Jersey’s women’s football team can “hold their heads high” after losing in the final of a new tournament hosted on the island, says a veteran player.

Jersey lost 4-3 on penalties to the Isle of Man at the St. Helier Springfield Stadium at the weekend to win the inaugural Cherry Godfrey Cup.

Player Tiff Sundby said the final was “super close” and the team is reflecting on the loss, adding that it was “just the beginning” of the season for the team.

This came after Jersey avenged their Muratti Vase defeat to Guernsey in May with a 3-1 win over their Channel Islands rivals in Friday’s semi-final.

Fights on the pitch

Ms Sundby said of the tournament, which also featured the Isle of Wight: “It was good to have two other teams there and the opportunity to play against someone else.”

She said it was “great” to beat Guernsey after losing to them in the Muratti Vase match, adding that the previous meeting was “purely a fluke”.

“This is definitely something we all hold on to.”

She described “lots of great individual battles on the court” and added: “We finish the tournament with our heads held high and look forward to building even more.”

“This is really just the beginning of the Island Games.”

Organizers intend to hold the event every two years, with the tournament designed to give players on the islands the opportunity to compete against each other on a more regular basis.

Their only regular tournament is currently the biennial Island Games, which will next take place in 2025 on the Orkney Islands.

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