The prolific Tex Whitelocke’s lone goal was all George Town needed to capture the coveted forty-three year old celebrated Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) 2010 FA Cup over the desperate Tigers FC team, last Sunday at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.
Whitelocke scored in the 13th minute to hand the FA Cup to George Town for the fourth time in the team’s history.
Both teams were at it from the first sound of Jamaican FIFA Referee Courtney Campbell’s whistle attacking for both ends for a lead in the first half.
George Town, desperate for a double championship, was in no mood to waste time and started a build up from midfield; Whitelocke eluded the Tigers defense line and fired a perfect shot pass the stunned goal keeper Edgardo Fuentes. The game became quite physical as both team stood firmly on their ground, to prevent the other form netting. This continued for the rest of the first half which ended 1-0.Â
At the start of the second half, both teams wasted no time in keeping the referee officials busy passing the ball briskly from one end of the field to the other. Kirk Rowe, Richard Grant and Jose Bush played their hearts out going forward, but the two custodians Clay Coleman from George Town and Edgardo Fuentes from Tigers was the major obstacles on both teams.
These two goal keepers were the talk of the FA Cup finals as they created walls in their own areas which could not be penetrated.
Aluisio Gustavo, Ian Lindo, Fabian Malcolm and Mitchie Williams were a force to reckon with as they advanced towards goal but the Tigers defense line unleashed their animal instincts and would have none of that in their half.
Both teams made substantial substitutions but this could not change the damage that man of the match, wearing number thirteen Tex Whiltelocke had already done in the 13th minute.
It was regulation time and Referee Campbell pointed to the centre circle signaling the end of the game 1-0.
Head Coach Lee Ramoon was happy with the results and admitted that it was a tough game. He went further to point out that he felt good for the players who had made all the sacrifices to achieve the victory.
“I feel good but feel better for the players who worked hard to achieve this level of success in this season. They have worked assiduously taking two titles. It’s unfortunate that we did not capture the Premier League title but the ball is round, and some days any team can beat us if we do not turn up to the game focused and with the right attitude, we will pay the price for that lapse.” Â
“Come next season our intentions are to try to keep the same group of players together it’s a great synergy. We will be inviting new players to join the club and hopefully maintain the level of enthusiasm that the team exhibits now,” Ramoon stated.
Walter Hernandez President and Player of the Tigers team, was disappointed with the result but confirmed that the game was keenly contested. He blamed the defeat on the egotistical approach the team took in the first half.
Hernandez said “Frankly I feel the defeat was due to the egotistical approach the team took in the first half of the game. This resulted in us giving up an early goal which was the deciding factor of the game. We regrouped and played a unified type of game this camaraderie helped us to play a goalless second half. The team fought well and that is behind us now.” Â
“Our focus is now fixed on keeping this “Delta Force” together while improvising on the quality and amount of players we have at both Senior and Youth level for next season. This was a great season for us despite our hiccups.” Â
Leading up to the final, Tigers in a keenly contested semi final struggled to dismiss Elite 6-4 in extra time after a 4-4 deadlock at regulation time while George Town turned back First Division team Latinos FC 2-0 to reach the final.
Women United made it three in a row in the 2010 Cayman Islands football Association (CIFA), Women’s CIFA Cup season by beating Sunset 5-2 despite playing with ten players, in the finals played at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex last Sunday.
Captain, Shenel Gall was the hero for her team scoring four goals while the star of the national Under 17 Girls team Alyssa Chin netted one. The celebration started as early as in the second minute of the game when the skilful Shenel Gall evaded the Sunset defense line and placed the ball behind goal keeper Jovani Hessing.Â
The game became very physical as Sunset grappled to keep at bay the most feared women’s football team in Grand Cayman. In the 18th minute Sunset succumbed to enormous pressure and gave up a penalty to Women United when one of their players created a foul in the penalty area.
Gall stepped up to the plate and scored her second goal. Sunset refused to lay down dead and started to attack going forward dangerously. This effort paid off in the 36th minute when Caron Lumbra scored.
In the 45th minute Justina Range made her contribution to end the first half on level grounds with a 2-2 score line.
Women United regrouped in the second half and displayed their desire to win by attacking and defending when needed. This style confused the Sunset defenders another foul was committed and Referee Tim McCarthy pointed to the penalty spot again in the 49th minute. Shenel Gall took the shot successfully bringing the score to 3-2.
Eleven minutes later Shenel Gall took a shot at goal to complete her tally of four goals and in the 80th minute Alyssa Chin placed the icing on the cake ending the game 5-2. Â
Women United made it to the final by defeating Elite SC 1-0 in a keenly contested game played at the Camana Bay (DART) Play Field in Camana Bay. Sunset SC dismissed Scholars International 4-1 at the Ed Bush Stadium to take their place at the final.
Shenel Gal was quite pleased with her performance and the team’s success and had this to say, “Scoring four goals in the FA Cup final was a great feeling. Scoring goals period makes me feel good. I owe it to my team. We worked really hard and deserved this win. Being in the finals for the third season is every team’s dream and to face it in reality is amazing. We as a team could not have done it without God, our coach, our parents and our fans.”
President of Women United Sharaine Chin was quite happy with the win and said, “I am extremely proud of our team for winning their 3rd successive FA Cup. Special thanks and congrats to Coach Bobby and to the Agape Church for the use of their Play Field for training, and of course our sponsors. I also extend congrats to Sunset for making it to the final and giving us a strong competition.”
In the 2009 finals, Bodden Town came from behind and fought off the attacks of Elite to capture the FA Cup title with a 3-1 victory.
Elite were runaway champions in the Premier league and defeated Scholars International at the Digicel Cup finals as well. Obviously they thought they had arrived and did not take the young Bodden Town boys seriously. They came into the game feeling confident in beating their opponent. Bodden Town eager to take a double after winning their respective League championships were in high gear as both teams came face to face with each other in a bid to take the forty-two year old crown.
Bodden Town came into the game in an attacking mood from the first sound of Referee Kenville Holder’s whistle taking the Elite team by surprise. Elite responded fighting back defensively and going into the attack. With a buildup in midfield between Renee Carter and Jairo Sanchez, Derrin Ebanks picked up the ball and placed it pass Bodden Town’s goal keeper Ramon Sealy in the 25th minute. Seven minutes later Bodden Town supporters had something to cheer about after Marvin Twyne netted the first of his double to level the score. Kareem James scored in the 42nd minute and Twyne completed his double in the 77th ending the score 3-1.
George Town SC clipped Tigers FC 1-0 in a nail-biting encounter in the 43rd final of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) FA Cup last Sunday evening at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in a feature game played at 7:00pm. It was the creative Tex Whitelock's 13th minute goal that settled the matter in this heated final.
