Sport
7 September, 2026
U23’s final dream kept alive
THE Mareeba Bulls Under 23s have kept their season alive after showing plenty of determination to overcome the Southside Comets 2-1 in a sudden death semi-final at Endeavour Park on Saturday.
After earning their place in the finals despite a tough finish to the regular season, the young Bulls knew there was no room for error against the Comets, with defeat bringing their 2026 campaign to an immediate end.
Perhaps with that pressure weighing on both sides, the opening half proved to be a scrappy affair, with neither team able to establish any real rhythm. Mareeba created several opportunities and looked the more likely side to break the deadlock but couldn’t capitalise when chances presented themselves. The Bulls defence remained composed at the other end and the teams went to the sheds locked at 0-0.
Whatever was said at halftime had the desired effect, with Mareeba wasting little time making its mark after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half, Tatti was on hand to find the back of the net and give the Bulls a valuable 1-0 advantage.
The goal appeared to settle Mareeba’s nerves, and the Bulls began to find the football that has made their Under 23 side such a competitive outfit throughout the season. As the second half progressed, Mareeba began controlling more of the contest and putting the Comets under increasing pressure. Their persistence was rewarded in the 78th minute when Liam Brault struck to double the advantage and seemingly put the Bulls in control at 2-0.
But finals football rarely comes without some late drama. Mareeba appeared to be cruising towards the next round after Izaac Quintieri received his second yellow card and was sent from the field, leaving the Comets to finish the match with 10 men.
The Comets pulled a goal back in the 86th minute, setting up a nervous final few minutes for the Mareeba faithful. Suddenly the comfortable two-goal advantage had been reduced to one, with Southside throwing everything forward in search of an equaliser. However, the Bulls dug deep, defended desperately and showed plenty of character to hold on for the 2-1 victory and earn themselves another week of finals football.
Coach Allan Prizmic acknowledged it wasn’t always pretty but was pleased with the way his young side responded to the pressure of sudden death football.
“It was rather a scrappy game; the boys dug in deep,” he said.
“There was a little lack of experience for this kind of sudden death match for some of them. It was a semi-final and with this experience we can set them up for the major semi next weekend.”
The victory did come with an injury concern, with Justin Pozzebon straining his achilles and now in doubt for Mareeba’s next assignment.
“Justin strained an achilles and may not be ready for next week’s match. Other than that, we came out unscathed,” Prizmic said.
“Playing in the middle of the day doesn’t help. We’re coming into summer and it’s hot, but it’s all part of the game. We will regroup and see what we can do better and hopefully we can get these boys into the final.”
Lions stand between Bulls and final
MAREEBA’s reward is a showdown with the Leichhardt Lions this weekend, with a place in the Under 23 final on the line.
The Lions will present another step up for the young Bulls, but Mareeba will head into the contest knowing it has already survived the pressure of sudden death finals football.
Prizmic and his players will take plenty from Saturday’s performance, particularly the way they responded after being reduced to 10 men and conceding late in the contest.
There will undoubtedly be areas to improve before facing Leichhardt, but the Bulls have achieved their first objective – surviving to fight another day.
Now just one victory separates Mareeba from a place in the final.
For a young side that has continued to develop throughout the season, the opportunity is there to turn an already impressive campaign into something special.
Tigers roar into Grand Final as Lions get second chance
EDGE Hill United have booked their place in the Under 23 Grand Final after holding off a determined late fightback from Leichhardt FC to record a 3-2 victory at Endeavour Park on Saturday.
Played alongside the Mareeba Bulls’ 2-1 sudden-death victory over Southside Comets, the major semi-final produced an entertaining contest as the Tigers and Lions battled for the luxury of progressing directly to the 19 September decider.
Edge Hill settled into the contest quickest and were rewarded in the 18th minute when Josh Lawesson found the back of the net to give the Tigers a 1-0 advantage. Leichhardt struggled initially to adjust to the intensity of the finals encounter and, despite working their way into the contest, couldn’t find an equaliser before halftime.
The Lions headed to the sheds trailing 1-0 and needing a response in the second half. Instead, it was Edge Hill who struck again. Lakhlan Janvier doubled the Tigers’ advantage in the 59th minute, putting Edge Hill firmly in control at 2-0 and leaving Leichhardt with plenty of work to do.
The Lions, however, weren’t ready to surrender their Grand Final ambitions. Just five minutes later, Alessio Vitale found the net to reduce the deficit to 2-1 and breathe new life into the contest. With momentum beginning to swing, Edge Hill needed another response – and Lawesson provided it.
The Tigers’ attacking weapon grabbed his second goal of the afternoon in the 75th minute, restoring Edge Hill’s two-goal cushion and taking the score to 3-1. Leichhardt continued to fight and launched a late rally in an attempt to rescue the match.
Shukuru Nsengiyumva pulled another goal back for the Lions to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finish, but Edge Hill held firm as time ran out on Leichhardt’s comeback. The victory sends the Tigers directly into the Under 23 Grand Final on September 19, where they will have the advantage of a week’s rest. Leichhardt’s season, however, is far from finished.
The Lions now face the Mareeba Bulls in this weekend’s preliminary final, with the winner earning the right to meet Edge Hill in the season decider. After Mareeba survived its own sudden death encounter against Southside, the stage is now set for another high pressure finals battle between the Bulls and Lions.
