By Joe Chapman

A YOUTHFUL Upper Demerara, brimming with confidence after a tense start and boosted by a home crowd following, punished West Demerara 3-0 to capture the inaugural GT Beer Super Sunday Night Super Cup Inter-Association crown and stash away the first $1M on Wednesday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
Coach Anthony ‘Toto’ Stephens’ trust in this bunch of intelligent players paid off after settling in from an early chance which went a-begging. Kellon Primo had motored down the right and sent a pass to the midfield but that player Jashawn Moore hit the ball over the crossbar.

West Demerara responded in kind with an offensive play, but the shot taken was saved by their captain Shaquille Frank, diving brilliantly low to his left.
Then it was Jermain Samuels who squared the ball to an unmarked Primo, who somehow was unable to control and he hit the ball just over the crossbar much to the surprise of the home fans.

However, Upper Demerara were able to make amends to those early let-ups and from a corner, with the ball seemingly running into touch it was kept into play.
This time Jomain Samuels latched on to it and his left foot volley sent Upper Demerara into a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute.

And for the next 15 minutes of play the Upper Demerara side played positively and maintained their grasp, as West Demerara were constantly put on the back foot. The first half ended in favour of the home team.
After play resumed, the Upper Demerara team maintained their focus and were rewarded in the 67th minute, as a foul enabled Randy Small to step up and bang home a powerful 30-yard free kick that dipped and rushed into the back of the net, making it 2-0. The crowd went into frenzy.

Still in control and playing with some amount of ease at this stage of the game, the Linden team got their third and final goal of the game against a tiring West Demerara side in the 81st minute.

Kellon Primo secured his sixth goal of the tournament and was later named Most Valuable Player. In tandem with the attacking midfielder Denzil Fordyce, they exchanged passes and Primo beat the opposing West Demerara goalkeeper to score for that 3-0 advantage.
By then it was all over, bar the shouting and Upper Demerara deservedly carted off the major spoils and trophy in front of an ecstatic crowd.

West Demerara gained $600 000 for their effort. Essequibo/Pomeroon who played an exhibition game which they won 4-2 against a President’s XI (Georgetown failed to turn up) won $400 000.