Congratulations to all our OHA teams who battled it out in atrocious conditions on Grand Final Day. The weather gods were not kind, with our teams battling horizontal rain, strong winds & freezing temperatures! Weather conditions were so bad that even the most die hard OHA fans had to seek shelter in the grand stand, with the OHA tent taken down to stop it ending up across the highway! Still, it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the OHA faithful who cheered on all our teams across the day.
We came home with 4 senior premierSHIPS this year. Our Masters Men won the clubs first premierSHIP of the year with a 4-3 victory over rivals NWG back in February. But on Grand Final day it was the 2nd Grade Men who started the ball rolling with a win over arch rivals University.
Dave Woolford was at his brilliant best scoring the first goal of the game for our men to take the lead 1-0. University struck back form a penalty stroke soon after to equalise but showing everyone that he’s still got it, Damian Smith scored a terrific goal to again take the lead 2-1. After several missed attempts, Toby West finally fired one of his trademark drag flicks past the keeper, taking the score to 3-1. But University kept coming, scoring again to edge closer, before Damian Smith once again found the net! With a 4-2 lead the boys looked like they had it in the bag until a lapse in concentration saw Uni score again, making it a nail-biting finish for the OHA crowd. Thankfully the boys held on to clinch the first PremierSHIP of the day! Well done to the 2nd Grade Men.
After finishing minor premiers in 2018 the pressure was on our young 1st Grade Women. After Derwent got the early jump on them to lead 2-0 our girls fought hard to stay in the game, gaining back one goal before Derwent scored again to take the win 3-1.
Our 4th Grade Men Red scored early and managed to hold their 1-0 lead for the remainder of the game to win ‘Back to Back’ PremierSHIPS in horrendous conditions. Well done guys!
Then all eyes turned to the Premier League Grand Finals.
Our Women were up first in their showdown against NWG. Our girls were put on the back foot early when NWG scored in the first 30 seconds, and when they scored again before quarter time. As conditions worsened the match evened up, but unfortunately our girls couldn’t find the net and NWG went on the claim their 3rd consecutive premiership. From wooden spooners in 2017 to grand finalists in 2018 our Premier League women have done the club proud. Well done girls on a terrific season.
Then it was the turn of our Premier League men, who didn’t have it all their way during a fiery clash with University. The Students took them all the way to the final siren but fell excruciatingly short, with our OHA boys winning their fourth consecutive title!
Sam McCambridge opened the scoring for the Ships in the 10th minute with a clever deflection high into the net, but University equalised on the quarter-time siren. Oliver Smith restored the lead in the 2nd quarter with another quality reverse-stick goal, giving us a 2-1 lead going into half time. Ramping up the pressure in the 3rd quarter, Sam McCambridge scored his second with another clever deflection from a Kurt Mackey circle entry just one minute in. Joe Murphy then sent the score to 4-1 moments later, making a strong run into the circle before finishing into the bottom corner with a hint of luck. University didn’t back down, though, and clawed their way back, scoring just 3 minutes later. After Sam was sent off with 6 minutes remainignin te game, University took advantage, scoring their 3rd goal from a penalty corner. It was a tense final few minutes for the OHA faithful waiting for the final siren & our boys to seal their fourth consecutive flag!
Oliver Smith was named the Player of the Final.
Well done boys on ‘Back to Back to Back to Back’ PremierSHIPS!!!
And well done Ollie on your achievement!
It was a great day for the club, and a fabulous end to SHIPtember, winning four senior PremierSHIPS!!!!
Our Premier League Men after winning their fourth consecutive premierSHIP!
A bit of Sam McCambridge brilliance captured by ‘Island Above Photography’ – https://www.facebook.com/islandabove/
Oliver Smith – Player of the Final! Photo courtesy of ‘Island Above Photography’ – https://www.facebook.com/islandabove/
Our 2nd Grade Men took out the first PremierSHIP of Grand Final Day, beating University 4-3.
Our 4th Grade Men Red battled the elements to win
‘Back to Back’ PremierSHIPS.
Our Masters Men who won the clubs first PremierSHIP for 2018!
