South, Devonport crowned state champions

South Hobart won a pulsating Lakoseljac Cup final, earning the right to represent Tasmania in the Australia Cup, while Devonport were crowned women’s champions. Get the wrap up of Monday’s action here.

South Hobart celebrate their Lakoseljac Cup final win over South East United on Monday. Picture: Simon Sturzaker Photography

South Hobart won their seventh Lakoseljac Cup and secured the right to represent Tasmania in the Australia Cup with a 3-2 win over South East United in the final.

In front of an excellent crowd at Devonport’s Valley Road, Max Clarke’s team survived a late scare to claim their first cup in six years.

In their maiden final, Southern Championship giant-killers South East were hunting a third consecutive NPL victim and looked capable of another upset when Sam Sartori fired them level on the half hour.

But South struck twice before the break to take control and were only pegged back deep into stoppage time as they added to previous cup wins in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2019.

Losing finalists four times in the last decade, South took an early lead through Kobe Kemp but United hit back when Sartori surprised keeper Nick O’Connell at the near post.

Players compete for possession in the Lakoseljac Cup final. Picture: Simon Sturzaker Photography

Two goals in eight minutes shortly before the break saw South captain and player of the match Nick Morton continue his record of scoring in every round having also found the net in 10 of his team’s 13 games this season.

Formed just 12 years ago with representatives from Dodges Ferry, Richmond, Cambridge and Sorell, United are the Southern Championship leaders and reigning champions and had won every previous game this season, beating NPL sides Clarence and Launceston City in previous rounds.

Playing away from their Sorell home for the first time in the competition, Adam Shackcloth’s well-organised outfit held the state’s benchmark team for much of the second half and were finally rewarded when the hard-working Callum Brown claimed a stoppage-time consolation.

Earlier in the day, Devonport retained their Women’s Statewide Cup and extended a two-season long unbeaten record with an emphatic 5-2 win over nearest rivals South Hobart.

Devonport players acknowledge fans after their Statewide Cup final win over South Hobart. Picture: Simon Sturzaker Photography

In a glorious showcase of women’s football in Tasmania, the state’s best two sides provided a fitting spectacle to open Valley Road’s impressive new $7.5 million Gordon Rimmer Stand.

A game of top-quality goals saw two well-placed headers and two long-range shots have the teams locked at 2-2 before the contest was decided by three delightful team moves orchestrated by reigning league best and fairest and golden boot Whitney Knight.

However, the player of the match award went to Japanese import Asuka Doi whose two excellent goals early in the second half took her season’s tally to 18 and continued her record of scoring in every match since the opening day of the season.

In a cagey first-half, Grace Sims headed Strikers in front on the half-hour before South’s Lucy Roberts curled in a stunning equaliser from well outside the box.

A flurry of goals immediately after the break saw Doi finish expertly moments before Josephine Mamic headed in a second equaliser from one of several dangerous Dani Kannegiesser free-kicks.

Knight then took centre stage, setting up Doi’s second three minutes before scoring herself from Abbie White’s pass and then laying on another far-post finish for Sims 11 minutes from time.

Also sitting first and second in the Women’s Super League, the finalists had steamrollered through the competition, scoring 38 goals between them.

Enjoying home ground advantage, Tom Ballantyne’s Devonport side extended a run of 32 wins from their last 33 games while Ken Morton’s South had also been faultless in this season’s cup, comfortably seeing off Ulverstone (9-0), Launceston Utd (4-1) and Glenorchy (4-0) en route to the final.

South Hobart were represented in all four statewide finals but finished runners-up in both development competitions played at KGV on Saturday.

Glenorchy retained their under-18 women’s cup, winning 5-4 on penalties after the game finished in a 3-3 draw although South’s Eve Hughes was named player of the match.

Meanwhile Lachlan Van Neutegem earned the same award as his Devonport side won 2-0 in the under-21 men’s final.