(footballnsw.com.au)
The 2012 Maso Cup will be staged in Wollongong for the first time, since this traditional footballing tournament commenced six years ago on Friday 27th January at JJ Kelly Park.
This year’s event will be jointly hosted by Wollongong United FC & Cringila Lions, who both compete in the Illawarra Premier League.
The tournament will feature 12 sides who compete in various competitions from across Australia and these include;
Wollongong United, Cringila Lions, Coniston Lions, Shell Cove, Rockdale Suns, Bankstown City Lions, Yagoona Lions, Broadmeadow Magic, Newcastle Suns, Broadmeadow 35’s, Queanbeyan, Queanbeyan City Lions and Altona Magic.
A total of 12 teams competing for the annual Maso Cup, which is currently held by Rockdale, who defeated Wollongong United in the 2011 final played at Bicentennial Park.
The event will start on Friday 27th January, with the 4 Wollongong sides playing 2 games at JJ Kelly Park, the home of Coniston Lions. On Saturday 28th January, the tournament will continue at Macedonia Park, the home of Wollongong United.
The first game is scheduled to start at 10am, with the final game kicking off at 7pm. The final day of the event, Sunday 29th, matches will be played at John Crehan Park, the home of Cringila Lions, with games kicking off at 10am & the final being scheduled for 5.30pm.
The format for the event is 3 groups of 4 teams per group. Each team will play a minimum 3 games, with the group winners & the best placed runner up progressing to the semi finals. At the conclusion of the semi finals, the losers will play for 3rd & 4th, although this will be a penalty shootout. Games will be 25 minutes each way.
Traditionally this tournament has been a major success with more than 1,500 people coming through the gates on each day of last year’s tournament & we believe this year’s tournament will be just as big.
