Top local men’s first division Club Everest Hikers have booked a place in the final and seem set to win their second title in three years when the curtains came down on the fourth Annual Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival last night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Hikers were down to meet Malvern of Trinidad and Tobago in the final and they went into the match with a psychological advantage follow their 6-4 victory over the Trinidadians in the preliminary competition on Saturday.
The Camp Road side that had beaten Malvern in the final in 2005 will be looking to continue their impressive run form since the tournament started in 2004.
With Jerry Bell, the tournament’s leading goal scorer, Captain Devin Munroe, Alex Gouveia, Shane Samuels, Robert Fernandes, Marc King and player/coach Timothy McIntosh all showing good nick Hikers seemed set to soar to new heights.
Georgetown Cricket Club were down to play defending champions Raiders of Trinidad and Tobago in the ladies’ final.
The two teams played to an exciting 2-2 draw in their preliminary contest Saturday night setting up a highly anticipated finale.
Both teams featured players who were part of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago’s national teams in the recently held Caribbean Hockey Cup.
The veteran’s final, an all-Trinidad affair pits defending champions Fatima and Malvern playing for the Carib Beer title and $500 US first prize.
In results of matches played yesterday morning, Shakatan and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force played to a 3-3 draw in the men’s competition.
Everest Hikers ladies disappointing run continued when they suffered a 1-4 defeat at the hands of Malvern. Sherlan Cabralis, Liselle Parris, Brigid Poon-Lewis and Jamila Leonce netted one goal each for Malvern, while Cora Towler scored for Hikers.Malvern veterans swamped Old Old Fort 7-1 with Albert Marcano scoring a hattrick, D. Alexander (2) and one each from N. Lashley and K. Humes. Dexter Wyles netted Old Old Fort’s consolation goal.
Hikers men’s were severe on arch-rivals GCC beating the Bourda side 6-0 with Bell leading the charge with a hat-trick, Munroe, Gouveia and Samuels scoring one goal each. Raiders completed an unbeaten run with a 3-0 win over new-comers Checkers with Nicole Aminj hitting a double and Fiselle Francois scoring one.
Marcano scored a hattrick as Malvern berat Old Fort 3-2. Jason DeSantos and Askofu Simon scored for the losers. In other preliminary results, Checkers 2- Everest 0 (ladies) , Fatima 5 Carib Degenerates(veteran) 2, Hikers 6- Malvern 4 (men) , GCC 2 Raiders 2 (ladies), GCC 6- Shakatan 1 (men), Old Fort 8 TTDF 4 (men).
The Festival is sponsored by Demerara Distillers Ltd and Carib Beer.
