Introduction of Under-15 division in firms’ football competition

The 2014 Digicel Breakaway Masters firms football competition which opens this Saturday, August 9, at the Grammar School Playing Field will see the introduction of an Under-15 division.{{more}}

Organisers, however, say that the teams would be drawn from the communities, as they seek to provide mentorship to the budding footballers.

Also, this division would not infringe on the senior competition, as it is fixtured for Saturdays and Sundays.

But while there will be this new division, the competition is without the Soccerama competition, which has been shelved for this year.

Meanwhile, there are two new entities – the National Lotteries Authorities and the Fisheries Division, who have registered for the 2014 edition. Up to press time, 22 teams are listed to contest for championship honours, but the door is left open for two entrants.

The teams have been entered in three groups.

Group one hosts ECGC, Gibson’s Building Supplies, Bonadie’s Supermarkets, Customs and Excise, Courts SVG, SVG Port Authority, CWSA and ED Layne’s. In group two are VINLEC, the National Lotteries Authority, Transport and Works, Prime Minister’s Office, SVG Post Office, Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Health and the Environment.

Completing the participating teams are those in group three, which comprises Coreas/Hazells Inc, CK Greaves, Fisheries Division, KFC, Toni’s Stores Combined, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Housing.

The teams will be engaged in the league format in which the two top teams from each group, along with the two best third places would advance to the quarter-final stage.

Additionally, all teams would be pooled for the elimination knockout competition.

Saturday’s opening is set to kick off with the opening ceremony from 1:45 p.m., which would include addresses from football officials and sponsors, along with the March Past and inspection of competing teams.

Following, there will be an Under-15 match and two senior division matches, as the competition begins in earnest.

In the Under-13, Layou meets System Three-2 and in the seniors – SVG Post Office takes on National Lotteries Authority, followed by a meeting between SVG Port Authority and Customs.

ECGC won the league title in 2013 and Gibson’s Building Supplies were the Knockout winners.

The two – ECGC and Gibson’s Building Supplies faced each other in the finals in both competitions.(RT)