Bmobile Joe Public are into their third knockout Final this season thanks to an early strike by Trinidad and Tobago international Hayden Tinto in the semifinal round of the Digicel Pro Bowl against Ma Pau SC on Friday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Tinto's 13th minute one-time volley from a Kerry Baptiste cross proved the 1-0 match winner against Ma Pau as Joe Public set up a Final meet against defending champs Caledonia on December 11 at the very same national stadium.
Joe Public winners of the Digicel Pro League and Big Six titles this season have also made two finals, losing out to Defence Force in the First Citizens Cup but winning the Toyota Classic last month.
Joe Public will get a taste of Caledonia on Monday in the semifinal of the FA Trophy as a preview of the Pro Bowl Final.
Match Play
Hayden Tinto had the Lions ahead 1-0 in the 13th minute with a first time volley from inside the area after meeting a cross from the left by Kerry Baptiste.
Two minutes later Tinto crashed an effort onto the crossbar from distance and the rebound effort by Micah Lewis was parried out by Mattis before the follow-up by Baptiste was high overbar.
Ma Pau's best effort of the first half came when Kevin Molino scraped the top netting in the 28th minute with a left footed strike from above the area in search of the equalizer.
However it was Joe Public who had the better scoring opportunities before the break with Trent Noel wasting an opportunity wide in the 38th minute after a buildup from the back, and Baptiste flicking into the gloves of Mattis from close range after meeting a Jean Luc Rochford low cross from the left two minutes later.
Joe Public had a great opportunity again in the 75th minute to double their advantage however Baptiste--the clubs leading goalscorer--struck wide from close range after Mattis spilled an initial effort from substitute Gorean Highley who unleashed a low drive from distance.
Highley then picked up a knock ten minutes later and had to be replaced by Conrad Smith as Joe Public held off Ma Pau. Public had a few openings in the end through Baptiste and Smith, however Mattis was unbeatable again.
Ma Pau SC 0-1 Joe Public
; Hayden Tinto 13'
Ma Pau SC--Shane Mattis, Lyndon Andrews (capt.), Shandel Samuel (Adrian Noel 80th), Anthony Wolfe, Sayid Freitas, Kerry Noray, Kevin Molino (Yellow) (Aquil Selby 90th), Rennie Britto (Trevin Caesar 46th), Mekeil Williams, Dwane James, Curtis Gonzales.
Coach--Michael McComie.
Joe Public--Alejandro Figueroa, Kerry Baptiste (capt.), Keyeno Thomas (Kareem Young 46th, Seon Powers, Jean Luc Rochford, Carlyle Mitchell, Hayden Tinto, Yu Hoshide, Micah Lewis (Gorean Highley 54th) (Conrad Smith 85th), Marvin Manswell (Yellow), Trent Noel.
Coach--Derek King.
Defending Pro Bow champs Caledonia into Final.
Kareem Joseph netted a superb freekick nine minutes from time to give defending (Digicel) Pro Bowl champs Caledonia AIA of Morvant/Laventille a 1-0 win against Defence Force on Friday night and their place in the Final.
Joseph's curling effort from 24 yards out on the left side swerved past the wall before fitting perfectly inside the top right corner leaving Army goalkeeper Kevin Graham no chance in the 81st minute to break a deadlock.
Caledonia are now into the Final on Friday 11 December at the Hasely Crawford Stadium against Bmobile Joe Public--who edged Ma Pau SC 1-0 in the second semifinal at the national stadium.
Caledonia and Joe Public will meet on Monday as well in the semifinals of the FA Trophy at the Marvin Lee Stadium (in a preview of the Friday 11 Digicel Pro Bowl Final).
Match Play
It was end to end action from the start to final whistle with Caledonia having the edge.
Nine minutes inside the match and goalkeeper Kevin Graham had to pull off an acrobatic one handed push out to deny Caledonia midfielder Ryan Stewart who headed in a Walter Moore corner from the left.
And two minutes later on the other end Kerry Joseph headed into the side netted after rushing in unmarked down the right to meet Kevon Carter cross from the left in what was an excellent Defence Force scoring opportunity.
Both sides had identical names between the uprights, in goalkeepers Kevin Graham. Defence Force having the Trinidadian Graham and Caledonia the Jamaican Graham.
Caledonia's Graham was saved a shot on taget when Charles Pollard did enough to put Aklie Edwards off target in the 18th minute as both sides pressed eachother.
Seconds later and the end to end action continued with fractional misses by Caledonia's Stewart and Defence Force skipper Devorn Jorsling.
Caledonia's Randolph Jerome was denied by the upright in the 29th minute after cheeky shot on goal from Walter Moore's low cross.
And just before the break Defence Force's Jerwyn Balthazar spilled wide after sliding in to meet a low pass by Carter sending both teams goalless at the half.
The second half began with the same end to end action, and unfortunately the spills continued as well.
Caledonia's Akim Armstrong under pressure from Keston Williams spilled inches wide of Graham's upright in the 67th minute after being picked out by Stewart.
Stewart was replaced seconds later by Keyon Edwards as Caledonia coach Jamaal Shabazz added a second striker in hopes of the opening item.
Jamaal's side then broke the deadlock for a 1-0 advantage when wingback Kareem Joseph unleashed a curling 24-yard freekick in the 81st minute beating the wall and goalkeeper Graham inside the far upright.
Caledonia's goalkeeper later maintained his team advantage with a wonderful save denying Richard Roy as the Morvant/Laventille squad held on.
In injury time the Caledonia custodian nearly gave away the advantage after making a clumsy challenge outside his area leaving his net exposed, but fortunately for the defending champs goalscoer Joseph raced back to make a sliding challenge to keep out substitite Balindumo Julius goalbound strike.
Defence Force 0-1 Caledonia AIA
; Kareem Joseph 81'
Defence Force--Kevin Graham, Keston Williams, Devon Jorsling (capt.), Aklie Edwards, Kerry Joseph, Kevon Carter, David Alleyne (Yellow), Anton Joseph, Jerwyn Balthazar, Richard Roy, Rodell Elcock (Balindumo Julius).
Coach--Ross Russell.
Caledonia AIA--Kevin Graham, Stephan David, Kareem Joseph, Ryan Stewart (Keon Edwards 67th), Nuru Abdallah Muhammed, Charles Pollard (capt.), Walter Moore, Akim Armstrong (Sherron Joseph 73rd), Marcus Ambrose, Kerry Daniel, Randolph Jerome.
Coach--Jamal Shabaaz.
Referee--Gordon Maloney.