Zebras overcome South Hobart to reach Under-19 Cup Final

Photo: Zebras' under-19 coach, Ronnie De Felice, lifting a trophy for Juventus when he captained the senior side in the early 1980s

Under-19 Cup semi-final, KGV Park, Tuesday, 28 July 2009
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Tilford Zebras 2-1 South Hobart
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South Hobart began strongly, but it was Tilford Zebras who had two glorious chances in the opening eight minutes.

Adam Young had a good opening in the first minute when he broke down the right, but with keeper Michael Hughes at the near post, Young pulled his shot wide of the far upright.

Daniel Phillips put South ahead in the 5th minute when he was unmarked inside the box on the left and placed a low shot past Declan Reid.

Three minutes later, Zebras were again presented with an opening, but Jarred Gilroy shot wide of the far post.

Zebras equalised in the 25th minute in the most simple of manners as Liam Fitzgerald’s corner from the left eluded everyone in a crowded goalmouth except Oliver Bird, who nodded the ball home from close range.

Andy Brennan had a nightmare of a second half for South Hobart. He might have won a couple of penalties, while on another occasion, he was through on goal but delayed his shot and was dispossessed by a last-ditch tackle from Alex Luttrell.

In the 65th minute, an error by Zebras in defence presented Brennan with another gilt-edged chance, but the youngster shot wide of the far post.

Zebras had good chances, too, but Luke Engels, Matt Hall and Robert Lapolla all shot over the crossbar.

Lapolla found the target for the winner in the 68th minute from an acute angle on the right as the South Hobart defence pushed out.

Zebras might have had a third goal in the final minute when Engels was put through on the left and crossed low for Adam Young to run on to the ball, but his shot lacked power and Michael Hughes produced a fine save.

Zebras will meet Clarence United in the Under-19 Cup Final after Clarence’s 3-1 win over Metro earlier in the evening.

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• Tilford Zebras coach, Ronnie De Felice, said:

“It was a tough game.

“The boys really battled it out because we copped a bit of a hiding the week before from South Hobart.

“But, bearing in mind it was more of a reserve under-19 team, and it’s going to stand them in good stead because a few of the boys will go back up to reserves to play South Hobart and help Romeo Frediani out again.

“The way that I wanted to play the team this year was to feed the reserves and the seniors and promote and encourage and support these kids to really move up a little bit and step up and have the initiative to play in the reserves and seniors.

“Last year, I kept the team together completely for the year and we won the league, but this year it’s a nurturing stage again and they deserved the win tonight and, hopefully, we’ll have a really good showdown with Clarence at the end of August, or whenever the Cup Final is.”

• South Hobart coach, Steve Adkins, said:

“”It was a good, tight game.

“We had a few chances, they had a few chances.

“I thought the guys toughed it out really well and I think the result could have gone either way.

“I thought we could have had one, two or three penalties.

“I thought there were a few decisions that probably may not have gone our way in the box, but, you know, that happens at times.

“There’s not much you can do about it now.”

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Tilford Zebras: Declan Reid; Declan Smith, Alex Luttrell, Sam Hall, Jarred Gilroy, Liam Fitzgerald, Oliver Bird, Matt Hall, Ash Fisher, Adam Young, Luke Engels (Interchange: Nicholas Leitch, Robert Lapolla, Toby Macgregor)

Booked: Adam Young 39

Goals: Oliver Bird 25, Robert Lapolla 68

South Hobart: Michael Hughes; Nick Simpson, Kieran Roach, Dylan Postma, Nicholas Cuthbertson, William Ross, Edward Croger, Daniel Phillips, Andy Brennan, Campbell Stewart, Ned Clarke (Interchange: Tristan North, David Woolley, Thomas Bilson, Hugo Bladel)

Goals: Daniel Phillips 5

Att: 90

Ref: D Lineen