FIVE Statewide Cup finals are taking place this long weekend, featuring teams from across Tasmania.
The Development Cup Finals will be held TOMORROW, (Saturday 8 June) at Wentworth Park, Howrah.
The Under 17 boys’ final between Devonport City Strikers and Launceston City will kick off at midday, and the Under 18 girls’ final between Glenorchy Knights and South Hobart at 2.30pm.
On Monday, 10 June at Clennett’s Lightwood Park, Kingston the Devonport City Strikers and Clarence Zebras will contest the Under 21s final at 11am; and the Women’s Statewide Cup final between Devonport City Strikers and Kingborough Lions will begin at 1.30pm.
In the final match, Kingborough Lions and Glenorchy Knights will contest the Lakoseljac Cup at 4pm, with the winner entering Round 32 of the Australia Cup, where they face the possibility of drawing A-League opponents.
The Cup is named for Milan Lakoseljac who made a significant contribution to football in Tasmania as both a player and coach after arriving from Croatia in 1969.
Milan passed away in 1999 after a lengthy illness, and the Statewide Cup was renamed and relaunched in 2000 as the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy to honour his memory.
Football Tasmania Chief Executive Officer Tony Pignata encouraged people to get along to the games on both days.
“With five Cup finals being decided in one weekend, the King’s Birthday long weekend is shaping up to be one of the biggest events on the Tasmanian calendar for football fans,” he said.
“There’s nothing like the passion of Cup football, and I encourage Tasmanians to rug up and get to a game to see the State’s best players in action – and our McDonald’s® Half-Time Heroes from our Football in Schools program.
“On behalf of Football Tasmania, I’d like to thank McDonald’s Australia for supporting the Statewide Cups, as well as for their continued support of the National Premier League and Women’s Super League in Tasmania.”
(L-R) Kingborough Lions women’s coach Cameron Heazlewood, men’s coach Alfred Hess and player Kobe Kemp; Milan Lakoseljac’s wife Nerradine Lakoseljac; Glenorchy Knights men’s coach James Sherman; and Kingborough Lions player Danielle Kannegiesser.