New name assured on the inter-island Games women’s football tournament winners list

There will be a new name on the Inter-Island Games trophy whatever happens in Friday afternoon’s showpiece game at Holyhead.

Ynys Môn have reached the final for the first time in their fifth Games, while the Isle of Man have never won the tournament despite finishing runners-up twice and bronze medalists once.

Some may say the 2019 competition has been weakened by the absence of gold medal holders Gotland, plus the traditionally always strong Aland Islands and the Isle of Wight, but the standard remains good with Môn still up against some very good sides.

The Isle of Man will be determined to make it third time lucky after ending up beaten finalists in 2011 and 2017, and in top-scorer Sarah Wignall undoubtedly have one of the tournament’s stand-out players.

But Anglesey are full of quality, from 64-times capped Wales keeper Nicky Davies to 16-year-old pacy front-runner Catrin Evans.

In Lexi Crawley, Ynys Môn boast the competition’s leading scorer with five goals in three games, while the likes of Jordanne Greenough, Cerys Gadd and Ffion Owen have all performed at Welsh Premier League level.

One thing which might be seen as a negative towards Anglesey’s chances – they lost 3-2 to Hitra in the group stage, while Isle of Man whipped the same opponents 5-1 in the semi-finals. But finals are all about on the day. What’s gone is gone.

Women’s Island Games Finals

2001 (Isle of Man)
Faroe Islands 5 Aland Islands 4
2003 (Guernsey)
Faroe Islands 5 Gotland 2
2005 (Shetland)
Gold – Faroe Island; Silver – Aland Islands (group-based tournament)
2007 (Rhodes)
Aland Islands 3 Prince Edward Island 0
2009 (Aland)
Aland Islands 2 Gotland 0
2011 (Isle of Wight)
Aland Islands 5 Isle of Man 1
2013 (Bermuda)
Bermuda 0 Greenland 0 (Bermuda won 5-4 on pens)
2015 (Jersey)
Jersey 1 Aland Islands 0
2017 (Gotland)
Gotland 2 Isle of Man 1

Tournament wins

3 – Aland Islands, Faroe Islands
1 – Gotland, Jersey, Bermuda