One-year bragging rights and $500 000 at stake tonight, as Stevedore face Queen Street-Tiger Bay

HALF a million dollars and one year’s bragging rights to be called Georgetown’s ‘Guinness Greatest of de Streets’, coupled with a spot in the national playoffs, will be at stake tonight, when Stevedore Housing Scheme face Queen Street-Tiger Bay in the final of the sixth annual Banks DIH-sponsored Georgetown tournament.
The battle for third place will precede the final, with Hope Street-Tiger Bay, who lost to their neighbours Queen Street-Tiger Bay in the semifinals two nights ago, taking on Albouystown ‘B’ who went under to Stevedore in the semifinals.
Thirty-two teams endured four weeks of intense rivalry, showcasing their skills and techniques across Georgetown, but the two finalists held their nerves and displayed hearts of steel, especially during the penultimate night of action when they were asked to play two matches, to reach thus far.
No doubt, Queen Street will be looking to their ace marksman Deon Alfred, who had a double double in Thursday night’s quarterfinal and semifinal wins and has been mesmerising his team’s opponents with his sublime skill and control, to take them to the top prize with support from Leon Fredericks.
While Stevedore do not possess the kind of play the hundreds of spectators are hoping to see, they do have within their ranks the savvy and experienced Elroy Parks, who on his night can create tremendous problems for any defence.
He has been stabilising the South Georgetown-based team throughout the tournament and with players such as Quason Winter, Stephen Dolphin and Fitzroy Witherspoon to call on for support, Queen Street may very well find themselves being forced to contend with the $300 000 second-place trophy.
Like the previous two years of the tournament, the winners and runners-up will go on to represent Georgetown in the nationwide tournament, whose winner will represent Guyana in next year’s Caribbean ‘Guinness Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Football competition that is scheduled to be held in Trinidad and Tobago in June.
In the third place playoff, Rensford Coleridge will look to lead Hope Street’s path to redemption along with Dwayne Dickson and Dennis Caledenia against an Albouystown ‘B’ lineup who will have within their ranks Marlon Nedd and Roy Cassou, who will also have the same ideas in mind as they wish to take the $200 000 prize with the loser receiving half of that amount.
Along with the above-mentioned prizes, teams will be receiving $25 000, $20 000, $15 000 and $10 000 respectively, according to their placing in the preliminary rounds, prior to the knockout stage while several exhibition matches are carded as part of tonight’s action expected to get under way at 2000hrs with free admission to the venue.

(By Calvin Roberts)