Dandy Town and PHC avoided each other in the FA Cup semi-finals but were pitted against one another in the Friendship Trophy at yesterday’s draw at the Clyde Best Centre of Excellence.

The two teams are chasing the triple crown, and by March 30 one of them will have that dream shattered when they meet in the Friendship semi-final. Devonshire Cougars will play Robin Hood in the other semi-final.

The FA Cup draw was more favourable to the two teams, with Town drawn against Cougars and PHC, the competition’s most successful team with eleven titles, set to meet a North Village team that has won the FA Cup nine times along with Somerset.

The Shield semi-final draw was also made yesterday, with Hamilton Parish, the First Division leaders, drawn to meet Wolves while Boulevard will take on Young Men’s Social Club. Those matches will be played ahead of the Friendship semi-final matches on March 29 and 30.

The season, which has had its share of postponements, has been extended by at least a week with the FA Cup semi-finals taking place on the weekend which was originally planned for the season-ending FA Cup final.

Shannon Burgess, the competition’s Committee chairman who made yesterday’s draw, admits it has been a challenge getting this far into the season due to the Covid pandemic and matches being postponed because of a shortage of referees.

Recently, the Bermuda Referees Association withdrew their services for matches on a Sunday after a visiting referee suffered abuse at a Premier Division match at Devonshire Rec the night before.

“It’s been challenging, I suspect that no competitions committee or BFA executive have been faced with challenges to this level,” Burgess said.

“Luckily we have a team of committed people who are making themselves available to ensure that football happens and that we bring the season to a conclusion.

“By our constitution we have until April 30 to complete the season, otherwise we will perhaps have to call a special congress to extend it and work with the Bermuda Cricket Board.

“We are on track to complete prior to April 30 but we are not there yet. Hats off to Troy Harvey and the rest of the committee who come together at a moment’s notice to reschedule, and we thank clubs for their patience.”

Burgess added: “We are not professionals and so have to work around job schedules to be able to play football. We do the best we can in order to accommodate clubs.

“The dates of these [cup] matches will be confirmed. We have made some adjustments to the schedule and have a draft schedule in place but we are coordinating with the clubs and referees to ensure that the dates work for all.”

Semi-final draws

FA Cup

(April 16 and 17)

Devonshire Cougars v Dandy Town

PHC v North Village

Friendship Trophy

(March 29 and 30)

Dandy Town v PHC

Devonshire Cougars v Robin Hood

Shield

(March 29 and 30)

Wolves v Hamilton Parish

Boulevard v YMSC