A lone item from Matthew Beal was enough for Shiva boys Hindu College to triumph 1 nil over this season’s Secondary School’s Football League Premier Division champions, Presentation College, in the first match of the Coca Cola InterCol South Zone semi final double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella yesterday.
Beal, one of the two ineligible players that Shiva fielded throughout the Premier Division season, delivered a goal in the second half of regulation time to send Shiva through to the Coca Cola Intercol South Zone Final.
The team will play against Naparima College in next Thursday’s final at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, after it ran out 4-1 winners against St. Benedict’s College in the other South Zone semi-final.
Midfielder Declan Marcelle opened the scoring for Naps’ in the seventh minute with a far-post strike that gifted his team a dream start.
Premier Division top scorer, Judah St. Louis then gave his team relief in the 57th minute with a well-placed shot from inside the 18-yard box.
After the team were cruising and seemed to be on their way to the final, Ronaldo McIntosh turned up the intensity, registering a quick brace (two goals) within a couple of minutes after a well-worked goal in the 69th minute and a header in the 76th minute.
Letting out his frustration for his team’s no-show, Keon Boney sent a rocket of a shot into the Naps’ goal to provide St Benedict’s a lone consolation goal in the 84th minute.
However, it was too little too late for St Benedict’s as the final whistle blew with the score reading 4-1.
Intercol action will be on hold for the weekend, until Monday, when national finals week will kick-off with Chaguanas North Secondary taking on Carapichaima East in the Central Zone Final at the Ato Boldon stadium from 5pm.
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
Shiva Boys Hindu College 1 (Matthew Beal 72') v Presentation College 0
Naparima College 4 (Declan Marcelle 7’, Judah St Louis 57’, Renaldo McIntosh 69’, 76’) v St Benedict’s College 1 (Keon Boney 84’)
(Teams by Wired868.com)
Shiva Boys HC (4-3-3): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 32.Ronald Charles (5.Anderson Peters 52), 19.Yohannes Richardson, 3.Jabari Gray, 14.Matthew Beal; 10.Judah Garcia (captain), 15.Kierron Mason, 6.Tyrel Emmanuel; 17.Ronaldo Edwards (8.Jude Phillip 89), 7.Quinn Rodney (9.Tyrel Baptiste 74), 11.Junior Asson
Coach: Corey Brown
Presentation College (4-2-3-1); 22.Jabari Gray (captain) (1.Ishmael Salaam (GK) 86); 2.Shirwin Noel, 21.Matthew Joseph, 3.Juaval Roberts, 16.Mylz Barrington, 46.Darnell Hospedales, 12.Jerrin Jackie, 17.Omari Cobham (11.Nathaniel Dyer 82), 7.Omri Baird (6.Ackeel Jacob 85), 10.Jordan Riley, 9. Jaiye Sheppard,
Coach: Shawn Cooper
Referee: Michael London
Wired868 Man of the Match: Matthew Beal (Shiva Boys)
RELATED NEWS
Shiva Boys out for revenge in Intercol.
By Stephon Nicholas (Newsday).
Shiva Boys booked their spot in the Coca Cola South Intercol final yesterday, edging Presentation College San Fernando 1-0 in the second match of a doubleheader at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Shiva Boys, who were deducted 14 points for improperly registering two players during the recently concluded Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division and subsequently relegated, were indebted to Matthew Beal who ironically was one of the footballers whose rregistration was protested.
Beal’s s second half strike was enough to separate the two teams yesterday and Shiva Boys will now meet Naparima College in the South Final on Thursday after the latter hammered St Benedict’s College 4-1 in the earlier match yesterday. Naparima’s Ronaldo McIntosh had a double while Declan Marcelle and Judah St Louis got one each. Keon Bony got St Benedict’s lone item.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Sheldon Maharaj, manager of Shiva Boys, said their team is extra motivated for the Intercol competition as they believe they are the best schools team in the country.
“Definitely, I mean during the Premiership, there were other schools such as QRC’s (coach) Mr (Nigel) Grovesnor stated after he played us that our team is a cut above the rest and this is something that he stated outright. Many teams even Benedict’s said we should not be playing school football, we should be playing Pro League.
“They saw us as the dominant team and we come out to prove that we are the dominant team. We will prove that we had deserved to go out and win that Premiership. Unfortunate circumstances didn’t allow it, but we’re going to prove we have the best team and we’re going to prove it in the Intercol. We’re out to prove something.”
Maharaj noted that had it not been for any deductions in the Premier Division, Shiva Boys would have retained their SSFL title comfortably. He said his players are all highly motivated and they are competing with a chip on their shoulder.
“They themselves want to prove (something). They know their capabilities,” he said.
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