The
second Open Age Plate Semi-Final brought together
Sporting Armada and TEAM Polonia Limerick, two
sides whose group-stage campaigns had been remarkably
similar. Both finished on nine points and both
found the net nine times, with Polonia holding
the edge defensively after conceding seven goals
compared to Sporting Armada's eleven. With so
little separating the teams on paper, a closely
contested encounter looked likely, and the match
certainly lived up to expectations as neither
side was able to find a decisive advantage across
an entertaining game in a match that finished
level at 3-3.
Sporting
Armada's goals came from Jack Rusbridge, Will
Wood and Bobby Brown, with Rusbridge and Brown
each scoring their second goals of the day and
Wood taking his tally to three. TEAM Polonia Limerick
matched them throughout, with Konrad Miskiewicz
finding the net alongside a brace from Kuba Cieloch.
The latter had opened the tournament in spectacular
fashion, scoring hat-tricks in each of his first
two games, but had been unable to add to his tally
since. There could hardly have been a better time
for Cieloch to rediscover his scoring touch, as
his two goals helped Polonia keep pace with Armada
and ensured the semi-final could not be settled
in normal play.
With
the scores locked at 3-3, the tie went to a penalty
shootout to decide who would join New Ham United
in the Open Age Plate Final. TEAM Polonia Limerick
proved flawless from the spot, with Cieloch and
Daniel Zwiegela each converting twice with Kacper
Kusiak also finding the net. Sporting Armada kept
the pressure on through Josh Matthews, who scored
both of his penalties, and Ryan Higgins, who also
converted, but a missed attempt from Rusbridge
proved costly. TEAM Polonia Limerick held their
nerve to win the shootout 5-4, booking their place
in the Plate Final after a semi-final that could
scarcely have been tighter.
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