The former U21 Muratti captain – named Brisbane Capital League One player-of-the-season in 2017 after excelling for Brisbane Knights – receives an immediate recall for next Saturday’s showpiece at Springfield – as part of a 16-strong squad made up of players from three Combination clubs.
St Peter teenager Jake Prince and St Paul’s striker Karl Hinds – joint-leaders on the JEP Golden Boot chart with 25 goals apiece – are also included for the 102nd final, with former Airdrie United professional Jack Boyle set to captain the home team.
‘Jay does a role that nobody else does here, really, which will be useful for us in the match – that’s my thinking behind the selection,’ said Cassidy.
‘He’s played at a high level in Australia and has played a lot of games for St Paul’s since he’s been back, and we might need his versatility on the day.’
Discussing Prince’s selection, he said: ‘I always want to pick our top scorers … the ones in form. We’ve got to play players who are in good rhythm and he has been causing a lot of defences a lot of problems. He’s earned it.’
Jersey’s final friendly before the Muratti, against Essex & Suffolk Border League, offered a whole team of fringe players the chance to impress last Saturday, but only Wanderers trio Danny Birrell, James Quérée and Kamen Nafkha have been retained. The 14 others named for the annual Sarnian tussle were in action for either St Peter or St Paul’s on Sunday afternoon.
Five of the squad – Birrell, Prince, Nafkha, Adam Trotter and Harry Curtis – are yet to appear in a senior Muratti clash, although Curtis, Trotter and Birrell have been unused substitutes in recent seasons.
Cassidy added: ‘It was a tough decision to drop some of the players that haven’t made this squad. With the rule that we can only select 16 players, it means some good players have just missed out.’
Jack Cannon – a debutant in 2006 – is in line for his 19th Muratti cap, including semi-finals. Alan ‘Nash’ Venton still holds the all-time record for most appearances, with 23 (1957-1973).
Jersey: Euan van der Vliet, Danny Birrell, Jack Cannon, James Quérée, Luke Campbell, Harry Curtis, Michael Weir, Calvin Weir, Jay Reid, Jack Boyle, Kamen Nafkha, Adam Trotter, Jake Baker, Jake Prince, Karl Hinds, Craig Russell.
