Naps humble QRC, Saints maul Mason Hall

Naps, which had a horrid season this year in surrending both its league and knockout titles to Presentation, came out with a lot of purpose and controlled most of the first half. The Southerners got their opening goal in the 17th minute when national senior selectee Shahdon Winchester ran onto a ball and placed it just out of the reach of goalkeeper Kareem Joseph.

In the 28th minute, the lead was doubled when Andre Matthews collected a ball down the left flank. He evaded a challenge from a defender in the box and with all the time in the world, placed the ball into the net, leaving Joseph as a spectator.

The Royalians had a few chances but were unable to make anything out of them. In the 31st minute the defending champs custodian O’Shae Noel was forced to make a sliding save to keep out an effort from Akil Morris. Duane Muckette, the star of QRC’s season, continued his impressive display of skills when he made a few runs of his own. However, the 14-year-old was unable to come up with any goals.

At the end of the first half the scoreline remained 2-0 in favour of Naps. The North Intercol champs which came back from two goals down against St Anthony’s in the zone’s semifinal, tried to duplicate the effort, as they started the second half on the goal hunt. QRC had a few chances but, it seemed not to be their day.

The Royalians lost their head coach Keith Eddy in the 59th minute as he was sent to the stand-by referee Julian Drayton for protesting a call. Matters got worse for QRC as Dwayne Edwards increased the lead in the 61st minute from the penalty spot, after Ryan Frederick was adjudged to have been brought down in the box.

Muckette tried for all his worth but he was able to bail out his team this time. The defending champs will now play the winner of the East Intercol champs St Augustine and the Central champs Carapichaima which will take place tomorrow at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.

Yesterday’s Result

NAPARIMA 3 (Shahdon Winchester 17th, Andre Matthew 28th, Dwayne Edwards (Pen) 61st) vs QUEEN’S ROYAL COLLEGE 0.

Saints maul Mason Hall 6-1.
T&T Guardian Reports,

Inspired by a pair of goals each from Dillon Kirton, Renaldo Garcia and Chad Appoo, St Mary’s swamped Mason Hall 6-1 yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the Coca Cola National InterCol.

The match was played at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. The first half ended 4-0 with Appoo scoring the opening goal in the 18th minute, running on to a past and slipping it wide from the advancing goalkeeper Keshon Davidson, who had an outstanding season leading Mason Hall to both titles in the Tobago Zone.

Kirton followed up with a quick-fire double, the first a header in 20th minute, and the second two minutes later, slotting into an open goal.

In the 33rd minute, Garcia got on the scoresheet after the ball rebounded off Davidson from an Akil Noel shot. He was on spot to tap home. Appoo made it 5-0 in the 59th minute, after being left along and putting a neat placement past Davidson. Mason Hall’s striker Brandon Joseph was brought down in the box in the 74th minute.

The resulting penalty was scored by captain Omari Charles. Four minutes later, Garcia took advantage of a defence error and slipped the ball into an open net, after the keeper and Charles had some miscommunication.

St Mary’s, the North Zone runners-up, will now play the winner of Presentation (South champion) and El Dorado (East runners-up) - a match that will be played today at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, from 4 pm. “It was a disappointing game, as far as we are concerned,” said Anthony Williams, the Mason Hall manager.

“The guys did not execute as in previous games.” St Mary’s coach, Jason Edwards said: “Overall, it a good performance by us. We will now be looking forward to the semifinal. “We were superior in terms of possession, movement of the ball and shooting on target - something we’ve been working on.”

St Mary's, Naparima move on to semis.
By: Kern De Freitas (T&T Express).

St Mary’s College marched confidently into the 2009 Coca Cola InterCol semi-finals after thumping first-time Tobago champions Mason Hall 6-1 yesterday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

The North Zone League champs will meet the winners of today’s clash between Presentation College San Fernando and El Dorado East Secondary after a victory that was perhaps easier than one would expect in a quarter-final.

Naparima College also earned their final four berth with a comfortable 3-0 win over Queen’s Royal College in the second match of yesterday’s double-header.

First up, Mason Hall had the better of the opening exchanges and actually threatened to score. They had no explanation for what happened between minutes 18 to 21, though, as they were winded when they conceded three goals in four minutes.

Saints’ midfielder Chad Appoo started their misery with the opener, beating Mason Hall ’keeper Keshon Davidson, before Dillon Kirton compounded it with a quick double inside two minutes.

In the 20th, Kirton rose to meet Appoo’s corner kick, his header lethally accurate. Then, through a pass from Renaldo Garcia across the penalty area, he slotted home for their second.

Even after they had conceded the first three goals, Mason Hall could have responded in kind. Brandon Joseph had a good pass across the box from Makeil McKenzie, but his shot was very weak, while McKenzie blasted over from close range.

Still, the Mason Hall supporters begged vociferously for a goal from their team, even after Garcia added a fourth in the 33rd, the teams going into the break with the Saints leading 4-0.

After absorbing early pressure in the second period and withstanding a point-blank shot by Garcia, saved by Davidson, Joseph could have put Mason Hall on the scoresheet, but banged his near post effort wide. And captain Omar Charles hit a free kick that barely cleared the crossbar.

But St Mary’s kept pressing and found their fifth in the 65th, an easy finish by Appoo after a defender missed an easy clearance.

Mason Hall added one through Charles from the penalty spot in the 75th, after Joseph was brought down. But St Mary’s would cap off the scoring in the 78th, Garcia poking one home after a terrible Charles blunder.

In the second encounter, QRC were wounded early when Shahdon Winchester opened the scoring for Naparima in the 17th minute after a pair of near misses, including an offside call.

Andre Matthew added another in the 28th and Dwayne Edwards sealed the issue via the penalty spot in the 61st minute.

National InterCol quarter-final action continues at 4 p.m. today when Presentation College San Fernando take on El Dorado East Secondary at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.