GSSA 2025: Albany Caledonian aim for triple cup triumphs to add gloss to stellar season of league domination

Albany Caledonian can cap a stellar season when they contest three Great Southern Soccer Association cup finals this week. Already crowned champions in the senior men’s, reserves and senior women’s league competitions, all three squads have reached their respective cup finals. The women are first up, taking on Rovers on Friday night, with the men claiming centre stage the following evening. The senior men face Phoenix, while the reserves tackle Polonia. Calies’ senior men have beaten Phoenix in all four of their meetings so far this season, but only once has it been by more than one goal — and all have been high-scoring thrillers. So Phoenix coach Harvey Bosch was not being unrealistic when he said he was hoping to rain on the Calies’ parade. “It’ll be a contest like always, and on the day you never know what can happen,” he said. “It’s not impossible for us to win, and we will be having a fair old crack at it.” Bosch will be hoping top scorer Malcolm Van Burgel, who has 23 goals this season, will be on fire and backed up by Corey Plug, who has 13. Calies’ best marksmen have been Joseph Love, who has 15 goals, and Fraser Grant, who has netted 10. Their coach Ben Harris said he was well aware of the threat posed by his opponents. “They are big and fast, and put you under a lot of pressure,” he said. “If you make a mistake, they capitalise on it — and you certainly know when you have been in a game with them.” In the reserves contest, Polonia will hope the 2-2 draw in their last league meeting will mean more than the results of their previous four clashes, which all went Calies’ way. Calies will be without Harris, who has scored 13 goals this season, as he is cup-tied and will play for the league team. Polonia will hope Cameron Spence can add to his tally of nine goals. Calies’ women were unbeaten in the league, heading Denmark on the ladder, and will be confident in their final against Rovers, having put 33 goals past them in four league meetings. Rovers will need to shackle prolific Calies striker Libby Morris, who has scored 30 goals so far, if they are to have any chance. The women’s reserves final pits Phoenix against Rovers, while Griffins play Sharks in the socials showpiece. In the men’s socials, Phoenix will face Crosskeys.