Finals Fever Grips Whitsunday United Football Club!

Nine out of 10 Whitsunday United Football Club teams were in action in finals football last weekend, with seven sides still in contention for a grand final spot.

The divisional men kicked off proceedings on Friday night against Lions. Div 2 needed victory to stay alive but fell 2–0 behind early in the second half. A spirited fightback saw them score twice to level, but neither side could find a winner in regular time. With players struggling through cramps, the game went to penalties, where Ross pulled off two crucial saves to send his side through to the next round against Country.

Div 1 faced a Lions outfit they have struggled to overcome all season. An early mistake gifted Lions the lead before WUFC equalised through a high press. Despite dominating possession, they couldn’t find another breakthrough and the game ended 1–1. Extra time produced no change, and the match went to penalties. An early WUFC save wasn’t enough as two misses proved costly, sending Lions through 4–3 on spot kicks. WUFC now face Rangers in their bid to reach the grand final.
The U13 Prems fought hard against Mackay Rangers in a defensive semi-final. After 70 scoreless minutes, extra time saw Rangers break the deadlock, scoring in both periods to claim a 2–0 win. WUFC’s resilience keeps them alive, with a sudden-death semi-final against Lions now awaiting them.

The U14s produced a dominant display against Rangers Black, running out 13–2 winners. Shannon bagged a hat trick, Nick M and Nick P scored doubles, and Oisin netted his first goal of the season. Kobe, Tyson F, Eden and Harley also found the target. They now meet Magpies in the preliminary final.

The U16s clashed with top-of-the-table Magpies in a tense semi-final. After a goalless 80 minutes, the match went to extra time where Magpies struck twice, winning 2–0. WUFC will get another chance to reach the grand final this weekend against Country United.

The Whitsunday Women bowed out of finals contention after a thrilling 4–3 extra-time loss to Rangers. Michelle opened the scoring from Loz’s clever chip, before Sarah struck twice, giving United a 3–1 lead. Rangers fought back to level, then grabbed the winner in extra time. Despite the defeat, the team showed immense spirit and look forward to building on a promising season, with hopes of fielding two sides in 2026.

The Men’s U23s progressed straight to the grand final with a commanding 3–0 win over City Brothers. A heated first half saw Brothers collect five yellow cards as WUFC took control. Goals came via a tap-in from Kai Savy, a thunderous 20-yard half-volley from Max O’Keefe, and a stunning long-range free kick from Oisin Sherlock.

In the FQPL Men’s elimination final, WUFC edged out City Brothers 1–0. Sean McCarthy’s first-half penalty proved decisive, booking their place in this weekend’s clash with Magpies for a grand final berth.

With so many teams still in the hunt, another thrilling weekend of football awaits.

Contributed with thanks to Allan Milostic

‍

FQPL Men U23 – Premiership Champions and straight to the Grand Final after a convincing win on the weekend. Photo supplied

‍