Cairns Hockey: Souths scrape into decider with extra-time draw
Souths’ dream of a third straight Cairns Hockey Association A-grade men’s premiership is alive after they scraped into next week’s decider with a 1-1 draw against Trinity Stingers.
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Souths’ dream of a third straight Cairns Hockey Association A-grade men’s premiership is alive after they scraped into next week’s decider with a 1-1 draw against Trinity Stingers.
With scores tied at the end of ordinary time, teams played an extra five minutes each way under golden goal rules.
After neither side could break the deadlock, Souths were declared the winner, having finished the regular season in the superior ladder position.
The defending premiers came out firing with their season on the line and took the early lead through a spectacular strike from Glen Geraghty.
In his first game back from a broken hand, Geraghty only needed three minutes to find the back of the box and give the red and black the upper hand.
Stingers’ Brent Garske looked like levelling the scores with a dangerous drive in the 20th minute, but Souths’ keeper Michael Harris proved up to the task.
They would get on the board just four minutes later, however, when Luke Howard finished off a crafty play from a penalty corner.
Souths almost snatched victory in the final play of the game, but a crucial save from Stingers’ keeper Jesse Folpp kept his side’s hopes of a grand final berth alive.
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With Stingers needing the win to advance, Folpp was subbed for an additional field player with three minutes of extra time remaining, but Souths were able to withstand a last-ditch attacking flurry and hold on for the important draw.
“We actually came out of the gates firing, which is a nice change up for us,” said Souths coach Carl Whipp.
“Normally it takes us a bit to get going and I think the other teams know that, so for the boys to step up and knock one in early was an awesome start, and then we just showed some real Souths ticker to hold them out.”
Whipp said Geraghty was inspirational in his first game back from injury.
“He’s got the x-factor,” he said.
“I rate him as the most influential player in Cairns Hockey — he won’t like that tag, but he probably is.
“He makes a massive difference when he’s here and he’s hard to cover when he’s out.
“For him to step up like he did was an amazing effort, particularly with Buttsy bowing out early.”
Souths defender and 2004 Olympic gold medallist Dean Butler took himself out of the game after a short stint in the first half.
“He’s been carrying a knee injury this season,” Whipp said.
“He just thought we were up one then and we were a chance to get through so he might save himself for next week.”
Stingers coach Rohan Sparkes said it was a disappointing end to the season.
“Everyone put in for the whole game, it’s just unfortunate that the 1-all result wasn’t enough for us,” he said.
“We’ve been on the wrong side of it a number of times now, so it’s pretty disappointing to go out that way with a no-result. Shootouts would be preferable.”
He said he was proud of the team’s progress.
“We didn’t get the result at the end of the season, but I’m pretty happy with where we’ve come from last year to where we are now,” he said.
“We just drew with the defending champions, so I’m pretty happy with that.”
Souths will now defend the A-grade men’s premiership against Saints in the grand final on Saturday night.
They will defend the A-grade women’s premiership against Saints on Friday night.
Originally published as Cairns Hockey: Souths scrape into decider with extra-time draw