The draw for both competitions was conducted by New Zealand Football yesterday and has thrown up some intriguing clashes across the country.
Masterton-based club Wairarapa have become the darlings of this year’s Chatham Cup after reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in the competition’s 84 editions and celebrated by beating three-time winners Waitakere City 4-1 in nearby Carterton to reach the final four.
The home draw for the August 13 and 14 semi-finals is a boost for Bay Olympic, who defeated Dunedin Technical in a penalty shootout away from home at a snow-covered Caledonian ground. The Aucklanders are chasing a second straight Chatham Cup final appearance after losing 3-1 to Wellington’s Miramar Rangers at North Harbour Stadium last year.
Like Wairarapa, Dunedin’s Caversham are aiming for a maiden appearance in the August 28 final but face another long road trip, drawing four-time winners Napier City Rovers away in the semi-finals, after beating Onehunga 4-0 in Auckland in the quarters.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley says the club would have preferred to play at home for just the second time in this season’s Cup but the team is enjoying the trip into uncharted territory and is thankful for the support they have received.
“Winning the quarter-final was a real buzz. We felt the pressure from the local community to take that next step so it was a huge relief for everyone,” Keinzley says.
“I think quite a few people in the Wairarapa are surprised about how good the team is. I was surprised by the margin of victory against Waitakere but did feel if we stuck to the game plan we could win, maybe by one goal rather than 4-1 with two goals disallowed.
“We had one of those days where everything clicks, every player was up for it. It was probably our best 90 minutes all season.”
Also riding on a Wairarapa win is the chance of a regionally-hosted final. New Zealand Football have confirmed it would take the final outside of the Super City – the host for 12 of the last 13 finals – in the case of two non-Auckland teams prevailing in the semi-finals.
In the Women’s Knockout Cup, North Shore’s Glenfield Rovers will host surprise second-round winners Western Springs while Claudelands will welcome Eastern Suburbs to Hamilton in northern region fixtures.
Central League leaders Waterside Karori face Marist in a pre-fixtured clash to be played next Tuesday night while in the southern region, Christchurch’s Western await the result of Dunedin Technical’s meeting with Roslyn Wakari – a match abandoned due to snow last weekend – to find out who and where they will play their quarter-final.
The winners of those matches enter a national draw for the August 21 semi-finals, with the final played one week later.
ASB Chatham Cup 2011 Semi-finals
August 13 or 14, kick-off 2pm
Napier City Rovers v Caversham
Park Island, Napier
Bay Olympic v Wairarapa United
Olympic Park, Auckland
ASB Knockout Cup 2011 Quarter-finals
August 6 or 7, kick-off 1pm (unless otherwise specified)
Northern Region (Northern, Auckland and Waikato-BOP Football Federations)
Glenfield Rovers v Western Springs
McFetridge Park, Auckland
Claudelands Rovers v Eastern Suburbs
Galloway Park, Hamilton
Central Region (Central and Capital Football Federations)
Waterside Karori v Marist
Tuesday August 2, 6.45pm
Wakefield Park, Wellington
Southern Region (Mainland Football and Football South)
Dunedin Technical or Roslyn Wakari v Coastal Spirit
Ground TBA
Dunedin Tech v Roslyn Wakari fixture abandoned on July 24 due to snow, to be replayed July 31
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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