The island of Ynys Môn takes centre stage this weekend as they host the Inter-Island games.
From this Sunday to next Friday, football will be played non-stop for six days. Both Men’s and Women’s football will be played at a number of grounds.
As the Island who produced Wales international goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and former Portsmouth defender Dion Donohue, Ynys Môn may fancy their chances in the competition.
Why is it being held in Ynys Môn?
The 2019 Island Games which are being held in Gibraltar are unable to run a football tournament due to the lack of pitches.
With football being such a popular sport, the Inter-Island games will still take place, 1200 miles away.
In May 2018, Ynys Môn was chosen as the hosts for the football element of the games.
How will it work?
In total there are ten teams involved in the men’s side of things. It will start as a round-robin tournament, ensuring that each team has played one another. Each team will have a game on each day for three days.
It will then move into a knock out format.
Firstly there is a group of four with hosts Ynys Mon involved. They will come up against Jersey, Orkney and the Western Isles.
In Group B, The Norwegian principality of Hitra will take on Alderney from the Channel Islands, as well as the Isle of Man.
In the final group, Guernsey, Saint Helena and Shetland will all come up against one another for a place in the knockouts.
For the women, there are six teams involved. It was originally going to work as a five team group, but Gibraltar were added to the tournament in February.
Ynys Mon will take on the Western Isles and Hitra in Group A, whilst in Group B, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man and Jersey are playing against each other.
What are the fixtures?
Here are the fixtures that Ynys Mon have been pencilled in.
Having started at Holyhead against the Western Isles, they’ll be hoping to return there for the final.
Men’s
16th June – Ynys Mon v Western Islands – 17:00 – Holyhead Hotspur
17th June – Ynys Mon v Orkney – 18:30 – C.P.D. Gwalchmai
18th June – Ynys Mon v Jersey – 19:30 – Llangefni Town
20th June – 11:30 – Aberffraw, 13:00 – Glantraeth, 14:00 – Bodedern, 16:30 – Gwlachmai, 19:30 – Llangefni
21st June – 14:00 – Gwalchmai, 18:30 – Holyhead Hotspur
Women’s
16th June – Ynys Mon v Western Isles – Holyhead Hotspur – 13:30
17th June – Ynys Mon v Hitra – Amlwch Town – 18:30
19th June – 17:30 – Bro Goronwy, 18:00 – Gaerwen, 18:30 – Amlwch
21st June – 11:30 – Amlwch, 15:30 – Holyhead Hotspur
What stadium’s will be hosting the games?
The home grounds of Aberffraw, Amlwch Town, Bodedern Athletic, Bro Goronwy, Cemaes Bay, Gaerwen, Glantraeth, Holyhead Hotspur, Llanerchymedd, Llangefni Town will all be able to say that they’ve hosted a game at an International tournament.
Ground improvements are taking place at Llangefni Town’s ground as they prepare for life in the FAW Championship after winning the Welsh Alliance League.
What is the Ynys-Mon squad?
Campbell Harrison, previously the manager of Holyhead Hotspur is the manager of the Men’s team. He will be assisted by Iwan Williams, who was most recently the manager of Welsh Premier League side Llandudno.
Ten days ago, Campbell Harrison and Karen Williams named their squads for the upcoming tournament.
Paul Pritchard was named captain of the Men’s whilst Laura Eynon was given the armband by Karen Williams.
There is some FA Women’s Championship representation in the form of Nicky Davies, who represented Wales at international level.
For the Men’s, Jay Gibbs and John Littlemore who previously played in the Welsh premier League are in the squad, giving Ynys Mon that top flight experience.
Men’s 20-man squad:
Paul Pritchard (Porthmadog), Jordan Taylor (Bodedern Athletic), Gari Owen (Llangefni Town), Ryan Taylor (Bodedern Athletic), Guto Hughes (Conwy Borough), Tom Taylor (Bromsgrove Sporting), Tomos Clarke (Conwy Borough), Cai Powell-Roberts (Llangefni Town), Alex Jones (Holyhead Hotspur), Dan Thomas (Llangefni Town), Jay Gibbs (Porthmadog), Dean Garmey (Holyhead Hotspur), Dafydd Jones (Bodedern Athletic), Gerwyn Roberts (Mynydd Llandegai), Alex Boss (Aberystwyth Town), Liam Morris (Llangefni Town), Sam Jones (Bangor City), Melvin McGinness (Holyhead Hotspur), John Littlemore (Porthmadog), Matthew Jones (Llangefni Town)
Women’s 18-lady squad:
Nicky Davies (Sheffield United), Ceri Pritchard (Amlwch Town Ladies), Carol Lewis (Amlwch Town Ladies), Laura Eynon (Amlwch Town Ladies), Paige Williams (Amlwch Town Ladies), Sara Furlong (Amlwch Town Ladies), Beth Jones (Caernarfon Town Ladies), Emma Roberts (Cardiff Metropolitan), Jordanne Greenough (Llandudno Ladies), Cerys Gadd (Amlwch Town Ladies), Charlotte Gill (Guisley Vixens), Ffion Owen (Caernarfon Town Ladies), Ceri Slaney (Caernarfon Town Ladies), Angharad Evans (Bethesda Athletic Ladies), Catrin Evans (Bethel Ladies), Erin Maloney (Bethel Ladies), Lexi Crawley (Amlwch Town Ladies), Ceri Lois (Bethesda Athletic Ladies).
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