Ipatas Cup playoffs set

THE Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup has con­firmed 16 teams for the semi-finals play-off.
Competition chief executive officer Timothy Lepa said eight teams would qualify in the Eastern play-off and the remaining eight would qualify in the Western end play-off.
Teams that qualified in the Eastern end play off are Kamkumung Crushers, Bulolo Miners, Beyond Dogs, Morobe Goldruz Chiefs, Yondu Warriors, SK Titans, Port Moresby Paga Panthers and Kokopo Muruks.
The games will be played at the Lae Rugby League ground fromMarch 30-31.
The Western end teams are Mendi Offcuts Wantok Trading, Baiyer Kondia Brothers, Togoba Magani, Kondo East and Kuma Cowboys while a team each from Enga and Simbu are yet to be confirmed.
Games will be at the Minj Rugby League ground from March 23-24.
This is because the Enga Challenge takes place this weekend, while the four teams from Simbu – Angras, Sine Yongo Brothers, Kupsy United and Krim Brothers – play their finals this weekend.
Lepa said in the Eastern end three provinces took part in the competition so he decided for the top four teams to take part in the semi-finals.
He announced that for the first time the Western end would play its semis next weekend followed by Eastern end in the following weekend.
“All the finals have been scheduled to be played in beautiful Madang but due to continuous heavy down pour it had deteriorated the road condition and most of the bridges have collapsed so all the finals have been moved out of Madang,” Lepa said.
He said finals for Western end would be played in Minj, Jiwaka, if the provincial government came with a positive response.
“We have asked the Jiwaka provincial government to come on board and assist the competition to meet some necessary cost and are waiting for the response and if it gives us the green light we will go ahead and host finals in Minj, if not then we will host both finals in Lae next weekend,” Lepa said.
The grand final will be played on April 7 in Lae.