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Springfield-bound Saints targeting CI club crown

St Martin’s will have the opportunity to pick up their third piece of silverware this season tomorrow when they head to Jersey to play Grouville with the hopes of becoming Channel Island champions.

St Martin’s are the last Guernsey side to have won the Upton on Jersey soil, when they beat St Paul’s in 2011.
St Martin’s are the last Guernsey side to have won the Upton on Jersey soil, when they beat St Paul’s in 2011. / Guernsey Press/Andrew Le Poidevin

The two sides meet again just over a fortnight after the FNB Priaulx League champions St Martin’s beat the Jersey Premiership champions 3-1 on penalties in the Jeremie Cup final at Victoria Park, but this time they will be playing for the Upton Park Trophy at Springfield.

‘We are looking forward to it, it’s been a little while now since we played them in the Jeremie and have not played much since so looking forward to getting back out there,’ said coach Leon Meakin.

He added that the Jeremie Cup final was a good chance for him to find out more about their opposition for the Upton.

That was a close match with the sides locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes, before St Martin’s proved the better of the two from the penalty spot.

Saints beat Grouville on penalties in last month’s Jeremie Cup final at Victoria Park.
Saints beat Grouville on penalties in last month’s Jeremie Cup final at Victoria Park. / Guernsey Press/Andrew Le Poidevin

‘It was, for both teams, a good opportunity to look at how each other played the game and I think we were evenly matched so I think it will be a case of whoever is better on the day,’ he said.

‘It was two very different styles of play and it will be whoever turns up on the day will walk away with the trophy.’

Meakin said that the squad would remain pretty much unchanged from the Jeremie Cup final, but are welcoming back Rio Bowditch who has been out with injury.

‘We’re having some fitness tests with Louis Hunter and Jake Lowe, but Rio Bowditch has come back in,’ said Meakin.

‘It will be a very similar squad to the Jeremie Cup final, just maybe with a slightly different starting line-up.’

The Upton kicks off at 12.30pm tomorrow at Springfield.

Elizabeth College, meanwhile, face North in the first Offshore Commercial Guernsey FA Cup semi-final today at Victoria Park (2pm kick off).

Rovers will play St Martin’s on Wednesday night at Victoria Park in the second semi-final (7.30pm kick off).

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