Barrouallie reinstalled as national U-17 and Senior Men’s football champs

Barrouallie retained the Under-17 and Senior Men’s titles of the Hairoun Beer/Karib Cable National Inter Community Football League last Sunday night at the Victoria Park.{{more}}

The triumphs by Barrouallie ensured that all four titles went to the Leeward side of the island.

And, on both occasions, South Leeward had to settle for the runner-up prizes.

Under-17 retake

The first title retained on the night by the Central Leeward team was in the male under-17 division.

Barrouallie, looking the fitter and more purposeful outfit, drew first blood as early as the 5th minute, when Digicel Kick start selectee Kyle Edwards deposited a free kick in the back of the South Leeward net.

Edwards became the provider for a Dexroy Wilson easy tap in, in the 25th minute, as Barrouallie was having it all the way, as the half ended 2-nil in their favour.

Barrouallie extended the lead in the 46th minute, courtesy a Delano John penalty.

South Leeward got on the score sheet when referee Andrew Bramble pointed to the penalty spot, which Derron Rouse successfully converted in the 59th minute.

It was all over, barring the shouting, as the match ended 3-1 in favour of Barrouallie, but not before South Leeward made a few attacks of their own, but to no avail.

South Leeward finished the match with ten players, after Nazron Hoyte was ejected for a dangerous tackle.

The Big One

In taking the senior men’s top prize for the second year running, Barrouallie came up against a charged up South Leeward outfit, who were prepared to wrestle and take the title from their grasp.

South Leeward did the early running, as they had nothing to lose, but Barrouallie weathered the mild turbulence which was offered, before the match settled into a midl Continued from Page 29

field battle, punctuated by some raids on each other’s goal.

But neither team had anything to show at the end of the first half.

And, the second half was similar to the first, except for some periods of dour play.

For the second 45 minutes, the teams were unable to break the stalemate, which sent the encounter into extra time.

With legs tiring and the time approaching 11 p.m., the score line was changed in the first period of extra time, when Mikey Francis pounced on a loose ball, occasioned by a mistake from South Leeward’s goalkeeper Marlo Marshall. Francis took advantage and buried the ball in the back of the net, to send Barrouallie one up and their supporters off their feet.

But the Barrouallie defence let their guard down and with their legs giving way, allowed a ball to find its way to a poaching Nazir Mc Burnette on the back post, to slot home the ball in the second period of extra time and restore parity and bring out the confetti that the South Leeward supporters had saved up for such an occasion.

Barrouallie had the last shout, when Shavel Cunningham got on the end of a goal mouth bundling, to toe the ball over the line, and give his team to be once again crowned as champion.

Relief on the marathon night came at 11:35 pm, when referee Timothy Hazelwood blew his whistle, leaving the large Barrouallie crowd to celebrate with their usual gay abandonment, while the South Leeward camp dropped their heads, folded their big flag and left the venue disconsolate.

The prize-giving ceremony takes place at a date to be announced by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation. (RT)