Who will win the Sunday Cup?

As the Sunday Cup enters in to the business end of the season, I'm sure that
many of you are wondering who will be crowned 2010/11 champions.

I've complied a brief summary of the runners and riders and detailed those who I believe will win the trophy (hopefully I will fare better with this prediction than I did with my top tips!!)

Oyster Martyrs
- 2009 Runners up Oyster have to be considered as one of the favourites for this season's competition
- Play in the highly competitive (and successful) Liverpool & District league, which had 13 teams entered in this season’s competition!!
- Recorded very impressive results in their last two Sunday Cup games that saw them score 12 goals
- Key players include: Leighton McGivern (ex Rochdale and Accrington Stanley) and Thomas Rooney

Paddock
- Like Oyster, they ply their trade in the Liverpool & District league
- Reached the semi finals back in 2008, where they lost 2-0 to eventual winners Hetton Lyons at Marine
- Gained their revenge when they achieved this seasons standout result in defeating Hetton in the 3rd round
- Several players turn out with Marine in the Northern Premier League (including John Shaw and Steven Hussey)

Mariners
- The third Merseyside team in the last 8, they are members of the Ormskirk & District league (they are bidding to become the first team from that league to reach the semi final)
- Made their debut last season, when they went out in the 2nd round
- Their man danger man is Ryan Keyo, whose skill and pace has been the undoing of several good teams this season. Goal scorer Sean Tierney has benefited from Keyo’s assists
- 100% league record after 6 games (scored 25, only conceded 2)

Northampton Duke of York
- Were winners of the first final to be held at Anfield, back in 2003
- Repeated their 2003 semi final win over Travellers from Birmingham in the 4th round
- Will not be fazed by travelling to Liverpool, as they were drawn away in each of the first three rounds (including a 1st round win at Sunday Cup legends St Joseph’s (Luton)

Knighton Arms
- Can justifiably lay claim to be the best Sunday team in Hampshire
- They are the reigning Hampshire County FA Sunday Senior Cup holders (they beat AFC Southsea 11-0 in the final!). They have also reached this season’s final
- Knighton have dominated the City of Southampton Premier Division title. They have been champions for the past two seasons and during that time, they have only suffered one defeat, in 30 league games

Bedfont Sunday
- Another former finalist (Bedfont lost to Seymour back in 1993)
- Members of the West Middlesex League, Premier Division, their league form has not matched their Sunday Cup performances, as they have lost 5 of their 9 league games
- Star players Include: Hanworth Villa’s Laurie Sheehan, whose brace saw off Wonford United in the 4th round and ex Brentford trainee, Ryan Lake

Comets SC
- Berkhamsted league outfit Comets are on a 16 game unbeaten run, which has seen them score an impressive 96 goals!
- Have relied on penalty shoot outs to progress past Hammer in round 1 and Clumber in round 4 (these are the only games that Comets have failed to win in ‘open’ play)
- Chris Marsh has 4 Sunday Cup goals to his name, including a hat trick against North West Neasden in the 2nd round

Club Lewsey
- Hail from the North Home Counties league, which is 2nd only to the Liverpool & District league in terms of the number of teams entered
- Will hope to avoid a repeat of their previous quarter final appearance, where they also travelled to Merseyside, only to lose 4-0 to Paddock
- Club Lewsey have hit the goal trail in this season’s competition, scoring 18 goals in 4 games (their 8-2 thrashing of Golden Lion was the biggest win in round 3)

Summary
Based on what I know, it’s hard for me to look beyond Oyster Martyrs and Paddock. I tipped Oyster to do well at the beginning of the season but wasn’t sure about Paddock, who despite reaching the semi finals three years ago, have exited the competition in the 2nd round in both seasons since.

Both Comets and Knighton Arms have impressive domestic records but I’m not sure they are genuine Sunday Cup contenders. Knighton have home advantage over Paddock, so I’ll be interested to see that result.

I’m hoping to watch Mariners v Northampton Duke of York. I hope that Merseyside hasn’t been affected by the several inches of snow that have fallen in West Yorkshire where I live!!