Auxilium Church (Team B) outplayed Calcutta Celebration Church to clinch a 2-0 victory in the final of the latest edition of the Inter-Parish Football Tournament, organised by The All-India Anglo-Indian Association Calcutta Branch, Youth Wing, at Frank Anthony Public School in Beniapukur between October 22 and 23. Sixteen teams from across Kolkata and its outskirts participated in the competition that was being held for the first time since 2019, in association with event sponsor Chicago Pizza, sporting partner Decathlon, gifting partner Sonika Chauhan Foundation and digital media partner My Kolkata.
“We’ve had a turnout of more than 500 people over two days, and it’s been a fantastic experience to work with the Youth Wing to help put this together. We’ve got even more support and love than in 2019, and it’s great to see so many teams come together, not just from the heart of Kolkata but also from places like Bansdroni and Bandel,” said Nikita Stalkey, who has been the president of the Youth Wing of the Calcutta Branch since 2020.
Members of The All-India Anglo-Indian Association Calcutta Branch, Youth Wing, with Ian Myers, principal of Frank Anthony Public School
“This is our first big event this year, and I’m proud of our group for making it a success in a systematic and seamless way,” said Ingrid Rozario, event coordinator in 2019. Her successor in 2022, Dennis Benedict Rozario, added: “A lot of registrations came in at the last minute, which was a bit challenging logistically. But I’m really happy with how everything went off. This is a unique football tournament in that there’s no age gap. The youngest players are around 15 and 16 and you even have players in their late 30s and 40s. I’d also like to convey my gratitude to the Calcutta Branch president, Denise O’ Brien, for her encouragement and cooperation.”
The decisive penalty save in the second semi-final, which saw the defending champions make it to their second final in succession
The tournament got underway on October 22 with a league format involving all 16 teams. The top eight from the league table fought it out in the quarter-finals before Auxilium Church (Team B), Calcutta Celebration Church, St. Ignatius Church (Team A) and Our Lady of Vailankanni (Team C) made it to the last four. Standard five-a-side rules — no lofted passing or shooting, corners from the centre spot, goalkeepers to remain in the penalty box and kick-ins rather than throw-ins — applied throughout.
In the first semi-final, Auxilium Church delivered a convincing win against Our Lady of Vailankanni (Team C), slotting three goals without reply. The second semi-final, however, proved to be a battle of attrition as Calcutta Celebration Church narrowly made it through on penalties ahead of St. Ignatius Church (Team A), after no goals were netted in the 30 minutes plus extra time of play.
Action from the final, with Calcutta Celebration Church trying to mount a comeback
Come the final, the toll of the semis started showing on Calcutta Celebration Church, the defending champions from 2019. An individual error at the back led to the opening goal for Auxilium Church in the early exchanges of the final, followed by another clinical finish from Auxilium to put the result beyond doubt.
“Reaching the final is always an achievement, but I felt we were too drained mentally after the exertion in the semis. We didn’t convert our chances and once you start slowly and go behind to a good team, it’s difficult to come back in this format. At the same time, we’re very happy for our opponents, most of whom are our friends as we often play and hang out together. In fact, we even watched the Manchester United-Chelsea game last night as a group,” said Liam Bain, the captain of Calcutta Celebration Church and an avid Red Devils fan.
Liam’s opposite number, Donnawyn Savyell, a diehard Real Madrid fan, who was also adjudged to be the tournament’s most valuable player, said: “It feels amazing to win, after years of finishing as a runner-up. Calcutta Celebration is a strong team with excellent coordination. We had to give our 200 per cent to win, and that’s what we did.”
The winning team of Auxilium Church with their trophies at the presentation ceremony
Besides the winners’ trophy, Donnawyn’s squad also took home the award for the most stylish team. The award for top-scorer was bagged by Auxilium’s Jeh Williamson (with eight goals) while Calcutta Celebration’s Brandon Murray was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Apart from the final, a special exhibition match between youngsters and veterans also garnered a lot of attention, with the veterans’ team being represented by Darryl Fermie, Richard Stalkey, Clinton D’Rozario Anthony Rama Alwin Abbey, Carlton Fernandez and Anthony D’silva and the youngsters comprising Ronan D’Rozario, Kyle Rozario, Blaine Rozario, Simon Williams, Sheldon Peters, Dennis Rozarion Cecil David and Donnawyn Savyell.
Nicholas from Tiretta Bazaar serving his scrumptious momos
Throughout the two days of football, a number of refreshments and snacks were on offer at the venue. From pizzas and soft drinks at a stall set up by Chicago Pizza to homemade momos, wontons and puffs from Tiretta Bazaar’s Nicholas, players and visitors had enough on their plates in between games.
Reflecting on the tournament, Ian Myers, principal of Frank Anthony Public School, said: “Our school has been associated with this tournament for as long as I can remember, going back to the days when I was president of the Youth Wing. After a few years of no activity due to the pandemic, it’s heartwarming to see the energy return to the field. A tournament like this is always more than football, it’s about camaraderie, people coming together and having a good time.”
