Tei Kariko triumph

By JACK AMI
THE second Gulf Governor Kavo Cup was handed to Tei Kariko Iokea on a silver platter by the Kerema Young Tigers on a technicality after scores were 6-4 with a minute remaining in the final at Sir Tore Lokoloko Park, Iokea village, Malalaua, Gulf, on Sunday.
The match was awarded to Tei Kariko after the Tigers walked off the field in protest of Port Moresby-based referee Stanley Lesen’s decision to disallow a try they scored which would have won them the game.
Lesen called play back after the Tigers seemed to have made a break for the line angering the Kerema side.
The match was delayed for more than 20 minutes as officials consulted with captains Harry Opa (Tei Kariko) and Tigers’ Ilave Sapea.
Sapea said his side decided to let Tei Kariko take the cup in order to keep the peace.
He, however, maintained his side had been hard done by with the ruling late in the game.
Apart from the incident the Kavo Cup tournament was a trouble free event witnessed by major sponsor Governor Havila Kavo, Gulf Isapea chairman Jacob Ivaroa, local businessman Alex Hearo, as well as fans.
The final was a typically close affair with neither side give the other many opportunities to attack.
Referee Lesen was lax in his policing of the contact area with several  dangerous tackles and late hits let go resulting in scuffles between opposing players.
TKI retained the Kavo Cup and K5000 while the Tigers recieved K3000 for their effort.
The Malalaua and Kerema select sides received K1000 as joint third place getters.
The star of the final was TKI’s 17-year-old Harry Opa, who was later named man-of-the-match. Tei Kariko second-rower Smith Siviri crashed over for a try in the first half with Opa adding the extras for a 6-0 lead.
The home side with former Gulf Isapea speedster Pipi Kilori, Tore Hasu, George Mane, Sam Lokoloko and Roy Heni Jr including halves Pidi Lokoloko, Opa, Bobby Haria and Smith Opa controlled the exchanges well enough to keep their lead at halftime.
Tigers with Isapea connections in skipper Sapea, Mark John, Amon Leslie, Peter Milaura, Jeffrey Mero, Howard Frank and Reeve Yane tried tirelessly but their efforts were denied by sound defence.
Early in the second half nippy Tigers five-eighth John crossed out widefor his side to trail 6-4 – a scoreline that would remain until the end of play.