Eyes on the prize for Jablonski
Hakoah Sydney City East FC have won plenty of silverware in the club’s history, but a Waratah Cup victory on Sunday would top the lot.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC await Hakoah in Sunday’s Cup Final at Lambert Park, where the first major piece of silverware for the season will be won.
If Hakoah were to win, they would move ahead of Sydney United 58 FC as the most successful team in the competition.
United won the trophy last year to level the score at six titles each, but Hakoah will be hoping to return the favour in quick fashion and take top spot with most Waratah Cup titles for themselves.
The last time Hakoah won the competition was in 1976 when it was still known as the Federation Cup.
The former National Soccer League heavyweights have risen through the ranks of New South Wales at breakneck speed, rising from the State Leagues all the way to PlayStation® 4 National Premier Leagues New South Wales Men’s top division in five years.
Neil Jablonski has been at the club throughout the emotional journey back to the top level of state football, and while the PS4 NPL 2 NSW Men’s triumph of 2015 ranks high in his footballing memories, the opportunity to play for the Waratah Cup stands heads and shoulders above all else as the greatest honour of his impressive Hakoah career.
“It’s been amazing to be part of this club,” Jablonski said.
“We’ve had such a fantastic rise, but we have never played a cup final at this level before, so really it stands out among all the other successes.
“We’re honoured to be in the final, but we want to do more than just show up, we want to take this opportunity to win a competition at this level.”
Heading into the final in the midst of average league form, Hakoah come into the final as underdogs, especially given the game is scheduled to take place at APIA’s home ground, but Jablonski is not fazed.
“We’ve always been the underdog,” Jablonski said.
“But we’ve had three promotions in five years, so we know how to win important games and that will hold us in good stead.
“No one expected us to get promoted straight from NPL 2 to the top tier of the NSW NPL in our first season, but we did, so I’m confident we will give a good account of ourselves.”
2017 Waratah Cup Details
Sunday 9th July
Lambert Park
APIA Leichhardt Tigers v Hakoah Sydney City East
4pm
Adults $10 – Concessions $5 – Children Under 16 FREE
*The game will also be LIVE STREAMED with expert commentary from Adam Santarossa via the PS4 NPL NSW Facebook page so keep your eye out on that when coverage kicks off at 4pm.
-By Matt Galea
