Celtic Cups Llandudno 26 November 2011

Wales hosted the Celtic Cup event in Llandudno, for the first time fielding an Over 65 team so that there was a second cup up for competition on Saturday 26 November in addition to the Over 60s trophy. The first match was for the Over 65s Celtic Cup, followed by the Over 60s match. A friendly match was arranged between the Welsh Dragons and a tournament select side made up of substitutes from all four international sides. On Sunday 27, a repeat programme of friendlies was played.

Results

Wales Over 65s 0 Scotland Over 65s 2 (Weir, Morrice)

Wales Over 60s 0 Scotland Over 60s 0

Over 65s win Celtic Cup

Scotland proved to be too strong for a Welsh Over 65 side playing for the first time in serious competition. In midfield, the combination of Ferrol and Ballingall kept the possession with Scotland and the running of Downie on the right caused all sorts of problems in the Welsh defence. The first goal came from Downie's pass after Ferrol had fed him on the right. McLernan took his marker with him to the right and Downie stepped inside past a Welsh defender and slipped the ball forward for Weir to nick in past Welsh keeper Thomas. Scotland sat back after the goal and were rightly criticised by manager Monaghan for allowing Wales too much time on the ball.

To their credit, the Scots increased the pace of the game in the second half and had the majority of possession in midfield. The quality of the final pass was lacking but there were several scoring opportunities before a McLernan shot came off the inside of Thomas's pad and looked to be going past the right hand post when Morrice, unmarked, caught the ball just short of the line, pulled it back and rolled it into the unguarded net from all of 40 centimetres. The game ended 2-0 for the Scots, inaugural winners of the Over 65s Celtic Cup.

Over 60s tie in Celtic Cup

The force of the wind, already high for the earlier game, redoubled but it did not spoil an entertaining encounter which, in the end, might have fallen to Wales without an impressive performance in goal by Scottish keeper Calman. The Scottish Over 60s were faced by a much more mobile and skilful Welsh side than their older compatriots and started the game on the back foot. Chisholm and Wilson were prominent in defence and mopped up everything the Welsh threw at them, and eventually new boy Burns began to boss the midfield and to find spaces which had previously been closed down quickly by the Welsh midfield. Chances came and went at both ends as both sets of forwards got close to searching balls into the circle without making good contact.

The second half began as the first had ended, with play raging from end to end. Scotland increased the speed of their passing and started to cut through the Welsh, while their opponents were always ready for their signature fast breaking attacks which had often won the game for them in the past. Scotland's best chance came when a Gordon shot hit the right hand post and curled back, spinning, on the goal line. Unfortunately no other Scottish forward was close enough and the ball was scrambled away by a relieved Welsh defender. As the game entered its last quarter, the Scottish midfield seemed to tire and wave after wave of Welsh attacks were repulsed by keeper Kalman who was forced to make a succession of fine saves, the best of which came after he parried a shot directly to an unmarked Welsh forward. The follow up save was right out of the top drawer. Just as a Wales score looked inevitable, Scotland raised their game in the closing minutes, pressing Wales back and running down the clock for a goalless draw and a share of the Celtic Cup. Scotland, as holders, took the cup back with them.

Friendlies on Sunday 27 November

Wales Over 65s 0 Scotland Over 65s 2 (Ferrol, Weir)[International]

Wales Over 60s 1 Scotland Over 60s 0[International]

Over 65s do it again in Llandudno

The friendly played on a slightly less windy and sunny Sunday morning produced the same result as the Celtic Cup match, though the Welsh had bolstered their midfield and provided stiffer opposition than they had the previous day. One goal came in each half, the first being a solo effort by Ferrol after forwards McLernan and Morrice drew their markers out of position. Ferrol still had a lot of work to do and beat three men before finishing past the Welsh keeper. Weir ended up top scorer after a McLernan shot at a short corner was deflected by keeper Thomas to Morrice outside the right hand post. Morrice kept his head and slipped the ball back across the circle for Weir to slam the ball in for his second goal of the weekend. Scotland Over 65s have now extended their run to three wins after beating Italy in the final game of the European Cup in Neuss in August.

Wales put one over Scotland Over 60s

Scotland started this match with captain Chisholm on the sidelines with a recurrence of a foot injury and suffered a spate of injuries during the game to add to the pre-tournament withdrawal of Dunbar. With no Scottish midfield substitutes, Wales gradually took control in the centre of the pitch, mounting wave after wave of attacks and forcing the Scots to play too deep. As in the Celtic Cup match, Kalman in the Scottish goal had a fine match, pulling off save after save. Injuries to Cathro, Burns and Bain saw them replaced by midfielders from the Over 65s, while defender Bate suffered a broken finger to add to the misery. The deadlock was finally broken with only a few minutes to go when Kalman could only parry a short from a Welsh short corner and the striker followed up to net the only goal.

Squads

Over 60

Scotland Grand Masters Celtic Cup 2011

Alan Bain, Jim Bate, Peter Burns, Alex Cathro, Jim Chisholm, Colin Gallacher, Allan Golightly, Peter Gordon, Chris Kalman, David McIntosh, Ken Moore, Frank Nawn, Colin Tucker, Ian Wilson

Over 65

Scotland Great Grand Masters 2011 Celtic Cup

Alan Auld, David Ballingall, Douglas Caren, David Cassell, Ernie di Rollo, Ian Downie, Andy Ferrol, Errol Farnan, Guy Leighton, Kieran McLernan, David Margerison, Doug Morrice, Robbie Robertson, Alan Strachan, Sandy Weir