parkwaydisability

Plymouth Citybus Devon Disability County Cup Finals Day Report

Report from Sunday's Devon Disabilty County Cup Finals Day

Devon FA’s County Cup Finals season kicked off on Sunday 24th March with the first of 19 finals between March and May 2019. The Disability County Cup Finals Day sponsored by Plymouth Citybus took place for the fourth season, with 14 teams aiming to qualify for their Disability County Cup Final in the afternoon across the ladies, league, intermediate and premiership ability levels. The matches commenced in the morning, with four group stages to determine the top two teams per ability level progressing to the Disability Cup Final for their ability level in the afternoon.

Notable matches across the group stages included Tiverton Town Ladies close victory again Exmouth Tigers Ladies playing in their first ever Disability County Cup Finals Day, Exmouth Tigers securing their place in the Intermediate Level cup final with a late winner against current Cup Holders Club Plymouth Parkway and Tavistock Specials reaching their first ever Premiership Level Cup Final with a 1-0 victory over league rivals Tiverton Town Ability Counts FC.

Ladies Final

Tavistock Specials Ladies (0) Tiverton Town Ability Counts Ladies (0)
(Tavistock Specials Ladies won 3-2 on penalties)

Tavistock Specials Ladies reached the ladies final for the second season in a row, hoping for victory against 2017 finalists, Tiverton Town Ladies. Both teams defeated each other in the group stages, so we were in store for a close match between to the two teams.

In a game of little chances, Tiverton and Tavistock shared opportunities to strike first with good saves from both goalkeepers across the match with the match finishing 0-0. The goalkeepers would need this practice for the penalty shootout, with Tiverton taking an early lead before Tavistock making the score 1-1. After the fourth penalty each and with Tavistock Ladies 3-2 infront, Tiverton Town Ladies needed to convert their final penalty but a great save by the Tavistock Specials goalkeeper secured the Ladies County Cup for Tavistock Specials for the first time. 

As both teams lined up for the trophy presentation, Tavistock Specials Ladies captain Tracey Harvey-Upham lifted the trophy aloft beginning the celebrations.

League Final

Plymouth Argyle (0) Tavistock Specials (1)
Goal scorers: Harry Sharp (1)

In the second final of the day, Plymouth Argyle and Tavistock Specials League 2 teams both reached their first ever Disability County Cup Final. With both teams keen to start well, Tavistock Specials were first out of the blocks taking the lead after 2 minutes with a low shot by Harry Sharp to make it Tavistock Specials 1 Plymouth Argyle 0. Plymouth Argyle then came back into the game with Ethan Parker and Harry Parker, sharing passes in midfield with a great shot by Ethan, saved well by the Tavistock Specials goalkeeper.

Into the second half and Plymouth Argyle increased the pressure with more shots but Tavistock Specials defended well to keep the score 1-0 at the final whistle and win the Disability County Cup League Level for the first time ever.

Both teams competed in a great final and the Tavistock Specials captain, Ben Burnards lifted the trophy aloft to start the celebrations with two trophies across the day for Tavistock Specials.

Intermediate Final

Exmouth Tigers (0) Tiverton Town Ability Counts (0)
(Tiverton Town Ability Counts win 5-4 on penalties)

Another closely matched final, pitted Intermediate 1 team Tiverton Town and intermediate 2 team Exmouth Tigers. With Exmouth Tigers playing a team from a higher division, they were the better team in the first half with four shots by Ashley Pritchard & Brendan Mulcahy all saved well by the Tiverton Town goalkeeper, Rory Dudgeon.

In the second half, Tiverton Town came back into the game with two shots by Joe Allison & Matt Buston narrowly going wide of the goal. A tight match finished 0-0 with the match going to penalties. Exmouth Tigers raced into a 3-1 lead on penalties but the shootout quickly changed with Tiverton Town coming back to make it 3-3 after 5 penalties. Sudden death awaited the next penalty kick tackers, with two penalties converted to make it 4-4, Exmouth Tigers missed their seventh spot kick, well saved by the Tiverton Town goalkeeper Rory Dudgeon and Tiverton Town converted their final penalty to complete a 5-4 victory on penalties.

Tiverton Town’s comeback was complete, lifting the cup aloft and taking the Disability County Intermediate Cup back to Mid-Devon.

Premiership Final

Club Plymouth Parkway (2) Tavistock Specials (0)
Goal scorers:  Gary Carpenter (1), Karl Hardy (1)

The finale of finals concluded with the Disability Premiership County Cup Final with 2017 finalists, Club Plymouth Parkway and Tavistock Specials, reaching the Premiership Cup final for the first time.

Favourites and current league leaders, Club Plymouth Parkway took an early lead with a bullet head by Gary Carpenter in the 2nd minute and made it 2-0 to Club Plymouth Parkway in the 5th minute with another great header by Karl Hardy. In the second half, Tavistock Specials came back into the game with a long range shot by Nicky Hill but the Premiership 2 league leaders were too strong and completed a 2-0 victory to take the Disability County Premiership Cup home to Plymouth.

Captain Jason Eyles, walked up to lift the cup aloft and begin the celebrations for Club Plymouth Parkway looking to make it a league and cup double with the Devon Ability Counts League Premiership 2 title in May 2019.

Congratulations to all 14 teams that qualified for the 2019 Disability County Cup Finals Day, participating in matches across the day for all ability levels.

Thank you to the cup sponsors, Plymouth Citybus for sponsoring the event and to Tiverton Trophies for sponsoring the medals and trophies. Thank you to the Cup’s and Disability Committee’s for making the day possible and also a big thank you to the referees (Richard Mason, Steve Mason, Mark Walker, Bailey Walker, Stephen Brealy & Jack Mansfield) for officiating across the day during the group stages and cup finals.

If you’re interested in getting involved in Disability Football as a player, coach, referee or volunteer or would like further information on Disability Football in Devon, please contact Ashley Harris by email (ashley.harris@devonfa.com) or phone (01626 323560)

More photos from the days action will be posted on our Facebook page shortly, along with highlights from Sunday's finals. Please keep your eyes peeled!

tavispecials

Ladies Winners - Tavistock Specials Ladies (above)

tavispecialsladies

Tracey Harvey-Upham, Tavistock Specials Ladies captain lifts the Ladies trophy (above)

tavispecials2

League Winners - Tavistock Specials (above)

benburnard

Ben Burnard, Tavistock Specials captain lifts the League Cup (above)

tivertontownwin

Intermediate Winners - Tiverton Town (above)

tiverton2

Tiverton Town's Goalkeeping hero, Rory Dudgeon (left) and Jordan Talman (right) pose with the Intermediate Trophy (above)

parkwaydisability

Premiership Winners - Club Plymouth Parkway (above)

jasoneyles

Jason Eyles, Club Plymouth Parkway lifts the Premiership trophy (above)

refphoto

Matchday Referee's - (from left to right) Jack Mansfield, Bailey Walker, Steven Brealy, Mark Walker, Steve Mason and Richard Mason (above)