WHEN IT WAS EXPECTED EASTER MONDAY WOULD BECOME “PLENTY OF ACTION”
“Instead of lukewarm and in the main inept football”
Anyone vaguely involved with football in Cornwall will know that Easter Monday is traditionally the day for a County Cup final. For many a year Easter Monday contained two matches with the main show being the Senior Cup final, preceded by the Junior Cup final.
This stopped a couple of seasons ago, after actually starting back in 1978 and here’s a copy of the final (see the photographs) from that day when Pendeen Rovers played St Kew in the Junior Cup final, while Falmouth Town and St Austell met in the main event.
The programme was a one sheet affair with some interesting notes written ……..
“Once again, we extend to you a warm welcome to our Easter Monday Finals. This year, having discarded the Senior Cup Runners Up Match, in its place we provide for your entertainment the Junior Cup Final. Many of you Soccer followers have been advocating this change for many years, and I feel sure that Easter Monday will be enhanced by the presence of the Finalists from Junior Football,
One thing is certain, instead of the lukewarm and in the main inept football served up over recent years by the Senior teams in the Runners Up Match, we shall expect, and I am sure see plenty of ACTION. It is worthy of note that over the past few years the Junior Cup Finalists have progressed to Senior Status and have made their mark in the Senior Competitions, and this year other ambitious Juniors are aiming to follow into the Senior Grade.
This Final should certainly set the scene for the Senior Cup Final to follow.
This still remains the Premier Competition in the Duchy, and Falmouth Town should have good opposition from a revitalised St. Austell.
It is impossible to list the successes of the Falmouth Town Club. They have carried the banner for Comish Football not only in the Western League but also year after year in FA Competitions and of course in the Senior Cup Competition. It is worthy to note however that although they seem to conquer the opposition in their League programme mainly with ease, this is not always the case when they play local Cornish sides, and they have had no easy passage to this Final against what numerous soccer followers see as being matches against the minnows.
It is good to see St Austell once again in the Final Against adversity, they have rebuilt a team which is having a good season, and who knows today’s result could well bring back to the Club the successes of the team which held pride of place in the years after the War. Three of their players are currently in the County side, and the way they disposed of Liskeard in the Semi Final could, if produced today, cause Falmouth problems.
It would not be Easter Monday if in these notes one failed to pose a question that will perhaps get you talking. In the Press recently we have seen statements that FALMOUTH TOWN should be excused from playing in the Senior Cup Competition. WHY?
Whilst I could advance many reasons as to why they should not, and what is more WILL NOT be excused, I am sure you will also have many reasons one way and another. I hope it will provoke some stimulating conversation.
On behalf of the County Football Association thanks are extended to the Newquay Football Club for allowing the use of the Ground for today's Final, and I am sure you will agree that their Groundsman deserves a special word for the manner in which he looks after this Ground.
To Clubs participating today and to all you supporters - A GOOD AFTERNOON’S SPORT.”
For the record there weren’t too many goals on Easter Monday 1978! Pendeen Rovers won 1-0 against St Kew, their second Junior Cup final win in a four-season period while the Senior Cup final produced a 2-0 scoreline in favour of Falmouth Town against St Austell. At the time, Town were enjoying a successful Senior Cup period with this victory their third in a run of four consecutive seasons of picking up the county’s premier competition trophy!
It would be good to hear the readers thoughts on where the competition ranks now.
There’s a CORNISH SOCCER magazine to be finished off once the Easter weekend is over and so look for adverts announcing the new issue No. 129
Meanwhile, if you didn’t catch the recent one produced in February, don’t worry you can still obtain a copy via this link CORNISH SOCCER (pomelopay.com) , but if you prefer a reduced priced online version – go to https://payhip.com/b/pskZu