NORTHERN Inland Football has already started planning for an even bigger and better football season in 2015 after celebrating its 2014 season with a stirring finish in Armidale on Saturday.
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Northern and Southern Rising Star teams started the day off well at Doody Park when the young sides played out a 1-all draw before the Northern and Southern All Stars matched up in the main game.
The Southern Stars won that 3-1 to confirm the superiority of a season where Tamworth FC won the club championship for a third year as well as the second grade major premiership and Oxley Vale Attunga won the first grade premiership.
OVA’s Brendan Fergie and Luke Purcell also scored two of the three goals for the Southern All Stars with Tamworth FC’s Kelly Nystrom adding a late strike.
Josh Quaife had converted a first half penalty for the Northern All Stars.
The Southern dominance continued at the presentation night at the Armidale City Bowling Club too where Kootingal and District Soccer Club won three of the major awards.
Kootingal’s Noel Corney received the Jan Johnson Memorial Award, an award recognising an outstanding contribution from a volunteer, while club-mate Craig Johnston received the Service to Football Award. That recognised 10 years of dedicated service as club registrar for the Kootingal Kougars at a time where they have become the largest club in Tamworth District Football.
The Kougars also walked off with the NIF Club of the Year.
“They walked off with three of the major awards, all well deserved too,” said NIF general manager Steve Griffith.
“They do so much to promote football and grow the game.
“They are hard workers and dedicated.
“Craig Johnston’s award was outstanding. And the club itself gets in and does clinics and get in the schools and run gala days
“They have done some fantastic work. From my perspective they are a role model for all the other NIF clubs.
“Winning the club of the year was well deserved but also against some good competition too. North Companions were celebrating their 40th year, OVA their 30th and Narrabri have done fantastic things out west too but Kootingal are just outstanding.“
Grffith said NIF was delighted with the way the All Stars games and presentation went off and hopes to lock it in as a regular event to be held the weekend after the grand finals in future.
He was delighted the two games also raised almost $3000 for Ronald McDonald House with many of the players attracting sponsorships for the day.
“The match officials also generously donated their match fees for the day as well,’ Steve Griffith said.
SOUTHERN ALL STARS 3 (Brenan Fergie, Luke Purcell, Kelly Nystrom gls) d NORTHERN ALL STARS 1 (Josh Quaife gl).
SOUTHERN RISING STARS 1 (Harrison George gl) drew with NORTHERN RISING STARS 1 (Callan MacGregor gl).
o NIF Award winners list in Sport Details.