Cunupia edge Parkites to Cup title

GOALS by Michael Darko and Gerald Meloney were enough to ensure Cunupia FC emerged victorious 2-1 over Queen’s Park, in Sunday’s final of the League Cup.

This match, at the Arima Velodrome, brought the curtains down on the 2018 Super League season.

For the most part, the encounter was a scrappy affair, played on a surface which had a huge area without grass in the middle of the field.

However, the Michael De Four-coached Cunupia, who were without the suspended striker Kevon “Showtime” Woodley and only had two substitutes available, dug deep to emerge as the match-winners.

The first half ended with a 1-1 scoreline, with both goals coming from the penalty spot.

Cunupia struck first in the 20th minute, courtesy of Darko, who sent his penalty kick down the middle, as goalkeeper Nicholas Dick dived to his right.

Referee Kwinsi Williams awarded the spot-kick after defender Kern Gardiner was adjudged to have handled a cross from Meloney.

The Parkites responded 15 minutes later, as striker Devon Modeste sent goalie Keston Malchan the wrong way, after Kashif Clarke was bundled over in the penalty box by Cunupia’s midfielder Stephen Julien.

The pressure to get the go-ahead goal resulted in a few tough tackles by both teams.

However, the Cunupia players composed themselves and regained the lead in the 61st minute.

A neat build-up down the right involving Darko and right-back Hakeem Legall resulted in a through ball to Meloney, who calmly placed his right-footed shot between the legs of an advancing Dick and into the back of the net.

The Parkites’ coach Shawn Cooper brought on ex-national midfielder Sean De Silva moments later.

The former national Youth World Cup player had been sidelined with injury but had a glorious opportunity to tie the scores in the 80th minute. From a free kick at the edge of the penalty box, De Silva could only watch in agony as his effort over the leaping Malchan missed the target by a few inches.