Ynys Mon 3 Orkney 1, attendance 620

16’ 1-0

35’ 2-0

43’ 2-1

87’ 3-1 (pen)

@ Maes Meurig (Gwalchmai F.C.)

off Crown Street

Gwalchmai

LL65 4SA

Admission by donation

£3 Tournament Brochure available, plus free Team Sheet. Didn’t bother with either.

The journey from Bodedern took about 12 minutes and I arrived in time to get the last car park space at the ground, which was a bit of a relief as the surrounding area didn’t look the best area to be leaving your car unattended. As with the earlier match, there was a collection for admission as you entered the ground and there was also a tea bar that was doing a roaring trade, as host ‘nation’ Ynys Mon drew in a very good crowd of 620, which may have even reached the 650 mark once all the stragglers had arrived.

It was nice to see that the traditional national anthems were played over the tannoy prior to the match, with ‘Land of My Fathers’ and ‘Flower of Scotland’ representing the Welsh and Scottish teams on view tonight. Ynys Mon went ahead after 16 minutes and it looked like this might be a bit one sided. Orkney started to push for an equaliser and it became much more even. The Ynys Mon Number 10 deserved to get a red card for his ridiculous act of cheating, when he pretended to have been head butted by the Orkney ‘keeper, in one of the most pathetic pieces of play acting you’re likely to see. The Referee only gave him a yellow card and a couple of minutes later it was 2-0, and yes, it was the Number 10 who scored it. He goaded the ‘keeper once more during his celebration. What a pity Orkney were not able to turn it round. They did pull it back to 2-1, but with the game still in the balance, Ynys Mon finally made it safe with a very harshly awarded penalty three minutes from the end. Somehow, I don’t think it would have been given if it had been at the other end……

The match was over at 20.23 and at least I would get around an hour and a half of daylight to start my near 300 mile drive home. Amazingly there were no motorway closures, so home for 01.15.

Inter-Island Games Football Tournament 2019

Group C

Monday 17th June 2019

Kick Off 15.30 Actual 15.29

Guernsey 2 Shetland Islands 1, attendance 165 (official number given as 208 !)

21’ 1-0

44’ 2-0

52’ 2-1

@ Cae Ty Criston (Bodedern Athletic F.C.)

Ty’n Fford

Off Church Street (B5109)

Bodedern

LL65 3TU

Admission by donation

£3 Tournament Brochure available, plus free Team Sheet. Didn’t bother with either.

The Inter-Island Games are being held in Gibraltar this year, but as they only have one football ground there, the football part of the tournament was being held in Wales, on the island of Ynys Mon, perhaps better known as Anglesey.

The matches were being held at a number of grounds across the island and of those being used, there were 3 that I hadn’t visited for a match. Unfortunately, the ground of Bro Goronwy was only staging a Women’s match, which I will not watch, so I was left with needing just two. Luckily, they were both hosting matches today and even better, they were at different times and very easy to double up. It also fitted in perfectly with the rugby league in Workington yesterday, so after a second nights accommodation in the North West, it was only an hour and a half drive along the North Wales coast for today’s action.

I had visited Bodedern Athletic before, (4th September 2004, when they beat Llandudno Junction 1-0 in the Welsh Alliance) when they played at Bodedern Secondary School, or Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern, to give it it’s Welsh name, which is on London Road, on the left hand side when entering the village from the A55. They now play on the eastern edge of the village, next to the Primary School. They are developing a nice little set up here and they even had the tea bar up and running, doing hot food and drinks. The organisation of the proceedings wasn’t too bad, considering volunteers would have had to take time off work to cope with the late afternoon kick off. The playing of the national anthems, which I have no idea what either of them were, could have been done better, but at least everything was done and dusted to enable the match to actually get underway a minute early.

Guernsey had quite a number of their squad who play in the Isthmian League for Guernsey F.C., but they made hard work of winning this match. The opening goal was finished with a shot through the ‘keeper’s legs after cutting in from the left and the second goal, just before halftime, was deflected past the ‘keeper at his near post from close range. Shetland got back into it early in the second half. They were awarded a penalty, but although it was saved, the ball fell perfectly for the striker to slot in the rebound. Neither side looked like adding any further goals and the game finished 2-1 to The Channel Islanders.