Cowboys rope 9s title

By JACK AMI
IT was an all-Port Moresby affair as the NCD KMA Vims Cowboys beat SSG Roosters 12-10 to claim the Agmark New Guinea Island Super Nines crown in the cup final at Kalabond Oval, Kokopo, yesterday.
Cowboys were unbeaten throughout the tournament and earned K40, 000 for their efforts.
The  Cowboys hard to work hard to stop the two-time Keleone 9s champions.
Apart from the two finalists, the other two teams from NCD were Funeral Homes Laumas and Pom City Punishers.
The Cowboys were coached by former Kumuls Rodney Pora and Chris Lome. The duo had only put the team together a week before the tournament.
They out-ran defending NGI 9s champions Hoodsco Wanderers 16-4 in the semi-final.
The Cowboys and Roosters compromising Digicel Cup players from Gulf Isapea, Port Moresby Vipers and Simbu Lions proved a class about the rest. Players that made names last season in Jackins Mark Olam, Jojo Forova, Joshua Thomas, Solomon Pokari, Samuel Pirika, Rex Maima and Telix Kawage helped their side get out to an 8-0 lead at halftime.
The Roosters responded in the second half with skipper Junior Arova, Kambi Igiman, John Horope, Ilave Sapea and Chiko Mairi combining to put on two tries but the Cowboys managed a crucial four-pointer late to seal a narrow but deserved two-point victory.
Olam told The National from Kokopo after the close win that it was a hard-fought final that could have gone either way but fortune had favoured them throughout the tournament and especially in the second half of the cup final.
“Since we all play in the Port Moresby competition, we were all familair with each other and that helped us play well on Friday and Saturday and today,” Olam said.
“We were lucky enough to be unbeaten and the final was anybody’s game really because the Roosters are a very good side too.”