IOMSRA Squash Leagues Recap and Future Plans on 2019-2020 season
Due to the Coronavirus crisis all league fixtures in the IOMSRA Squash leagues along with the end of season tournaments have been postponed. I say postponed as we hope to get back on court before the next season starts.
In the A league there are six fixtures left to play but it looks like it will take some strange results if Team AON are to relinquish their grip on the 2019-2020 title. Team AON under the leadership of Robin Crease and Pat Fitzpatrick are league leaders with 6 points shy of 1000 points. StoneArt and the Crazies are placed second and third with just a point separating them but they are both over 180 points behind AON so aren’t really challengers. Cannell Print and Mid Court Crisis are in 4th and 5th position but both have a match in hand over the three teams above them. Cannell Print have a very slim chance of catching Team AON and they are due to play them in the final scheduled match of league fixtures
The top two teams in the B league are the Outcasts and Derivco Sharks. They are followed by Crowe Dragons, Racketeers Pioneers and the much improved Junior Academy team. Island Tyres & Exhausts currently lie in bottom place. All these teams have two fixtures left to play to complete the season so this league really is a two horse race. The much improved Derivco Sharks and Outcasts are due to play when fixtures resume and the winner of this could well determine where the league trophy ends up.
There are only five fixtures left in the C league. This is an introductory league giving players a chance to experience competitive league squash and it has been great to see new team PwC Playables enter this season and improve with each encounter. Dohle Stars have struggled with injury and availability but it has been really good to see them introduce lots of new players to league squash. The Junior Academy C team have improved with each match – juniors have a habit of doing just that. Established C league teams Santander Academy Racketeers, Hansard Racketeers, Buchanan & Pitts Misfits and Dandara Falcons have all had mixed performances this season. At times they have really struggled with player availability but they have all performed well and been competitive. Last seasons winners Island Exhausts Vets are currently undefeated and look like they will retain the C league title. They are 90 points ahead of their closest rivals Outcasts Dragons and that is a gap that the Dragons will struggle to close with both these teams having just one remaining fixture.
The plan is to reschedule these fixtures for future dates when social gatherings and sport become the norm again. However these are strange and uncertain times and for that reason this decision is not set in stone but will be reviewed and may possibly be revised in the light of future news.
The 2 teams battling it out to come top of Division B are pictured below –
Outcasts Team are pictured above. Back Row left to right – Chris Cave, Peter Ginty (Captain) and Nathan Quilliam. Front Row left to right – Toby Woolard and Mark Henson. Squad members not pictured – Liam Davies, Stuart Highy, Pat Russell and Phil Whittam.
Derivco Sharks Team are picture above. Left to Right – Alan McNair, Dave Freer (Captain), Greg Ansara and Dave O’Neill. Baillie Watterson is pictured bottom right. Squad members not pictured are – James Ramsey, Douglas Jacobsson and Mark Stratford.