Cup competition could face axe due to fixture backlog

Up until a few weeks ago, the fixture schedule had been largely played up to date.

However, the league’s competitions have taken a hammering from the elements in recent weeks.

While some teams will complete their programmes comfortably before the end of the season, others will face a fixture backlog.

Thisis likely to see them playing both on the remaining Saturdays of the season and also in midweek, as the evenings get longer.

As a result of the current situation, the playing of the Junior Competition the Linda Welshman Memorial Cup – which has six rounds – was discussed at the league meeting last week.

The outcome of these discussions included a possible postponement of the competition.

The main problem is that those teams which reach the latter stages of the competition teams will have to play between four and six games – which for a number of teams would mean more midweek games.

The League Committee will monitor the situation on this and they will put forward their proposals to the members at the next league meeting on Monday 10th March, when a final decision is likely to be taken.

Meanwhile, results from the handful of games which took place across the four divisions at the weekend are as follows:

results:

Intermediate League: Dunloy FC 4, Desertmartin 3.

Junior Division One: Cookstown Olympic 0, Killymoon Rangers Reserves 2.

Junior Division Two: AFC Carrick 2, Ballyclare North End 3; FC Ballynure Reserves 0, FC Whiteabbey 3.

Junior Division Three: Red Star 5, Carrick Swifts 1.

Junior Division Four: Forthriver FC 2, Glengormley United 1; 3rd Ballyclare Old Boys 3, Monkstown FC 2.

Canada Trophy, round four: Cookstown RBL 4, Castle Star 1.

FIXTURES:

Matches involving locally-based teams this Saturday, February 22, are:

Intermediate League: Carniny Amateurs v Newtowne.

Junior Division One: Mallusk Athletic v Chimney Corner Reserves.

Junior Division Three: Clough Rangers Athletic v Newington YC II.