End of the Muratti road for duo?

Neither man was involved in Wednesday’s representative friendly at the Corbet Field which Muratti coach Chris Tardif arranged to set out his stall ahead of the 2018 final and the 2021 home Island Games.

‘They weren’t selected,’ was Tardif’s reply as to why the two men with circa three dozen caps between them were not involved in a game which featured more than two dozen players and saw Charlie Pinsard’s Team B beat John Nobes’ Team A 3-2.

Tardif admits the Muratti defeat at Springfield still hurts.

‘I’ve had a few months to wire in my misery. I haven’t forgotten the Muratti and I won’t.

‘I’ve told the players that,’ he said.

Others not involved in the game were the injured GFC stars Jamie Dodd and Craig Young.

‘Jamie is carrying injuries which need to be managed.

‘But he’s still my captain at this moment in time.’

The two sides were evenly balanced, including a number of new faces now Muratti qualified.

Defender Frank Tobin featured, as did the Portuguese forwards Carlos Canha and Marlon Jardim.

Several U18s also featured after Tardif took in the recent U21s v U18s friendly and liked what he saw in the likes of St Martin’s defender Brad O’Regan and the Rovers duo, Niall Hainsworth and Thierry Payne, youngster brother of the new Rovers first-team striker, Chezney.

There was also an appearance by Island U21s defender and Guernsey cricketer Tom Nightingale, who has impressed this season.

‘I wanted to see certain players in certain positions. It was an interesting examination and the boys did really well,’ said the former pro keeper who used three No 1s in the game.

‘The idea is to start building a squad now for both the Muratti and 2021 [Island Games].'