THE FINALS 2008
Bill Turner Cup (boys) and Bill Turner Trophy (girls)
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Park Street, Edgeworth (City of Lake Macquarie, NSW)
Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 September, 2008
By Greg Danvers
The final of the 30th Bill Turner Cup for boys and 18th Bill Turner Trophy for girls were played on Wednesday, 10 September 2008 before an enthusiastic crowd of supporters and a true legend of the game – Mark Bosnich.
Edgeworth Eagles Football Club hosted the finals series and produced a quality pitch for the finalists in the 15-and-under high schools knockout tournament. Back in April well over 900 schools across both competitions kicked off this year’s memorable competition. Slowly but surely the teams were reduced until just four, girls and boys, schools arrived in the City of Lake Macquarie to find the champions.
Illawarra Sports High lifted the Bill Turner Cup with a well deserved 1-0 win over their Westfields Sports High opponents.
A seventh minute goal by Chris Sidoni the difference, on the scoreboard, between the two sides. Bosnich had a smile on his face when the Illawarra goalkeeper Sam Nastic thwarted what appeared to be goal bound shots by the Westfields’ strikers.
Bosnich presented Westfields Sport High’s Tomislav Cirjak with the Austcraft Medals Star Player award.
Westfields Sports High ended the three year reign of Hunter Sports High in a enthralling Bill Turner Trophy final.
Hunter went to a 1-0 lead with a sure strike by Tara Andrews from the penalty spot. Andrews had earlier struck what looked to be a goal bound ball only to see her shot rocket off the crossbar. The ball was whipped back into the area and a Westfield defender hand balled. Andrews coolly converted on 17-minutes.
The two sides created chances as the game progressed but neither were able to score.
As the clock wound down to closure and a fourth title for Hunter a handball in their area gave Westfields a sniff of a draw.
Candance Sciberras scored from the penalty spot to lock up the scores and send the match into golden goal extra-time.
Soon after the resumption of play Hunter conceded a corner which Westfields’ Alanna Kennedy curled into the goal mouth. The ball beat everyone and found the back of the net and Westfields were crowned the Bill Turner Trophy champions.
Hunter Sports High midfielder Hannah Brewer received her Austcraft Medals Star Player award from Bosnich.
Results
Bill Turner Cup (Boys)
Final
Illawarra Sports High [NSW] 1 (Chris SIDONI 7m) beat Westfields Sports High [NSW] 0.
Third Place Play-off
Cavendish Road State High [QLD] 2 (Travis BERR 30m, Sam OWEN 33m) beat Whitebridge High [Northern NSW] 0.
Austcraft Medals Star Player of the Tournament: Tomislav CIRJAK – Westfields Sports High
Bill Turner Trophy (Girls)
Final
Westfields Sports High [NSW] 2 (Candance SCIBERRAS 62m penalty, Alanna KENNEDY 63m golden goal) beat Hunter Sports High [Northern NSW] 1 [Tara ANDREWS 17m penalty)
Third Place Play-off
Cavendish Road State High [QLD] 2 (Charlotte BOYES 43m, Courtney HOLMWOOD 46m) beat Illawarra Sports High [NSW] 1 (Emily MATTHEWS 8m).
Austcraft Medals Star Player of the Tournament: Hannah BREWER – Hunter Sports High [Northern NSW]
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