Last season’s defeated Digicel Pro Bowl finalist W Connection have been drawn to face Police FC in the quarter-final round of the 2011-12 season edition which was launched on Wednesday morning at the Digicel Corporate Box at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain.
The random draw was overseen by TT Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene and Wendy Alleyne, Sponsorship and Promotions Manager – Digicel Trinidad and Tobago and witnessed by clubs’ representatives and the media.
Other quarter-final round matchups for Friday 4 May include DIRECTV North East Stars against T&TEC FC from 8pm at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, two hours after the Connection, Police clash from 6pm at the Marabella venue.
Meantime St. Ann’s Rangers will take on recently crowned Lucozade Sport Goal Shield winners Caledonia AIA from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and from 8pm at the Port of Spain venue Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh are against Defence Force, as clubs begin their quest for the winner takes all Pro Bowl title and over $100,000.
Last season, W Connection was defeated by a lone Andre Toussaint item to give Joe Public the 2010-11 season Pro Bowl title. Joe Public also winners in the inaugural tournament in 2009 isn’t a member club of the Pro League this season which means that a new champion will be crowned.
“W Connection always try to play on the last day of the season, so we would like to assume that we would be playing on the (Friday) 18 May (the Final),” said W Connection captain and goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams during the launch.
“We take the competition very seriously,” continued the 2011-12 Digicel Pro League Championship winning player. “We take Police very seriously obviously because they are one of the teams that defeated us this season. So apart from the 8-1 win we had against them in our last meeting,” he laughed. “… Obviously we have to take everything serious. I know it’s going to be very competitive because everyone would like to win.”
Police FC Technical Director Muhammad Isa responded, “We’ve had a very good season. And we are not coming to lie down against W Connection. We have nothing to lose and it would be a pleasure to beat the (League) champions.”
The semi-final round will be played on Friday 11 and the Final on Friday 18 with the venues the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
On behalf of title sponsor Digicel, Alleyne said, “As always, Digicel is proud to partner with the TT Pro League to help create a platform for these young men to learn and grow. This is an invaluable forum for you to display your skills so that opportunities for national, regional and international play may find you.
It is definitely going to be a tournament to watch. Digicel is inviting everyone to come out and support their local teams as they vie for the top (Pro Bowl) prize. We want to encourage you all to stand behind your home grown talent, for these are the men who will be representing Trinidad and Tobago regionally and internationally.
We are already seeing the benefits, as the quality of play in each year’s Digicel pro League is better than the year before. For our part, we are very grateful to be part of this exciting venture in which we get to watch young players develop into national and international superstars. We would like to thank the Pro League for allowing us to partner for a third year in a row, and the players for consistently showing us why this is such a worthy venture.”
Digicel Pro Bowl fixtures
Quarter-Final Round
Friday 4 May 2012
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium
W Connection vs Police FC—6pm(A)
North East Stars vs T&TEC FC—8pm(C)
Hasely Crawford Stadum
St. Ann’s Rangers vs Caledonia AIA—6pm(D)
San Juan Jabloteh vs Defence Force—8pm(B)
Semi-Final Round
Friday 11 May
Hasely Crawford Stadium
A vs D
B vs C
Final
Friday 18 May
Hasely Crawford Stadium