Disappointment as Island Games for hockey falls through

A HOCKEY Island Games planned for this summer has “fallen through”, Shetland coach Derek Leask has said.

With hockey not included in the official Island Games in Orkney this July, the Orkney hockey team were set to invite island teams to a bespoke competition there instead.

That would have meant that the annual inter-county fixture between Shetland and Orkney – which is traditionally played on the last Saturday of July – would have moved to allow the two teams to contest that tournament instead.

However Leask revealed that would no longer be happening.

“Some of the teams pulled out at a late stage, and so they didn’t have enough teams,” he told Shetland News.

The competition would have given Shetland the chance to compete for a remarkable treble of trophies this year.

The ladies side are through to the final of the Scottish District Cup later this month, and will take on Orkney for the Lady Hamilton Cup in the inter-county fixture.

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The Shetland v Orkney match – which Shetland will host this year – is now set to be held on Saturday 26 July in Brae.

After Shetland face Edinburgh Hockey Club 2s on 27 April for the District Cup, Leask said attention would then turn to making more inter-county history.

“We want to become the first Shetland team to win the inter-county three years in a row,” he added.