Whitsunday out of Grand Final contention

QSL: The two teams to face each other at the 2011 Hyundai Queensland State League Championship Grand Final have finally been confirmed.

Sunshine Coast 4 – 1 Whitsunday Miners

Sunshine Coast regained their mojo just in time to out-muscle Whitsunday for a spot in the 2011 Grand Final.

The premiers were on their last legs after Brisbane Strikers secured their Grand Final appearance ahead of them, despite finishing below the Fire on the ladder.

Faced with unlikely challengers the Whitsunday Miners, Sunshine Coast would have to bring their best to knock out a team who had stormed into the finals with tremendous form of late.

On the rain-soaked, puddle-riddled pitch on the Sunshine Coast, scoring wouldn't be easy when the match began.

But Fire captain Tyson Holmes set the tone for his team, leading from the front with a goal in the 5th minute off a pin-point pass from teammate Jason Hicks.

The Miners did not sit back though and instead the underdogs fought even harder for the win. 

Their effort was rewarded when Troy Mundy stunned the Fire, leaping high onto a Jamie White cross to head the ball into the net for the equalizer. Despite chances created by both sides in the tussle, neither could claim another goal and going into half time, the score remained at 1-1.

At the restart both sides came out firing, each clearly hungry for the win.

It was the Fire who got the breakthrough in the 52nd minute with Jason Hicks striking from more than 30 metres out to bamboozle the Miners ‘keeper. Hicks was a stand-out on the ground when he helped set up his captain for his second goal of the afternoon just a few minutes later too.

The Miners had plenty of time in the Fire’s half but unfortunately couldn’t convert their possession into goals. Whitsunday’s Jamie Hatch and Clarke Bradford had moments in front of goal where they threatened but the Miners were simply unable to get one past the Sunshine Coast goalkeeper.

At 3-1 down with full time fast approaching, Whitsunday shut down as the Fire continued to dominate.

To top it all off, on the counter attack Tyson Holmes broke away to score another in the 85th minute, sealing his hat-trick, the 4-1 victory and redeeming himself after a disastrous outing last week.

Sunshine Coast and Brisbane Strikers will now meet each other for the second year in a row for the QSL title. Expecting a big crowd, Brisbane Strikers will have the home ground advantage against their rivals, hosting the Grand Final at Perry Park on Saturday night.

Strikers will be looking to claim their maiden QSL Championship after three straight grand final berths while Sunshine Coast will want redemption following defeats to Strikers in their last two meetings.

2011 QSL Grand Final

Brisbane Strikers vs Sunshine Coast Fire

Where: Perry Park, Bowen Hills QLD

When: Saturday 27th August, 7pm