Round 13 Results and Standings

Round 13 Results

Montrose Magpies	830	vs	Holyhead Harpies	880*
Wigtown Wanderers	330*	vs	Ballycastle Bats	330
Appleby Arrows	580*	vs	Caerphilly Catapults	300
Pride Of Portree	80	vs	Puddlemere United	560*
Falmouth Falcons	900*	vs	Chudley Cannons	50
Kenmare Kestrels	220	vs	Wimbourne Wasps	580*
Tutshill Tornados		vs	BYE

2012 League Cup Standings - FINAL

Pos.	Team	P	W	L	T	B	+	-	%	Points
1	Wimbourne Wasps	12	11	1	0	1	7720	3440	69.18	24
2	Montrose Magpies	12	10	2	0	1	6250	3480	64.23	22
3	Appleby Arrows	12	8	4	0	1	8290	6540	55.90	18
4	Falmouth Falcons	12	8	4	0	1	7600	6170	55.19	18
5	Holyhead Harpies	12	7	4	1	1	7970	7150	52.71	17
6	Tutshill Tornados	12	7	5	0	1	5820	4600	55.85	14
7	Caerphilly Catapults	12	5	6	1	1	4660	4780	49.36	13
8	Kenmare Kestrels	12	5	7	0	1	12820	9000	58.75	12
9	Wigtown Wanderers	12	3	7	2	1	9630	13360	41.89	10
10	Puddlemere United	12	4	8	0	1	3650	6300	36.87	10
11	Ballycastle Bats	12	2	7	3	1	3970	4720	45.68	9
12	Pride Of Portree	12	3	8	1	1	4880	6000	44.85	9
13	Chudley Cannons	12	1	11	0	1	1860	9610	16.22	4

Finals Week 1 Schedule

Friday June 29

7:30pm: Falmouth Falcons (4th) vs Holyhead Harpies (5th) @ Bodmin Moor

Saturday June 30

2:30pm: Appleby Arrows (3rd) vs Tutshill Tornados (6th) @ Ellis Moor

7:30pm: Montrose Magpies (2nd) vs Caerphilly Catapults (7th) @ Bodmin Moor

Sunday July 1

2:30pm: Wimbourne Wasps (1st) vs Kenmare Kestrels (8th) @ Ellis Moor

Table-topping Wanderers setup Kestrel rematch

Wimbourne Wasps - 580* vs Kenmare Kestrels - 220

	Kestrels	Wasps
Keeper	O’Hare (C)	Brookstanton (C)
Chasers	McNally	Pippins
	Rosebottom	Branstone
	Watkins	Johnston
Beaters	Winston	Nutt
	O’Brien	Fincher
Seeker	Denshaw	Vogler

In the very last game of the season, when both teams involved have their positions essentially settled, we would usually see rest and recuperation aplenty. However not in this case. Managers Seamus O’Mahoney and Amos Golpalott surely noted the fact that, barring a shock Kestrels upset, this encounter would be repeated in the first week of the finals and so gave both their line-ups ample preparation.

For the Wasps, there was also still the small matter of the minor premierships. But thanks to the Harpies having overcome the Magpies on Friday night, all Wimbourne needed was a point, win or tie.

But the Kestrels tried their utmost to make that point far from guaranteed in the early stages. Ulysses Rosebottom in particular impressed, outshining Deirdre McNally even. In the fiftieth minute, a Fearghal Watkins goal levelled the scores at 90-90 and Wasps fans were shifting nervously in their seats.

But they needn’t have worried, for Golpalott’s troops were merely scoping out their opposition as they played their way slowly into the match. Wimbourne’s primary of the day was off field in fact, with news that vital Beater Erasmus Oddpick had been struck down with a mysterious illness which could jeopardise his availability throughout the finals.

Oddpick’s absence allowed Althea Fincher to grab a second starting berth this year. Fincher and Gaius Nutt struggled to gel early on, however both are world class Beaters and by the second hour they were dominating their opposite numbers.

With the Quaffle it was Jadzia Johnston who then stood up and killed off any chances of Kestrel glory.  Johnston was at her unpredictable best, some of her moves reminiscent of the very heights of her world-beating 2010 prowess. One such astonishing moment was a remarkable Porskoff Ploy which saw Delphine Branstone and Bruni Pippins draw Kestrel Keeper Saraid O’Hare away from goal in their low support positions only for Johnston to arc the Quaffle through the hoop from altitude.

In the end Venus Vogler’s workout was merely a training run. The match was well beyond safe by the time she saw and snapped up the snitch, officially handing the Wasps a much-deserved second consecutive minor-premiership.

Wimbourne Wasps - 580: Johnston 30, Branstone 9, Pippins 4, Vogler Capture

Kenmare Kestrels - 220: McNally 9, Rosebottom 8, Watkins 5

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: JADZIA JOHNSTON (WASPS)

Falcons flatten hapless Chudley

Falmouth Falcons - 900* vs Chudley Cannons - 50

	Falcons	Cannons
Keeper	Frobisher	Morris
Chasers	Grinderford (C)	Munch (C)
	Meadows	Pringle
	Goodfellow	Thickey
Beaters	Bundy	Buttermere
	Wagtail	Wiggleswoth
Seeker	Mostafa	Prang

The Falmouth Falcons had the distinct advantage of ending their regular season with the theoretical mismatch that is any Cannons clash. Interestingly and tellingly, Mungo Poyntz chose not to rest any top players as he had against the Prides two weeks earlier, instead allowing his stars a chance to tune up in what should be a relatively light workout ahead of the finals.

For the Cannons, inspirational captain and Keeper Charlie Trimble took a well-deserved game-off. Although it gave Yolanda Morris a rare opportunity, the more notable gesture seemed to be Verity Yap’s handing of the interim captaincy to star import Xanthus Munch, showing how appreciated his little-rewarded good work has been.

Unfortunately the gesture had a rather brutal side-effect, which was exposing the unproven and tentative Morris to all the might of Marina Grinderford.

Grinderford has faded somewhat in the second half of the season. Her form has remained world class, but no-one could be expected to keep up the kind of absurd heights the Falcons captain was reaching in the early rounds.

Although the opposition was hardly of the highest standard, Grinderford’s devastating efficiency must have frightened the pants off the Holyhead Harpies, who the Falcons will face in the first week of the finals given victory on this occasion.

But even Grinderford was ever so slightly overshadowed by the energy of Gordon Wagtail, who sped around the field at unnerving speed without pause, picking off Cannons one by one.

By the fourth hour, only four Cannons were left flying, with just Munch unstruck by a Bludger at some point. It was all a rather apt summary of the Cannons’ season, and of course their century.

For the Falcons, even calling it a light workout seems overexuberant. Oakden Mostafa’s unchallenged and straightforward catch sealed victory, and booked a well-earned Top Four spot.

Falmouth Falcons - 900: Grinderford 42, Meadows 24, Goodfellow 9, Mostafa Capture

Chudley Cannons - 50: Munch 4, Pringle 1

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: GORDON WAGTAIL (FALCONS)