The representative side was due to play a home semi-final against Dorset before the Covid-19 outbreak shrouded the Inter-League competition with uncertainty, but officials at Springfield have now received positive news from the English governing body.
Reading from an email received from the FA, Kennedy said: ‘The status of the 2020 competition is currently postponed. We are still seeking to complete the competition so long as it is practical to do so when football resumes. This will remain under review.’
Kennedy added: ‘We’re hopeful the competition will come to a conclusion because it would mean, subject to us winning the semi-final, we would get a final here at Springfield, which everybody would be looking forward to.
‘It would be great for us to win the competition. We think it will be a great lift for Island football. Clearly we’ve performed well in the competition so far and we have every reason to be hopeful to get to the final. It’s just unfortunate that the prize at the end of it, the Uefa Regions Cup, has already been cancelled. That’s a real body blow. I was involved in it last time [Jersey competed in it] and it was an incredible experience for the players and the staff.’
However, even if this year’s Inter-League Cup does proceed, there are suggestions that this could be the final one in its current format due to funding.
Kennedy said: ‘We are very keen to ensure it does remain in place as it provides a significant programme for our representative side. It’s always been a well-organised tournament and we have always done very well in it, so we’re really hopeful it will remain in place. But like everything else with the FA right now that is subject to future funding.’
The Jersey Football Combination won the Inter-League Cup in 2012 and subsequently represented England at the 2013 Uefa Regions Cup in San Marino.
