Day of days on the turf

YMP stalwart Heath Tupara, pictured in action against Lytton Old Boys Traktion’s Seamus McCormack, has been involved in finals day many a time over his decades with the club. And he has played a starring role in the odd one or three. Tomorrow he and the likes of good mate Michael Bond will rack up another when defending champions YMP A take on Waituhi in the Prem 1 men’s final. YMP are hungry to mark the club’s centenary year with another crown.Picture by Liam Clayton

Excitement is set to reach fever pitch as the Poverty Bay hockey fraternity counts down to its “Day of Days” tomorrow — the Prem 1 and 2  men’s and women’s grand finals.

A couple of big questions will be answered on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve.

Can YMP A retain their Prem 1 women’s crown ?

Can Waituhi create history in the Prem 1 men’s competition?

The weekend action starts tonight with minor placing playoffs.

Gisborne Girls’ High School  1st XI and Paikea take the turf at 6pm to decide third and fourth in the Prem 1 women’s division.

“Paikea have had two wins and a draw over Girls’ High this season, but those games only came down to a single goal,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said. “It’s going to be a close one.

“Paikea will want to finish their season off strongly, and the same for Girls High, who will get a good hit-out ahead of their school tournament later this month.”

YMP B will meet Te Aowera at 7.30pm to decide the Prem 2 women’s third and fourth spots.

“The B team go in as strong favourites. Last time they met, a couple of weeks ago, YMP B put 12 goals on TA. Hopefully it will be a closer result tonight.”

Finals day tomorrow begins at 11am with the Prem 2 women’s match between GMC Kowhai and PGG Wrightson Ngatapa.

“Kowhai have been in such good form since the spilt  to Prem 1 and 2,” Scragg said.

“They haven’t suffered a defeat  . . . and I back them to win tomorrow. But Ngatapa will do their club proud and make a real game of it.”

Gisborne Boys High School 1st XI play LOB  Resene Masters in the Prem 2 men’s final at 12.45.

“Boys High should be too strong for us,” Masters team member Scragg said.

“It was 11-1 in the students’ favour last time we shared the turf with them. The aim in our camp is to do everything we can to keep the scoreline respectable.”

Then it’s the big boys and girls.

Arch-rivals GMC Green and YMP A lock sticks in the Prem 1 women’s final at 2.30pm.

“This will be the game of the weekend, I reckon,” Scragg said.

“The Green Machine took the honours over YMP A in their previous clash, albeit only by a single goal.

“But we can expect an enthusiastic YMP side to front up when it comes to finals day hockey. They have a championship title to defend.

“I think it’s going to come down to a couple of key players to get their sides home — Jade Stafford for GMC and Maia Rickard for YMP A.”

The Prem 1 men’s final between Waituhi and YMP A follows at 4.15pm.

“Even though YMP A go into it as red-hot favourites, Waituhi have shown in the past few weeks that they can mix it with the best.”

Waituhi defeated Lytton Boys Traktion in a penalty shoot out last weekend to make the final.

“There will be mixed emotions for some players in the YMP team, who have family links to Waituhi. But at the end of the day they will play hard for their team,” Scragg said.

“It might be a little harder for some of the supporters — who will share those same mixed loyalties —  to decide who to barrack for tomorrow afternoon.

“It’s the day of the year for our game in Gisborne and I wish all the players, coaches, umpires and volunteers all the best.”