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.
