(Lakoseljac Cup Semi-Final, Olinda Grove, Saturday, 25 May 2019)
University 1
(Fahey 82 pen)
Devonport City 2
(Barnard 25, Giampaoli 78)
HT: 0-1 Att:
120 Ref: N Coad
University: Hoysted
- MacGregor, McKernan, Jose, Connolly
(Thorne 79) - Undy (Trac 59), Roach, Carnaby,
Dickinson - Harris (Ling 69), Fahey (Subs not used: Watts, Griffiths)
Devonport City:
Pitchford - Parke, Reynolds, Mulraney, Smith - Syson,
Stone, Giampaoli (Tantari 90) - Fitzgerald (West 80), Barnard (Jack Dance 46),
Bidwell
Photo: Devonport's Argentinian midfielder Ignacio Giampaoli makes a pass [PlessPix]
Devonport City didn’t look like a team that leads the NPL Tasmania
competition by 5 points. They certainly
weren’t on song in this cup tie.
Joel Stone was probably their best player and he and
midfield companion Ignacio Giampaoli undoubtedly teased and tormented their
opponents at times.
Miles Barnard started at centre-forward for the visitors
against his former club and he put them in front with an accurate header in the
25th minute.
Barnard had missed an earlier header, from which he should
have scored. Perhaps his best role is as
an impact substitute, coming on late to win matches.
Photo: Devonport winger Max Fitzgerald under pressure from University's Joseph Dickinson [PlessPix]
Max Fitzgerald was lively and forced an excellent save from
University keeper Elliot Hoysted after 10 minutes.
Barnard’s goal is what separated the sides at half-time.
There was no doubting University’s commitment, endeavour and
sheer hard work. Their defence was stubborn,
but their midfielders found it hard to feed the forwards accurately, while the
forwards themselves could not find space and time to shoot.
Having said that, Joshua Harris went close after only a
couple of minutes when his low drive from the right went just wide of the far
upright.
Devonport put their backs to the task in the second half and
should have increased their lead, but all they could do was hit the woodwork
twice in quick succession in a flurry of activity inside the box.
Photo: Devonport's Connor Parke clears ahead of University's Fergal Connolly [PlessPix]
It wasn’t until 12 minutes from the end that they managed to
get some breathing space. Tom Roach was
dispossessed in midfield by Fitzgerald, who fed Giampaoli, and the diminutive
Argentinian advanced on goal and fired past Hoysted to make it 2-0.
University were not finished, however, and their
perseverance was rewarded in the 82nd minute when Roach got inside
the box and was tripped by Raphael Reynolds.
Sam Fahey converted he penalty, shooting low and into the bottom
left-hand corner. Nathan Pitchford made
a valiant attempt to save, but was fractionally too late.
Kenneth Trac, who had come on in place of Undy, was making
some good moves on the right for University in the last half-hour of the game,
but Devonport held out to qualify for their third Lakoseljac Cup Final in four
years.
They will need to do better than they did in this match if
they are to retain the trophy.
Photo: University player-coach Jake Undy was pleased with his players' efforts and the support of their fans [PlessPix]
University
player-coach Jake Undy said:
“We’re disappointed.
Not in our effort at all. We’re
very proud of our effort. I’m stoked at
the effort everyone put in, but I’m disappointed with the result.
“We came here to win and we feel like we could have come
away with that. I’m really thankful to
all the guys and girls from the Uni club who got behind us. They really rallied for us at key moments.
“We were pushing for extra-time all the way. It’s bouncing around in the six-yard box in
the last few minutes and anything could have happened.
“I’m proud of the guys’ efforts and really grateful to
everyone who turned up. We’ll turn up
next weekend and push ourselves to be better, and we’ll do the same the week
after and the week after that.”
Photo: Devonport City coach Rick Coghlan said his team were not at their best but he was delighted that they have reached the final [PlessPix]
Devonport City coach
Rick Coghlan said:
“It was a tough game.
Uni really took it to us. It was
by far not our best 90 minutes, but all things considered, we’re in the final
and we’ll take the result.
“We’re pleased that we got our goals and saw the game out. We’re not blind to the fact that It wasn’t
the best performance from us, but, if we can grind out results and win when it
matters, when we’re not playing well, we’ll take it.”
“Full credit to Uni.
They’ve come to a big semi-final and they’ve really brought the game to
us and pushed us the whole way for 90 minutes.
We’ve got no complaints. It was a
very, very difficult game in the conditions, the environment, the opposition,
and we’ve reached the final so we’re pleased.”
Photo: Devonport's Edward Bidwell stretches for the ball [PlessPix]
Photo: Nathan Coad was in charge of the match [PlessPix]
1 comment:
Worst performance I've seen Devonport play in the last few years.but all teams have off days
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