Futsal Premier League Grand Final Review
The Football NSW Futsal Premier League grand final was filled with thrills, spills, joy and despair following an enthralling day at Dural Sports & Leisure centre.
VIEW THE 2014 GRAND FINAL PHOTO GALLERY
Upsets, wipeouts and edge-of-your-seat type stuff made sure it was a day to remember for players and spectators alike, and a high-standard of Futsal had everyone salivating with what the future holds for our young and maturing representatives.
While Dural Warriors retained their mainstay titles, the Open and Youth Men, Mascot Vipers owned the day by winning all three deciders entered (16 Boys, 16 Girls and 14 Boys), Mountain Majik completing an outstanding debut premier league season claiming two championship trophies (14 Girls and 12 Boys), club champions Inner West winning the 12 Girls section and Campbelltown Quake getting up in a thrilling Open Women’s penalty shootout.
And the smoothly-operated finale was massively super-ceded by a vocal, passionate, gritty and nervy crowd of hundreds that witnessed yet another step in the right direction for Futsal. Congratulations to all club supporters and followers – bring on the 2015 summer!
2013/2014 Football NSW Futsal Premier League
Club championship
Inner West (244), Mountain Majik (216), Campbelltown (209), Dural (198), Mascot (188)
Premiers
Campbelltown (3), Dural (2), Mascot (2), Mountain Majik (1), Inner West (1)
Semi-finalists
Inner West (7), Campbelltown (6), Mountain Majik (6), Dural (5), Mascot (4), Enfield (3), Phoenix (3), Boomerangs (2)
Grand finalists
Campbelltown (5), Inner West (4), Mascot (3), Majik (3), Dural (2), Enfield (1)
Champions
Mascot (3), Mountain Majik (2), Dural (2), Inner West (1), Campbelltown (1)
12 Boys – Majik conquer Quake
Mountain Majik maintained their momentum to maul 12 Boys premiers Campbelltown Quake 4-1 in a terrific debut premier league grand final victory.
The young Mountaineers nudged a third-place pebble, eliminating Boomerangs in the semi-finals and disposing of Inner West in the preliminary final, ending in a three-goal avalanche of heavy favourites Campbelltown in the championship decider.
Inspirational captain Ashton Ahluwalia led the way with a second-minute strike that sent Majik on their way, Patrick Suman doubling the lead and Bailey Geddes making it 3-0 on the quarter-hour.
Quake rumbled louder in the second term but a disastrous own goal afforded Mountain a 4-0 buffer with just 10 minutes to play, a neat Adrian Neoklis goal for Campbelltown proving a consolation as Majik lifted their first ever premier league trophy.
As massive underdogs Majik gave themselves the best possible start when Adam Farkas broke from the back court, jiggered around a couple of defenders at halfcourt and sent a delicious ball through to Ahluwalia on the right who buried the chance high into the net for a shock 1-0 lead.
Mountain custodian Antonio Farkas denied Neoklis and Jarrod Galea quick chances to equalise and an inexplicable pass-back offence gave Andrew Holder a chance to extend Majik’s advantage, the goal-line wall blocking his close-range drive, but it was enough for Quake coach Brett Hewit to call a time-out against an energetic opposition.
It helped, as Yousef Sawalha delivered up-court nicely to Angelo Kalamvokis inside the D only to watch his glancing header drift agonisingly wide, but a defensive slip at the back gave Suman a chance and his low drive was fumbled by Campbelltown keeper Alex Hathaway and dribbled over line for to make the score 2-0.
Mountain was rumbling as Ahluwalia sent a low cross left and Daniel Sekulic dummied over ball to leave Geddes alone at the far post to drive in for a 3-0 lead moments later.
Quake finally broke the Majik spell and seconds later a good lob found Kalamvokis alone at the far post, his first touch/shot was poor but his second touch across goal was delightful only for a charging Cameron Wells to cannon his shot off the right post.
Wells drove hard a minute later for Antonio Farkas to parry into the path of Kalamvokis whose rocket smashed Farkas in his [fortitudes] for a second gutsy save to maintain Mountain’s three-goal buffer at halftime.
A good look ahead from Ahluwalia gave Declan Cotter the first chance of the second term, his close-range effort well stopped by Hathaway, but his counterpart Farkas was more than his equal with a sensational reflex save with his trailing hand to stop Galea from a yard out to keep the scores unchanged.
Hathaway dropped low and fast to stop an Adam Farkas attempt after some great Ahluwalia touches round two defenders freed up him, and Majik used their defensive confidence when a great release from Antonio Farkas saw a Suman cross result in a collision between Neoklis and Hathaway, the ball popping over both their heads for a disastrous own goal on the half-hour, 4-0.
An audacious Andrew Holder effort from inside own half was tipped over bar by Hathaway, who saved well from Geddes a minute later, and from the ensuing breakaway Neoklis dribbled full court and finished beautifully over the top of Farkas to reduce the deficit – but Mountain held on for a famous 4-1 win.
Mountain captain Ashton Ahluwalia was as solid as a rock and summed up the excellent win. “That feels amazing! We just told each other to go hard and don’t back down from them. We lifted after the first goal and kept it going to the end.”
Majik coach Bradie Smith wiped his brow after a stunning win. “Quake were the benchmark and we knew we had to be on top of our game to win,” he said. “We started with a lot of aggression and really put it to them… it was an excellent defensive effort.”
Mountain Majik 4 (Ashton Ahluwalia 2, Patrick Suman 10, Bailey Geddes 14, own goal 29) Campbelltown Quake 1 (Adrian Neoklis 35)
Campbelltown Quake: Alex Hathaway, Lee Thoroughgood, Cameron Wells, Yousef Sawalha, Jarrod Galea, Angelo Kalamvokis, Mathew Khalil, Connor Hewit, Adrian Neoklis, Lucas Martinez, coach Brett Hewit, manager Natalia Kalamvokis.
Mountain Majik: Antonio Farkas, Adam Farkas, Bailey Geddes, Ashton Ahluwalia, Patrick Suman, Lachlan Sepping, Daniel Sekulic, Declan Cotter, Andrew Holder, coach Bradie Smith, manager Jamie Smith.
Referees: Zachary Hibbard, Jared Katz, Dean Wright.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Zachary Barbatano (Boomerangs), 24 goals
Goalkeeper – Alex Hathaway (Campbelltown)
12 Girls – Inner West topple Mountain
Inner West Magic needed a defiant three-goal extra-time effort to defeat Mountain Majik 5-2 and claim a well-deserved 12 Girls premiership-championship double.
The ladder-toppers were evenly matched throughout a sizzling summer but it was premiers Inner West who overcame their gut-wrenching 1-0 loss to Dural last year to finish strongly against the Mountain newcomers.
Majik’s Tiana Barton cancelled out Abigail Stevanovic’s early Magic strike, Tori Tumeth restoring Inner West’s lead at halftime only for Mountaineer Emily Dorahy to force the game into overtime with a stunning solo second-half effort.
It was all Magic in extra-time as Georgia Usherwood bagged a brace and Santina Wang added another to help Inner West to a 5-2 triumph.
Majik started well and Alyssa Rose laid off well for Jemma Butler whose shot was well saved by Magic keeper Adrienne Thackway but it wasn’t long before Inner West asserted themselves, Mountain custodian Isabella Whitton not making a clean grab following Tumeth’s long-range blast and Stevanovic pounced for a 1-0 scoreline.
Rose and Dorahy were making a nuisance of themselves among the Magic defence and Thackway needed to be sharp as Majik tried to conjure up an equivalent, Dorahy going close twice before Barton followed up Angelina Parkes’ blocked shot with a 15th-minute leveler.
The lead was shortlived as a Lara Bosnich corner found Tumeth and the Magic captain drove low and hard from distance to smash through the onion bag for a late 2-1 halftime edge to Inner West.
The Mountain juniors came out firing in the second period and Thackway was at her best to repel Dorahy’s missile from distance before Whitton stopped three Magic shots in a row at the other end, and it was her heroics that led to Dorahy’s excellent halfway intercept, dummy round an Inner West defender, drawing out Thackway and slotting home for a sensational 2-2 equaliser that put the game over the edge.
It was all about Whitton and Thackway in the remaining minutes of regular time as the two goalkeepers stopped several shots to send the game into the extra stanzas.
Inner West gained the upper hand immediately when Tumeth drilled a cross-court pass to Usherwood who shot under Whitton’s legs for a 3-2 lead, Stevanovic hitting the post on the stroke of extra-time halftime, but Magic clawed further ahead after the restart as Usherwood finished off a great Inner West burst while Tumeth set up Wang for the final goal in a convincing 5-2 victory.
Tumeth was everywhere on court and paid tribute to her team-mates who hustled just as hard around her. “It was a really nervous game, but we regrouped in extra-time and focused on what we needed to do, and we lifted. It was good revenge for our [grand final] loss last year.”
Inner West coach Joe Baldacci put his emotions succinctly. “Ecstatic! Majik are a good side and it was a great tussle with them all season,” he said. “At the end of regular time I reminded the girls what we’re here for and they really switched on for extra-time to come away with a good win.”
Inner West Magic 5 (Abigail Stevanovic 4, Tori Tumeth 18, Georgia Usherwood 41/46, Santina Wang 49) Mountain Majik 2 (Tiana Barton 14, Emily Dorahy 26)
Inner West Magic: Adrienne Thackway, Isabella Di Sipio, Rose Willis, Georgia Usherwood, Tori Tumeth, Santina Wang, Abigail Stevanovic, Lara Bosnich, Madelene Kowalenko, coach Joe Baldacci, manager Julie Stevanovic.
Mountain Majik: Emily Dorahy, Alyssa Rose, Jemma Butler, Monique Holder, Tiana Barton, Isabella Said, Angelina Parkes, Isabella Whitton, Clare Holder, coach Tiana Gauci, assistant Jamie Anyon-Smith, manager Kim Doohan.
Referees: Chris Codling, Matthew Wearne, Julian Nichols.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Amy Sayer (Campbelltown), 25 goals
Goalkeeper – Isabella Whitton (Mountain Majik)
14 Boys – Vipers tame Magic
Three goals in each half helped Mascot Vipers power home to a 6-1 win against Inner West Magic and seal their 14 Boys premiership-championship brace.
It was also back-to-back 14 Boys trophies for Mascot after they also beat Inner West 5-1 in last year’s final, but once again the scoreline barely reflected how tight the game was.
Josh Bartoloto, Kosta Tsournakakis and Aiden Taouil strikes established a 3-0 Vipers halftime lead they extended through Bartoloto, Tsournakakis (twice more) before Jackson Volarich scored a late one for Magic.
A nervy Inner West pass-back gave Mascot the first opportunity and Daniel Arzani slid the ball to Tsournakakis who drilled through everyone for a snap 1-0 lead, bettered minutes later when Tsournakakis’ excellent work on the right hand side freed up Bartoloto for a great finish to make it 2-0 on five-minutes.
Vipers continued the onslaught with Arzani’s smash parried away by Magic glovesman Jacob Sayle and a cheeky Tsournakakis swagger almost fooled the Inner West keeper, Sayle recovering with an amazing stretch to pinch off the Mascot maestro’s bootlaces.
Magic finally enjoyed some inserts of their own, Vipers custodian Alessandro Ramondino diving to tip a Volarich strike over the bar and charging out to smother a Zac Duncan attempt second later, but it was a Taouil tracer that broke the sound barrier as it whistled past Sayle’s ear and into the net for a 3-0 Mascot quarter-hour advantage.
A red-hot Ramondino ensured a Vipers halftime cushion by smothering Duncan’s run-up attempt at the edge of the D, stretching to tip away a Volarich bomb then batting clear a Brodie Clarkson shot to signal oranges.
Mascot laid down the law early in the second term, a Conor Quilligan crack clipping the crossbar followed by a sneaky Tsournakakis backheel that was kicked clear at the last second, and it that man Tsournakakis who drove the coffin nails in further with two quick goals – the second a glorious run from halfway, between and around two defenders and touching past Sayle before coolly finishing into an empty net – that made it an unassailable 5-0 buffer with 12 minutes to play.
Vipers pushed further in front from a Bartoloto header on the half-hour and although the remaining stages belonged to Inner West, Duncan missing the post by a whisker and Ramondino stopping a Duncan header not long afterward, Volarich finally getting Magic on the board with a late strike – nothing would stop Mascot’s deserved win.
Like many of his team-mates Quilligan has been with Mascot for 4-5 years and applauded a clinical Vipers performance to clinch the grand final trophy. “We’ve been playing together for years and Zvi [coach Ben David] has done a great job with us,” he said.
Ben David shifted the focus back to his disciplined troops. “We started the game very well which helped them relax,” he said. “After such a good season we were meant to win it, but that doesn’t mean you will and the boys handled the pressure quite nicely.”
Mascot Vipers 6 (Josh Bartoloto 2/30, Kosta Tsournakakis 5/26/27, Aiden Taouil 15) Inner West Magic 1 (Jackson Volarich 37)
Mascot Vipers: Alessandro Ramondino, Ben Morrison, Conor Quilligan, Tom Mazzucco, Ellis Bellos, Josh Bartoloto, Mitchell Knight, Kosta Tsournakakis, Baily Rule, Guy Squadrito, Luke Okuda, Aiden Taouil, Daniel Arzani, coach Zvi Ben-David, assistant Rob Hill, manager Daniella Ramondino.
Inner West Magic: Kyle Willis, Jacob Sayle, Yerasimakis Petratos, Brodie Clarkson, Kye Soares, Adam Nisbet, Zac Duncan, Patrick Scibilio, Tony Yang, Jackson Volarich, George Antonis, coach Gregg Clarkson, manager Rita Cusmiani.
Referees: James Webster, Adrian Brett, Jared Katz.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Aidan Taouil (Mascot), 20 goals
Goalkeeper – Alessandro Ramondino (Mascot)
14 Girls – Majik out-cast Magic
Mountain Majik were made to work hard for a tense 1-0 victory by a gallant Inner West Magic in their titanic 14 Girls grand final struggle.
In the end a second-half Cassidy Chidgey strike proved decisive enough to hand the Mountain club a second premier league trophy and consign underdogs Inner West to a successive age category championship defeat.
Mountain Majik: 1 Courtney Newbon, 2 Gabriela Pace, 6 Kellie Wilding, 7 Kathleen Butler, 8 Cassidy Chidgey, 9 Olivia Hardaker, 10 Ashlee Harrison, 14 Tanya Borazio, coach Matthew Costantini, manager Julie Pace.
Inner West Magic: 1gk Ellessia Rinaldi, 30 Sophie Magus, 51 Demi Karahlis, 52 Bianca Galic, 53 Elena Bandiera, 54 Panayiota Petratos, 55 Dimity Antonis, 56 Princess Ibini Isei, 57 Georgia Koutzoumis, coach Steve Koutzoumis, manager Zelko Galic.
It was a tentative start from both sides before the game ignited in the seventh minute, Panayiota Petratos attempting a clever chip in front of goal only for an athletic leap from Majik keeper Courtney Newbon to tip the ball up in the air and clasp at it while on the ground, two Inner West players bumbling the ball into goal but rightly called for a foul on Newbon.
Newbon showed her class again when she parried and punched a Princess Ibini Isei strike and Petratos follow-up soon before her opposite Ellessia Rinaldi proved she’d also be tough to beat with a diving save from Chidgey’s ranged rocket and tipping clear a Kellie Wilding shot to maintain 0-0 parity at the break.
It was a much brighter start to the second half and a swift Mountain counter attack saw Chidgey and Ashlee Harrison combine well to draw out Rinaldi and Chidgey finished into an open goalmouth for the 24th-minute opener.
Inner West responded with Newbon dropping sharply to stop a Petratos turn and shot from inside the D then stretching out to tip away Ibini Isei on the fly before the Mountaineers asserted themselves again, Olivia Hardaker, Harrison and Tanya Borazio almost breaking through but the score stayed the same.
And when Newbon dived left to slap away a last-ditch Petratos try it sparked jubilation in the Majik ranks.
Newbon had her eyes everywhere as she kept a clean sheet in a very close match. “I was time watching for a lot of the match because it was just so close and I wanted the final whistle to go,” she said. “We’re all pretty good friends so it’s easier to lift each other when we need it.”
Mountain coach Matthew Costantini relished the moment. “I’m over the moon. It’s our first year in premier league and we won the premiership and championship,” he said. “We’ve been together a few years and come up together so it was a very nice way to end the season.”
Mountain Majik 1 (Cassidy Chidgey 24) Inner West Magic 0
Mountain Majik: Courtney Newbon, Gabriela Pace, Kellie Wilding, Kathleen Butler, Cassidy Chidgey, Olivia Hardaker, Ashlee Harrison, Tanya Borazio, coach Matthew Costantini, manager Julie Pace.
Inner West Magic: Ellessia Rinaldi, Sophie Magus, Demi Karahlis, Bianca Galic, Elena Bandiera, Panayiota Petratos, Dimity Antonis, Princess Ibini Isei, Georgia Koutzoumis, coach Steve Koutzoumis, manager Zelko Galic.
Referees: Julian Nicholls, Dean Wright, Chris Codling.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Olivia Robinson (Dural), 20 goals
Goalkeeper – Melati Abdullah (Mascot)
16 Boys – Vipers shake Quake
Mascot Vipers held off Campbelltown Quake to claim a thrilling 16 Boys championship 4-3 and put the icing on a dramatic post-season run.
Mascot finished third on the ladder, eliminated Phoenix, came from 2-0 down at halftime to defeat Majik in an epic 10-9 penalty shootout and then turned the tables on premiers Campbelltown in the decider.
Harrison Bagot put Quake ahead in just the first minute of the game only for Daniel Arzani to equalise in the 5th minute. Ted Patroulias put the Vipers in the lead in the 10th minute while Michael Loupis notched up a double with strikes in the 11th and 17th minute.
Marko Filipovic notched up a double for the Quake but it was a case of too little too late for his side.
The game was a minute old when Bagot showed tremendous great skill to touch ahead of the defence and at top of D, turned, shot low and hard to find back of net for a crisp 1-0 lead.
It was end-to-end as a Loupis blast clipped the crossbar for Mascot and then Vipers keeper James Garlick was called into action to parry an Anthony Haddad strike, sparking a full-court movement where Loupis laid across to Arzani to fire in a fifth-minute leveler.
Mascot put their noses in front five minutes later when a solid Julian Rinaldi shot wasn’t held by Conor Irwin and with the ball spinning centimetres from goal a prowling Ted Patroulias pounced to make it 2-1.
Irwin did well to block a Vipers freekick at the top of the D but he couldn’t do much about a brilliant Loupis 17th-minute drive that extended Mascot’s lead, Filipovic finally breaking through for Campbelltown with a power-drive from just outside the D that almost broke the back of the net for a narrow 3-2 halftime scoreline.
Vipers started the second half strongly and a fantastic look up court from Arzani found Loupis on a canter behind the defence and he flamed one into goal for a 4-2 cushion.
Loupis was proving a menace to the Quake defence, Irwin kicking one attempt clear and then charging out to spoil another to keep the premiers in it, and they tightened the screws at the other end with Garlick called to attention several times, saving a Liam McGing shot while on the ground and blocking a Filipovic attempt during Quake’s fifth-man press.
Campbelltown did narrow the gap when Filipovic slotted home a deft pass from Bagot playing the roaming keeper but the fulltime whistle blew with Mascot still ahead 4-3.
Loupis was supposed to be in the bridal party at his uncle’s wedding and he played a big role in Mascot’s triumphant march. “Winning a grand final is probably a better feeling than getting married,” he joked as he got ready for a mad dash to the reception.
“I was never going to miss it and we did very well to hold on, but you have to stand tall as a team to win games like this.”
Coach Zvi Ben-David complimented his team’s late-season run that culminated in championship victory. “Now that’s a win!” he said. “We should’ve been up by more at halftime… I just took my heart pills, gave them the encouragement they needed and they responded in a great way.”
Mascot Vipers 4 (Daniel Arzani 5, Ted Patroulias 10, Michael Loupis 11/17) Campbelltown Quake 3 (Harrison Bagot 1, Marko Filipovic 20/24)
Campbelltown Quake: Connor Powers, Lachlan Roberts, Luke Periera, Bradon Clissold, Marko Filipovic, Trent Sierra, Anthony Haddad, Daniel Blachura, Harrison Bagot, Liam McGing, Conor Irwin, coach James Gilligan, assistant Nathan Clissold, manager Lee Clissold.
Mascot Vipers: James Garlick, Conor Quilligan, Julian Rinaldi, Kosta Tsournakakis, James Temelekovski, Marino Trimboli, Michael Loupis, Alessandro Ramondino, Aiden Taouil, Daniel Arzani, Ted Patroulias, coach Zvi Ben-David, assistant Rob Hill, manager Daniella Ramondino.
Referees: Owen Ferguson, Janush Adabjou, James Webster.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Michael Loupis (Mascot), Emmanuel Gonzalez (Mountain Majik), 25 goals
Goalkeeper – Conor Irwin (Campbelltown)
16 Girls – Mascot down Inner West
Mascot Vipers won back-to-back 16 Girls titles following a belated 1-0 win against Inner West to go with their even tighter premiership win over Magic.
An incredible Georgia Plessas second-half strike from near the byline proved the difference between two evenly-matched sides that both gave as good as they took.
There might not have been many goals but there was plenty of action and Inner West’s Sarah Urquhart got the ball rolling with a third-minute shot at the top of the D that deflected off Mascot keeper Melati Abdullah onto the post and cleared from danger before Abdullah parried a Rhianna Pollicina over the bar.
Magic goalie Jess Urquhart was just as busy as she kept out two Plessas efforts before watching Demi Koulizakis and Maxine Peak shots drift just over the bar – the two keepers both on their game as the halftime whistled sounded with the stalemate unbroken.
Plessas finally beat Urquhart early in the second stanza only to see her shot cannon off the post and Mascot had Abdullah to thank as she saved well from Inner West young guns Lorena Bugden and Princess Ibini Isei, and it took an astounding slice of luck and skill for the deadlock to be picked when Plessas flashed down the right flank and from the tightest of angles somehow squeezed her strike between Urquhart and the post for a half-hour opener.
Vipers almost doubled their league in the closing minutes as terrific Urquhart leg-blocks from Koulizakis and Carla Trimboli gave Inner West a slight sniff, but Mascot held on for an anxious 1-0 victory.
Vipers star Hannah Bacon underlined the importance of a win against old foes Inner West. “There’s a big rivalry between the teams so you have to know how to handle pressure situations and control the emotions, and I think we managed to do that a little better than them.”
Mascot mentor Zvi Ben-David said it was certainly hot in the kitchen. “The girls put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well and sometimes that gets the better of them,” he said. “I think we lost our focus a bit so I had to make sure I showed my composure to help them.”
“Teams like this don’t come along very often. They are a magnificent bunch of players and it’s a great feeling to see them do so well.”
Mascot Vipers (Georgia Plessas 32) Inner West Magic 0
Mascot Vipers: Chloe Avgoustou, Hanna Charak, Maxine Peak, Georgia Plessas, Carla Trimboli, Melati Abdullah, Demi Koulizakis, Hannah Bacon, Crystal Overton, Lissa Mumbulla, coach Zvi Ben-David, assistant Rob Hill, manager Mia Plessas.
Inner West Magic: Ellessia Rinaldi, Jess Urquhart, Nadia Nisbet, Lauren Featherstone, Lorena Bugden, Rhianna Pollicina, Georgia Stevanovic, Sarah Urquhart, Daniela Brekic, Princess Ibini Isei, Emily Kos, coach Roberto Maiorana, manager Jodi Pollicina.
Referees: Jordan Lake, Meni Belkadi, Adrian Brett.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Ally Green (Phoenix), 20 goals
Goalkeeper – Chloe Avgoustou (Mascot)
Youth Men – Warriors rattle Quake
Dural Warriors made a 4-1 win over Campbelltown Quake look easier than it was to cap off a tremendously tight 2013/14 Youth Men’s competition.
Just 11 points separated top from bottom in the end with premiers Dural forcing a grand final rematch against closest rivals Campbelltown – and it was quite a doozy in the first 20 minutes.
Quake’s Shannon Field cancelled Brandon Vella’s early first-half goal for Warriors but Daniel Polkinghorne restored Dural’s lead just before the break and a Wade Giovenali second-half brace rounded out a convincing display from the premiers, following on from their 2012/13 win against Phoenix in the same age group.
A crowd of 300-plus had gathered for the match and Dural established control with Campbelltown glovesman Andrew Haim tipping over a sharp Giovenali chance and stopping a Chris Polkinghorne sizzler, and the Warriors were a little plucky as a Giovenali strike sparked a pinball effect with Vella smashing home from close range.
The Dural joy was shortlived when Filipovic laid off beautifully to a running Fielding and his venomous shot from the right ruffled the back netting for a 1-1 scoreline.
Haim was also superb in denying Jacob Rose on the right and then Chris Polkinghorne on the left but a cheeky toe-poke grasscutter from Daniel Polkinghorne whistled past Haim and just inside the post to give Warriors a 2-1 upper hand at the half.
Dural maintained the rage in the second term as Glen Kelshaw’s freekick was cleared off the line by Daniel Nelson before Chris Polkinghorne bolted up court and shot past a hapless Haim to make it 3-1.
Campbelltown were always present and Warriors keeper James Brunacci batted down a ranged Shaun Irwin crack before blocking a Filipovic bulldozer, Haim keeping Quake in it at the other end with some sharp saves.
Quake coach gambled with a fifth-man press to get back in the game with 10 minutes to go but the plan backfired when Giovenali went coast-to-coast to bury it into the net for a cosy 4-1 buffer.
Campbelltown still tried hard and Filipovic could’ve felt robbed after he jiggered into the D only to watch his fine chance rebound off the post, hit the back of Brunacci and bobble in front of the line before Brunacci collapsed on it, and Quake defender Daniel Nelson put his body on the line to block Dural twice with the Campbelltown goalmouth wide open, but when Brunacci blocked Anthony Haddad’s last-minute shot it was all over bar the shouting.
Warriors chief Chris Polkinghorne congratulated his side for staying focused under pressure. “We trained for this all year and just stuck to our game plan,” he said. “We’ve been playing the men’s side at training and practicing fifth-man situations, both with and against it, and that paid off today.”
Dural coach and veteran Futsal player Tobias Seeto called this summer’s youth men’s competition the tightest he’s ever been involved with. “Every game was hard fought and nothing was ever taken for granted,” he said. “The guys knew their roles and they executed brilliantly for the win.”
Dural Warriors 4 (Brandon Vella 12, Daniel Polkinghorne 19, Wade Giovenali 22/32) Campbelltown Quake 1 (Shannon Fielding 13)
Dural Warriors: Chris Polkinghorne, James Brunacci, Wade Giovenali, David Kanaley, Glen Kelshaw, Jacob Rose, Daniel Polkinghorne, Matthew Leroy, Matthew Stroud, Brandon Vella, Brendan Hoyer, Kaan Kilinc, coach Tobias Seeto.
Campbelltown Quake: Andrew Haim, Shannon Fielding, Trent Sierra, Daniel Nelson, Liam McGing, Shaun Irwin, Anthony Haddad, Enver Kerem, Marko Filipovic, Conor Irwin, Anson Gilligan, coach Mark Symington, assistant Daniel Martinez, manager Carlos Martinez.
Referees: Roger Lee, Darius Turner, Jonathon Moore.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Thomas Zeitlhofer (Boomerangs), 15 goals
Goalkeeper – Andrew Haim (Campbelltown), Stephen Spirou (Enfield)
Open Women – Quake roll Rovers
Runaway premiers Campbelltown Quake endured a hypnotic penalty shootout to hold out courageous Enfield Rovers after the two sides couldn’t be separated by regular or extra-time.
A tense 0-0 scoreline was only broken by Campbelltown’s Stephanie Haim in the overtime period with a swift Enfield response through Fabiana Perfilio forcing the steamy affair into a dreaded spot-kick stoush, Quake’s gut-churning 3-2 shootout quota more than making up for their heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Mascot in last year’s open women’s contest.
Campbelltown had been the benchmark all season, their nine-point gap the biggest winning margin in premier league, but the grand final could’ve been anyone’s from the get-go
Enfield’s Caitlin Jarvie fired the first salvo of the game over the bar before Campbelltown countered with Laura Donnelly’s ranged shot testing Rovers keeper Tani Rosekelly.
Donnelly was at it again with her excellent turn and squeeze between two defenders forcing Rosekelly into another save while Claire Walsh fired the follow-up over the bar.
A neat give-and-go from Logan Garard to Donnelly and back almost paid off with Garard’s final touch just drifting wide and then it was Enfield’s turn, Renee Tomkins’ bomb blocked well by the legs of Quake custodian Melanie McCauley who then plucked Perfilio’s crafty strike to keep the score at 0-0, the first half winding down with Garard receiving treatment for a nasty knock.
A game of chess broke out in the first 10 minutes of the second term before Brooke Cowie had her chance tipped clear by substitute Campbelltown keeper Dana Buttigieg, and a couple of efforts at both ends sailed over the bar when the tight match finally perked up for the remaining eight minutes of regular time.
Buttigieg and Rosekelly were upping each other with several outstanding saves to keep the game deadlocked, especially the Rovers number one who brilliantly stopped a cheeky backheel pass from Lauren Ralston to Williams inside the D as Quake rumbled home to the finish post.
An alert Rosekelly grabbed Ralston’s poetic turn and shot from outside the D, and a delightful touch back from Donnelly to Walsh splintered the woodwork, as did Donnelly’s last-second crack to send the teams back out for extra-time.
The tense match took a dramatic turn when Perfilio accidentally clipped the heels of Kahlee Doyle and picked up a yellow card as last defender, also triggering a sixth-foul spot kick, Haim rifling home for an overdue Quake breakthrough.
Enfield were having none of it and a fifth-man press with Perfilio playing roaming keeper almost paid off when Campbelltown were forced to clear a mad goalmouth scramble, and it was no surprise to see a red-hot Perfilio even the game up again when she received the ball inside the D, shot across goal and just inside the post to equalise at 1-1 before the sides changed ends for the final time.
The second overtime period was just as nailbiting, Rosekelly defiant in denying Haim’s great run and shot from the right, and Rovers could only clutch their heads when another foul saw Haim line up a second spot kick. Rosekelly was up to the task this time and blocked the initial strike before Haim blasted the follow-up wide of goal – the fulltime whistle sending the match to a penalty shootout.
With the packed leisure centre on tenterhooks Zoeie Redman had her opening penalty saved by Rosekelly, with McCauley keeping out Rovers Jo-Anne Saliba to increase the tension.
Haim and Perfilio successes pushed the tally to 1-1, Garard and Sarah Yatim taking it to 2-2 before a Walsh conversion gave Quake a 3-2 edge.
The ‘Purples’ then erupted when Renee Tomkins hit the next Rovers kick onto the post but had a second chance after McCauley was adjudged to have moved off her line.
The Campbelltown custodian had the last laugh with a great stop to deny Tomkins freeing up Williams for a possible match-winner, but the anxiety heightened when Williams blasted high to give Enfield a chance to get back on level terms. Unfortunately Jodie Baine missed right and after the tallies were triple-checked Campbelltown were recognised as champions.
Quake hero keeper McCauley was thrilled for her side, especially after their agonising one-goal championship loss to Mascot last summer. “Losing a grand final is horrible, you couldn’t print what I said after last year’s game… this feels much better,” she said.
“Enfield are experienced in grand finals and Roy [Cowie] is a great coach so we knew it was never going to be easy; but we backed ourselves and were able to get the win.”
Campbelltown coach James Gilligan would rather win any other way than a penalty shootout, but he’ll take the result every time. “Heart attacks are not nice at all. When it comes down to a shootout, what can you do as coach?”
“It was a tough game, we knew it would be against Enfield… the girls really put in and I think we deserved it after the season we’ve had.”
Campbelltown Quake 1 (Stephanie Haim 53) Enfield Rovers 1 (Fabiana Perfilio 55) [fulltime 0-0; Quake win 3-2 on penalties]
Campbelltown Quake: Melanie McCauley, Lauren Ralston, Claire Walsh, Stephanie Haim, Logan Garard, Zoeie Redman, Elisha Williams, Sarah Semaan, Kathryn Mladineo, Laura Donnelly, Sharon Walsh, Dana Buttigieg, coach James Gilligan, manager Jeannette Donaghey.
Enfield Rovers: Tani Rosekelly, Renee Tomkins, Kahlee Doyle, Stephanie Ascone, Fabiana Perfilio, Jodie Baine, Caitlin Jarvie, Jo-Anne Saliba, Sarah Roger, Sarah Yatim, Brooke Cowie, Erin Hunter, coach Roy Cowie, manager Catherine Castaneda.
Referees: Darren Allatt, Nicholas Backo, Jordan Lake.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Doris Osman (Mountain Majik), 18 goals
Goalkeeper – Tani Rosekelly (Enfield)
Open Men – Warriors take Quake
Premiers Dural Warriors underlined, italicised and bolded their state benchmark credentials with a convincing 6-0 win over a stubborn Campbelltown Quake in a spirited Open Men’s grand final to compile a hat-trick of premier league championship trophies.
Dural were unflappable and unstoppable as they cruised to victory, albeit a bumpy one, and claim their first victory over a gallant Campbelltown this summer.
First-half Bruno Pivato and Daine Merrin goals paved the Warriors way, a second-half Toby Seeto double supported by Greg Giovenali and Merrin strikes sealing the Dural double.
Campbelltown came out guns blazing and Danny Martinez should’ve done better than hitting the post unmarked in front with only Dural keeper Nick Starr to beat, while Quake glovesman Andrew Haim blocked a Jarrod Basger rocket with his legs as the Warriors fans found their voices.
A great combination between Giovenali brothers Greg and Wade went close, the former misfiring a couple more opportunities as the premiers asserted themselves on the match.
The Warriors finally opened their account with a brisk counter, Pivato passing to Seeto on the left who drew out Haim and passed back to unmarked Pivato who fired into an open net for a 12th-minute lead.
Starr blocked Martinez again at the other end before Dural doubled their advantage when Merrin combined with Basger in front of the Quake goal, Merrin caressing it easily for a 2-0 halftime edge after Starr touched clear a blistering Shannon Fielding attempt for Campbelltown.
Dural started the second half strongly with Basger denied by Haim inside the D but it became 3-0 on the half-hour when Greg Giovenali smashed home from close-range.
Campbelltown kept trying hard but luck was clearly not on their side as Jordan Mundell found Harley Da Silva on the left and his crack deflected onto the corner of the crossbar and post and out for a corner.
The Quake woe intensified when Seeto fired a laser-guided missile through traffic and into the net for a 4-0 advantage shortly afterward and it would’ve been a high-five had Haim not pulled off three amazing saves in a row, including one while he was climbing back off the canvas.
With a quarter-hour to play Campbelltown coach Simon Keith took the gamble and played the fifth-man roaming keeper only for Dural to inflict further misery when Seeto’s full-court shot into a gaping goalmouth took the score to a comfy 5-0.
Quake almost pulled one back when Mark Symington had the net at his beckoning with Starr out of position only to see Wade Giovenali throw his body on the line to keep the ball out with a well-timed dive across goal, and Dural ended any comeback thoughts when Merrin blasted their sixth into an open Campbelltown net with only a few minutes to play.
Things got a little heated when Dean Lockhart and Pivato tangled at mid-court and the break in play suited Quake, their luck still deserting them when Symington smacked another great drive onto the post.
Haim was doing excellent in his swaps with Keith and produced a fantastic double-save to deny Seeto and Basger then batted down Merrin’s late blast, fulltime finally sounding with the 6-0 Warriors victory complete.
Dural superstar Greg Giovenali applauded the high intensity of both outfits. “”I don’t think it got nasty or heated, there was no malice in it at all from either team – that’s just the level you have to play at to win; you do what you can to win a grand final,” he said.
“We’re lucky at Dural to have a club philosophy based around developing players and Rob [coach Varela] has always had faith in the younger ones coming through, and they’ve really stepped up this year.”
Varela deepened the gratitude. “It’s not just the players here tonight, it’s all the young kids who’ve helped get us through a tough season – they deserve just as much of the accolades,” he said.
“[Against Quake] We came here with a game plan and we were certainly ready for a physical game, and they kept us going to the very end. Even when they were 6-0 down they were looking to score and that shows great attitude… but well done to my side, they played well enough to get the job done.”
Campbelltown manager Carlos Martinez congratulated Dural but gained plenty from the post-game response in a losing Quake huddle.
“I’m disappointed with the result as it really doesn’t show how much we tried, but this team is a fantastic bunch of guys who showed tremendous effort to reach the grand final only to be beaten by a sensational side,” he said.
“But to hear them talk about remembering what it feels like to lose a grand final, and talking about using it to erase the memory next year, it makes me very proud of the type of players we have here at the club.”
(Bruno Pivato 12, Daine Merrin 17/40, Greg Giovenali 29, Toby Seeto 32/26) Campbelltown Quake 0
Dural Warriors: Alistair Bruce, Nick Starr, Jarrod Basger, Chris Polkinghorne, Toby Seeto, Bruno Pivato, Daine Merrin, Blake Rosier, Wade Giovenali, Nathan Niski, Glenn Kelshaw, Greg Giovenali, coach Rob Varela, assistant Mark Seeto, manager David Polkinghorne.
Campbelltown Quake: Andrew Haim, Matt Hall, Jordan Mundell, Dean Lockhart, Mark Symington, Shayne Ardle, Shannon Fielding, Ian McAndrew, Harley Da Silva, Danny Martinez, Simon Keith, Conor Irwin, coach Simon Keith, manager Carlos Martinez.
Referees: Jonathon Moore, Daniel Luttringer, Darius Turner.
Season awards
Golden Boot – Shervin Adeli (Enfield), 20 goals
Goalkeeper – Angelo Konstantinou (Boomerangs), Roberto Maiorana (Inner West)
-By Dan De Nardi
