Ynys Môn women punched way above their weight and were an absolute knockout!

When Dan Gregg named his Ynys Môn women’s football squad for the 2023 Island Games there were a few eyebrows raised.

The Llangefni Town manager, appointed to lead the Anglesey ladies side last September, chose some experienced but also many new and untried faces with 12 of the 19-strong party having never competed at an Island Games before.

Indeed, a few had only been playing competitive senior football for a couple of seasons!

However, his selections came up trumps with the Class of 2023 having achieved the highest ever finish at an away Island Games for Ynys Môn women of fifth place.

Considering the four semi-finalists – Bermuda, Western Isles, Menorca and Isle of Man – are vastly more experienced and on the whole at higher levels than Anglesey, it is a remarkable feat for a new squad given limited preparation time to finish fifth of 10.

Then again, manager Gregg is used to moving mountains.

He formed a Llangefni Town team from scratch to compete in the North Wales Women’s League in 2021-22, yet managed to finish 8th of 12 and achieve four wins.

With pretty much the same squad, 2022-23 saw a massive improvement with Cefni ending up third and transforming a goal difference from -54 to +43.

Gregg rewarded his players by picking eight of them for Guernsey.

Emphasising the need for a locally-based squad, eight Amlwch Town players were also picked, as well as one each from Trearddur Bay, Bangor 1876 and Huddersfield Town’s Charlotte Gill, a long-serving Ynys Môn player with stacks of class and experience.

Some prestigious names were left out, a few of them not available while others did not make the cut, but Gregg stuck by his choices and was proved right.

Things started badly for Ynys Môn against the Western Isles. Trailing 4-0 at half time, they lost 6-1, but still showed plenty to suggest they were capable of better results.

As the commentators on Cymru Sport, who have done a magnificent job with their live commentaries from Guernsey have often said, Western Isles are something special and have proved this by reaching Friday’s final.

No shame in losing to them, especially with so many of their players signed for top Scottish clubs.

And how Ynys Môn bounced back! Two epic victories of the fairy-tale type.

They beat hosts Guernsey 3-2 with a massive performance, 17-year-old “Baby” Jess Jones, who had scored against Western Isles, firing in a very late winner against the home island, Ellie Jones and Jen Cox also on target.

Finishing second in their group meant a place in the 5th-6th position play-off.

Initially, Ynys Môn were down to meet Menorca, but they advanced to the semis on the toss of a coin after original last-four qualifiers Jersey were eliminated on a technicality.

So it was now Môn v Jersey to decide who finished fifth.

With their quality and experience, Jersey were big favourites and it looked like the form book would hold up when The Beans went 2-0 up in the first half.

But a tremendous finish from Cox just before half time put Ynys Môn back in it.

In the second half, Anglesey would not be denied.

Young Mia Roberts made it 2-2, then in the 90th minute Cerys Gadd fired in the winner.

Chaotic scenes!

It was fitting that Gadd scored the decider. She has had a fantastic club career and also been a huge asset to Ynys Môn over the years.

Tough luck on Jersey, who had lost semi-final status on the flip of a coin and then blew a two-goal lead which meant them finishing in sixth spot.

But they will come again, this was Ynys Môn’s day.

It’s been a fantastic all-round show from Gregg’s Girls, but the influence of midfield playmaker Gill has been immense, while experienced heads such as Gadd, skipper Carol Lewis, keeper Ceri Pritchard and Ashleigh Jones – just awesome.

New stars? Well Cox proved after a superb season in which she finished North Wales League top-scorer that she can shine at a higher level like the Island Games too.

Youngsters like Jess Jones and Mia Roberts, both still in their teens, showed they can become major players in the future. Such energy and determination.

And Llangefni Town’s captain Nia Ginnelly was a beacon in her first Island Games. Tackled everything in sight and won many admirers.

But in all it was a monster squad effort with everyone playing their part – it simply could not have gone any better for Dan Gregg and his management team of David Jones and Liam Ewing.

Ynys Môn women results 2023 Island Games

Western Isles 6 Ynys Môn 1 (Jess Jones)
Guernsey 2 Ynys Môn 3 (Ellie Jones, Jen Cox, Jess Jones)
Ynys Môn 3 (Jen Cox, Mia Roberts, Cerys Gadd) Jersey 2
FINAL POSITION: 5TH

SQUAD

Ceri Pritchard (Amlwch Town)
Jessica Marshall (Llangefni Town)
Marissa George (Llangefni Town)
Sara Furlong (Amlwch Town)
Llinos Hughes (Llangefni Town)
Carol Lewis (captain – Amlwch Town)
Emma Roberts (Amlwch Town)
Ashleigh Jones (Trearddur Bay)
Cerys Gadd (Amlwch Town)
Joanna Bramwell (Amlwch Town)
Charlotte Gill (Huddersfield Town)
Nia Ginnelly (vc – Llangefni Town)
Catrin George (Llangefni Town)
Ellie Sian Jones (Amlwch Town)
Hannah Owen (Llangefni Town)
Jen Cox (Llangefni Town)
Jess Jones (Llangefni Town)
Mia Roberts (Bangor 1876)
Tesni Hughes (Amlwch Town)

Manager: Dan Gregg
Assistant-Manager: David Jones
Coach: Liam Ewing