Tense finishes as Old Brighton & St Kevin’s advance – Holmesglen U19 Premier Men’s Finals Week 1 Review

Finals football delivered two hard-fought contests in Week 1 of the Holmesglen U19 Premier Men’s competition, with Old Brighton and St Kevin’s emerging victorious to keep their premiership dreams alive.

Old Brighton produced one of the results of the weekend, overcoming Old Xaverians in the Qualifying Final, while St Kevin’s kept their season alive with a victory over Old Scotch in the Elimination Final.

Old Brighton 10.10 (70) def Old Xaverians 9.9 (63)

For Old Brighton coach Travis O’Donohue, the seven-point win was built on pressure, resilience and finding a way when it mattered most.

“I thought our pressure was really good for most of the day,” O’Donohue said.

However, he admitted his side let themselves down with some early ill-discipline, allowing Xavs to capitalise on their opportunities going forward during the first half.

Despite not producing their most polished performance of the season, the Tonners continued to compete and eventually found some momentum midway through the final quarter.

That surge proved crucial as the game entered its decisive stages, with the Brighton players showing composure to hold off Xavs and secure a memorable finals victory.

O’Donohue was particularly pleased with the way his side competed when the game was on the line, highlighting Luca Robinson, Andrew Langworthy and Nic Williams for their contributions.

Robinson produced what O’Donohue described as his best game at U19 level, while Langworthy provided some important moments and Williams applied relentless pressure across the ground.

“It certainly wasn’t our most polished performance of the year, but finals are all about finding a way,” O’Donohue said.

Old Xavs coach Matt Handley was understandably disappointed with the result, believing his side had opportunities to take control of the contest but failed to capitalise.

“Disappointing result. We didn’t take our chances and they did,” Handley said.

Despite the setback, Handley believes his group has plenty to take from the experience and will be better for the challenge.

“I think we’ve learnt a few lessons and we’ll come out stronger next week,” he said.

The result means Old Brighton progress after knocking off one of the competition’s premier sides, while Xavs now face a must-win clash to keep their season alive.

St Kevin’s 8.4 (52) def Old Scotch 5.11 (41)

The second final of the weekend saw St Kevin’s produce a strong comeback to defeat Old Scotch in the Elimination Final.

For St Kevin’s coach Paul Greenham, the victory reflected his players’ resilience and belief after being forced to fight their way back into the contest.

“It was a fantastic result. To come from behind showed tremendous resilience and belief,” Greenham said.

Old Scotch came into the contest with a clear plan and, according to Greenham, executed it extremely well. However, when opportunities presented themselves, St Kevin’s made the most of them.

The defensive unit once again proved a major factor for St Kevin’s, with Greenham praising skipper Ned Burley for leading a backline that stood tall under pressure.

SKOB also made important tactical adjustments at three-quarter time, with Greenham impressed by the way his players responded and continued to follow their instructions when the game was on the line.

For Scotch, the 11-point defeat brought an end to what had been an extremely enjoyable season.

Despite the disappointment, coach Hugo Boreham said he could not have been prouder of his group.

“The intensity and pressure that they brought was superb and we played the exact brand that we strive to play,” Boreham said.

Boreham also paid tribute to St Kevin’s defensive unit, which he described as incredibly well organised and once again demonstrated why they are so difficult to score against.

Old Scotch’s season had been particularly impressive given their shaky start, with Boreham proud of the way his players responded and developed into a side capable of matching the competition’s best.

He also praised assistant coach Michael Tass, who played a key role in building a strong connection within the group and creating a fun environment throughout the season.

“In a really tight competition, it was a pleasure to see us match the best sides, and play an exciting style of football,” Boreham said.

With Old Scotch eliminated, the focus now turns to the remaining three sides and the battle for a place in the Grand Final.

Old Brighton’s victory over Xavs gives them a valuable week off and a direct path into the big dance, while St Kevin’s have kept their season alive and will now face Old Xavs in a Preliminary Final.