Houlihan's Press Report 17 March 2024

Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League

60th Anniversary Season
Best League in Cheshire

Press Report for Sunday 17th March 2024

The first couple of 6 domestic cup finals have been decided, Queens Park love affair with the Veronica Conway Premier Cup continues, having won it on 13 previous occasions, to claim their place they beat a 8 time winners Dock AFC 5-0 with Harvey Sample, Jamie Leyland, Liam Owen and Owen Payne with a pair on the scoresheet, they will meet KRCT Bidston who disposed of Rock Ferry Social 3-2 on the mark for Rock Ferry were Connor Doyle and Johnny Breeze, Lewis Clarke Vinny O’Toole and a last minute winner came from Dega Taylor, it is the 2nd final secured by KRCT Bidston as they meet Rock Ferry Social again in the Cheshire County Football Association in April, KRCT are also in the hunt for a 3rd trophy in Tony Houlihan Memorial Trophy in the coming weeks

Higher Beb Kelma will contest the Jimmy Core Cup Final after seeing of the challenge of last season’s winners Athletic VH 7-1, making their mark for Kelma were Adam Clarke who bagged a 4 goal salvo added to singles from Lewis Simpson, Corey Wilson and Liam Atherton, they will meet West Kirby United who disposed of a resilient AFC Raeburn, goalgetters for West Kirby were Will Cannon, Jack Hunter and Tom Danby, Jack Presswell responded for Raeburn

Wirral Premier Cup finalists Rig Move FC and Maxwell’s Barber Division One leaders kept their hopes up a 5 trophy haul with an emphatic 6-2 win over Wirral Radio Newton (Matt Lydiate 2), Steve Rowlands led the way with an impressive hatrick with singles from Shaun Weaver, Daniel Woodcock and Phil Jones completing the romp in the David Keith Tacy Cup

Whitby Rangers eased their way through to the Semi finals of The Frank Robinson Presidents Cup after shooting down Derby Jets 4-0 and aiming for a 2nd cup final appearance of the season to go along with their Easter Sunday’s place in WDFA Sunday Amateur Cup Final, the Whitby Marks men were Sam Cooper, Nath Lightfoot, Gabe Kwateng and Dom Hoppe

As the business end of the season starts to kick in Eagle Stirrup firmed up in spot in the semi finals of the Tony Smith Cup disposing of Saughall FC (Andy Noonan) in a local derby encounter, among the goals for Eagle Stirrup were Jason Farrell, Carl Griffiths and Callum Jones

An Ellis Byrne strike was all it took to separate Wellington FC and Neston Nomads in The Premier Division, with Neston having access to an all weather pitch they never had any postponements and completed all the matches as they went out of a the cups very early, they will come back next season with a stronger squad, Wellington moved off the bottom with that result

Lions FC took another step to claim a promotion spot and the Martin Gallier Project Division Two title with a narrow 3-2 win over Poulton Victoria S&S and remain the only club with a 100% league record, efforts from Dan Chamney, Mark Head and Dave McElroy gave them the verdict while Tom Price and Hatim Aljamal replied for the Vics, Upton Willows who make a late run for the top 3 accounted for Oval FC 7-1

Oxton Celtic continue to dominate Division Three earning another maximum point haul and remain unbeaten after a 4-1 win over Parkgate St Germain (Andrew Skinner), Wirral Athletic who are close on the heels of Oxton Celtic registered another fine win via strikes from Jamie Payne’s double added to Harry Huggins and Danny Allen efforts in a comfortable 4-0 win over Victoria Colts, a slight shock result saw Glenavon Athletic (George Wild 2, Danny Rowland, Paul Keenan) take the honours in 4-2 tussle with North Wirral Saints (Sam Platt, Aaron Cairns)

The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League are now accepting applications for new clubs to join the League for the 2024-2025 season, a limited number of vacancies are available
We are also accepting applications for the Youth Division for the same 2024-2025 season that is scheduled to start in August 2024, any Youth clubs/teams that wish to enter two teams can do so, one team will be known as Youth U/18’s and a second team is normally known as a Colts U/17’s, please visit the League website for contact details