Holiday to step in for injured Centofanti

ONE young gun’s heartbreak is another talented teen’s awesome opportunity to live one of his football dreams.

Southside Comets stopper Billy Holiday has been called into the FNQ Select XI to face Sydney FC at Barlow Park tomorrow, after young Mareeba United Bulls goalkeeper Jack Centofanti picked up an ankle injury at training midweek.

It is a heavy blow to Centofanti, who was one of the first FNQ Football Premier League players to pick up the phone to coach Reggie Davani when the trial was announced.

It allows Holiday the biggest opportunity of his short career to date, as the rising Comets star adds to a representative resume which already includes several state title campaigns.

Southside teammate Dylan Soares has joined the FNQ Select XI as an extra player, pushing the squad up to 24 players.

Soares’ inclusion is expected to be the last change to the side to face Sydney FC, who flew into Cairns Airport yesterday afternoon.

The A-League champions will be in the Far North for a week, running several training and development clinics and attending other community events in a packed schedule.

It is a homecoming of sorts for young goalkeeper Tristan Pendergast, who was born in Cairns, while Innisfail product Steve Corica will coach Sydney FC in Cairns for the second time, after steering the team in last year’s unforgettable FFA Cup Round of 16 game against the now-defunct Cairns FC.