James Murphy
AFTER a week off for the junior country championships, Limestone Coast soccer action returns to the region with the first rounds of finals this weekend.
The A Grade fixture will be hotly contested in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
A blockbuster qualifying final between International and Gambier Centrals will be the spectacle for the men on Sunday.
The two teams will battle it out for the first grand final berth and based off previous meetings, a hard-fought game can be expected.
Their ledger sits at 2-1 in Inter’s favour for 2022, but the Lions will be eager to take the easy step towards their title defence.
The game could go either way and is sure to provide entertainment for spectators.
The elimination final will be played at Webb Street between Apollo and Naracoorte.
While Naracoorte has shown glimpses of its potential, particularly in recent rounds, Apollo will be a hard nut to crack.
It has matched it with the top teams and defeated them both in their last encounters, which provides some confidence heading into its finals campaign.
After a runner-up performance in 2021, Apollo will be as hungry as ever for that elusive premiership and will not let Naracoorte stand in its way.
In the women’s competition, Inter and Blue Lake lock horns in the qualifying final at Casadio Park tomorrow.
Inter held the upper hand in their previous meetings this year and won all three encounters.
The girls in black and blue can be expected to do the same this week and book themselves a place in the grand final.
Over at Webb Street, an elimination final will be played between Apollo and Millicent.
Apollo has pushed the top teams this year and finished three wins clear of Millicent after the home-and-away season.
It should claim the win and then face a tough challenge the following week in the preliminary final.
