Sure thing- Halifax to reach the final
The College Cup: the most unpredictable competition on campus. Nothing goes to plan, the players never read from the script, and at least one big team will exit earlier than expected. To predict anything in this tournament is a risk to anyone’s credibility. Having said that, I expect the Halifax College 1sts to reach the final. With players like Connor Brennan, Tom Ragan and Joe Brennan it’s clear that goals are never going to be a problem. When coupled with the rock solid defence, kept in line by the inimitable captain Mark Lund, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to look past the boys in white.
I’m going to stop just short of predicting that they’ll win the whole thing, (strange things happen in finals) but after seeing The ‘Fax dismantle Lancaster’s Fylde College, its very clear to me that Lund’s men are the ones to beat
Tipster’s Odds: 3/1
Long Shot- Bruce Starkey to win the Golden Boot
No one is expecting anything of Langwith, the perennial underdogs. As the smallest college, it’s unsurprising that they fail to keep up with the bigger teams, but they don’t do themselves any favours by starting games with less than 11 men. Luckily for Langwith, one man turns up to lead the line. Bruce Starkey: the team’s captain, leading scorer, play-maker, engine, master tactician and just about everything else.
To be quite frank, I can’t see the Langwith College 1sts managing to get much further than the first knockout round, but in that time they have the chance to bag a couple of goals. Of course there won’t be any prizes for guessing who, specifically, will be knocking them into the net!
Tipster’s Odds: 20/1
Absolute Madness- The cup to finish without any penalty shoot-outs
The penalty shoot-out is as inevitable as the final whistle. For all the excitement of the College Cup, it would be ridiculous to think that every game will be settled in a mere 90 minutes. And it’s for the best: the penalty shoot-out separates the men from the boys. Last year, Vanbrugh with nerves of steel, managed to sneak their way to the final on the back of penalty shoot-outs.
As Tipster, I think I can guarantee at least one penalty shoot-out, whether it’s at the climax of 4-4 thriller between Derwent and Goodricke or following a drier-than-dust Vanbrugh v James bore draw.
Tipster’s Odds: 100/1