Perfect six for Olympic
“SIX from six. Six from six.”
The chant rolled across the fields of 1300SMILES Active Park and was impossible to drown out. Even the live fourpiece band struggled to contend with the Mundingburra faithful.
With a precision strike from the right boot of Tony Goweid, MA Olympic cemented its own slice of Football North Queensland history.
The 3-1 win for its Premier League men’s side capped off a glorious grand finals weekend in which the club won the six deciders it played, including upset victories in the Men’s Third Division, Women’s Premier League and Women’s Reserves.
“From a club perspective to get six teams into grand finals is an amazing effort, but to then win them, it is beyond our wildest dreams,” Olympic president James Wallace said.
“The support we had at the ground meant heaps. Our club has always had great support and when they get behind you, as a player it lifts you. When you get tired late in the game, it gives you that bit of energy. “It started with our youth boys in the morning and continued all the way through the night. The song definitely got sung many times throughout the night.”
The next chant that went up from the Mundingburra fans was “in Tony we trust”.
The Egyptian midfielder, who joined the club last season after moving from Victoria, was unstoppable in the grand final, netting two goals and setting up a third for young gun Cade Colquhoun.
It was a massive effort from the gun forward, who managed to overturn a 1-0 deficit after Brothers had struck first through inspirational leader Matty Richards.
Goweid ended up being helped from the field with a knee complaint after a heavy collision with Brothers keeper Mikel Breckenridge, which resulted in the late penalty.
“It is a good feeling, it is a great feeling,” Goweid said after the game.
“It’s hard to say right now (how bad the knee is), there is a lot of adrenaline coursing through me. In the moment it hurt quite bad. “I had to take the penalty. I heard him saying he got the ball, I had to kick the goal. It was a bit of revenge.
“In the end it started hurting and I had to go off, but it doesn’t feel too bad now. Hopefully I will be right for Crad (Evans Shield).
Goweid said the Mundingburra club would not waste any time this week before turning its attention to completing the North Queensland treble, which would be the first time in club history.
But it will not have an easy assignment in Cairns on October 23 against Far North premiers Edge Hill United.
The reigning Crad Evans Shield champions have had a blockbuster season in the Far North competition and made it to the final 32 of the FFA Cup.
But Goweid said that would not deter Olympic from throwing its all into the clash.
“It feels good to have won two from two, but we know it would feel even better to go three from three,” he said.
“I have heard these boys have not won a Crad before. (But) if there is a year to do it, it is now.”