Kernow hold the inaugural Prost Soccer Cup aloft in May 2021 after beating Cascada

Kernow are set to defend the Prost Soccer Cup for the third time when they take on Alba in Inverness this Saturday.

Alba is a side composed of Gaelic (pronounced GAL-ik) speakers, the original Celtic language of Scotland.

Kernow is the term for Cornwall in the old Cornish language, which like Scots Gaelic is an old Celtic language. Also members of this language branch are Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Breton and Manx.

The Kernow side first won the Prost Soccer Cup in May 2021, when they defeated Cascadia 8-1 at Northwood FC stadium in Middlesex.

Kernow captain James Ward holds the Prost Soccer Cup at Northwood in May, 2021
Photo: Prost International

Their side that day was:

Ollie Chenoweth, Will Tinsley, James Ward (captain, pictured right) Josh Otto Jack Calver, Tom Harris, Max Gilbert, Tallan Mitchell, Dan Jennings, Mark Goldsworthy, Hayden Turner.

Subs Jason Robertson, Tom Hands, Cam Turner, Harry Clarke, Jack Heaton.

The cup is not played for on a set calendar basis but defended rather like a boxing title.

The first side to beat Kernow will be awarded the Cup by the losing captain and they will subsequently defend it whenever possible.

Friendlies within the ConIFA network are hard to arrange and the Kernow FA have only played twice since against other ConIFA sides since they defeated Cascadia.

They beat the Sapmi side from the Arctic Circle 2-1 in ConIFA World Cup Qualification in 2024.

Their next match was a friendly in which they triumped 5-2 over the Chagos Islands in Liskeard.

In Inverness, they will take on an Alba side organised by Calum MacFhearghais (Ferguson) who also represented Cascadia in the ConIFA World Cup finals held in London in 2020.

The match came about over a long period of time as President of the Kernow FA Jason Heaton explains:

“The game has been three years in the making.

“Calum came down to Cornwall had a look at what we’ve done, and obviously compared it to his own experiences with the Cascadia set up.

“He took it back the the Highlands and got funding for Alba.

“Since then, we have then been discussing the potentials of a tournament and decided it was better to just get things started in the old fashioned way – with a game!

“For Kernow FA it a chance to promote another ConIFA level side and play a passionate game.”

The game is not being organised by ConIFA but also at stake is a new trophy, the Celtic Nations Cup. The current eligible competitors for this will be Kermow, Alba and the Isle of Man side.