Moni Plus, BSP in title defence

 CORPORATE Touch Port Moresby open men’s and women’s champions Moni Plus and Bank South Pacific have earned the first grand final berths to defend their crowns next week.

In the cup category, Moni Plus (men) and BSP (women) have a well- deserved spell and await the winners of the preliminary finals.

At the Murray Barracks oval on Sunday, the reigning premiers, Moni Plus, were given a shock by minor premiers Parrapele in a close 7-6 defeat.

Moni Plus had started the season poorly due to losing their elite players Eugene Eka, Paul Kasisie, Wana Saea Samuel Vetu and Paul Matuta, to the national team for the 2015 Pacific Games.

But their return had ignited the reigning champions into top gear.

The scores were level 3-3 in the first half and later at 6-6 but it was through a clever passage of play that saw stylish Saea crossing over to put the icing on the cake for Moni Plus. 

In the women’s competition, BSP had too much drive in the second stanza to outsmart minor premiers Moni Plus 3-1 after the scores were locked at 1-1 at the interval.

In the men’s do-or-die battle, Transport 1 edged out Ela Motors 5-4 and face Parrapele in the preliminary finals this weekend.

In the women’s Parrapele knocked down Transport 4-3 and face Moni Plus in the preliminary finals. 

Transport will hang their boots for the season.

In other results: Transport (2) 5 ANZ 3, Islands Petroleum 3 Morgan Equipment 2, BSP 4 ExxonMobil 2, AON 3 Vision City 1 in the open men’s division while in the women’s category: Morgan Equipment 6 Ela Motors 3, ANZ 4 AON 3.

In the open mix: Parrapele 8 Moni Plus 5, BSP 9 Transport 5, Transport (2) 5 Ela Motors 1 and AON 3 Vision City 1.