The island’s women’s team is returning from Orkney with a silver medal to cap what has been an unbelievable 12 months.
While the team lost on penalties in the final to Bermuda, thanks in large part to a highly debatable penalty in the dying moments of extra time to level the game, it has been a great performance at a tournament they didn’t even expect to be at.
To end in Orkney, we’re going to start in Jersey, on August 24 2024.
That day saw the final of the Cherry Godfrey Cup, played between the Channel Islands, the Manx and the Isle of Wight, Wayne Lisy’s side played Jersey in the final and it went to penalties.
Winning that shootout, the team came home with gold medals, Milly Dawson won the golden boot and Kayleigh Greggor won the golden glove.
Surprise
All things were pointing towards a build for the Island Games in Orkney, but then came the surprise.
The draw in Orkney was only to have 12 teams and with too many entries, some teams were going to miss out and the Manx side were one of those sides, drawn as ‘reserve’ entries.
Players, fans and staff were rightly gutted, but then something else weird happened, in November 2024, Guernsey pulled both their teams out.
With behind the scenes efforts being ramped up, the Manx team were in, announced on December 20, an ideal Christmas present really.
Orkney
Preparation then followed, not only the pitch, but to find sponsorship to get to the Games that was now just months away.
On arriving in Orkney, the women’s team went in with plenty of confidence from everyone at home they would do well.
While a frustrating draw with Gozo kicked off the tournament, that was quickly forgotten as Froya were hit for six before hosts Orkney were thumped 7-0.
What followed was a draw with Western Isles before Greggor was the hero in the shootout which booked a repeat of the semi final from Guernsey in 2023.
With a tight game, it looked like Dawson had won it for the Manx side when she pounced on a mess up at the back and made it 1-0 in extra-time.
There was to be one final twist int he tale as in the dying moments Bermuda were awarded a debatable penalty, with the game at 1-1, penalties beckoned and heartbreak followed.
However, while the immediate emotion of such a loss hits everyone from the players to fans, this is a team that didn’t expect to be at this year’s Island Games.
Overall, the games has shown the quality of the Manx team, beaten only on penalties by a very good Bermudan team and hopefully this team will not only forward in the future, but will inspire more girls to get involved in football.
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