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The 65th Ontario Senior Men’s Club Championship Final will be played on Saturday as the Brantford Harlequins play the Markham Irish at Fletcher’s Fields. Brantford are looking to make it three in a row after back-to-back Cup Final wins over Toronto Scottish and Balmy Beach. Irish last lifted the cup in 2013, their first since the club merger between the Irish Canadians and Markham RFC.
It’s a familiar lineup for the Harlequins, who finished at the top of the Marshall Premiership standings with only one defeat this season. A dozen players who started last year’s final do so again with the van Horne twins – Tom and Josh – headlining an imposing forward pack. The Ontario Arrows pair provide grunt in the engine room with another Arrows regular – Kolby Francis – set to be used as an impact sub.
Cullen Fawcett and former Canada u20 rep Graeme Mahar bookend the front row with Canada Sevens select Jordan Kozina named on the openside having played wing a year ago. Graham McKelvey and Paul Auzins reprise their roles in the back row with OUA All-Star Tyler Mirco starting at hooker.
Winger Joe Newman and outside centre Conor Fitzsimmons are also University All-Stars, with Ontario Blues experience provided by Nathan Boeyenga and Adam Schouten. Rugby League international Steve Piatek wears the No10 shirt this year with Canada cap Rory McDonell at fullback and brother Hugh leading the side in the midfield.
Irish coach Fabian Rayne will be hoping his charges have one more big game left in them after defeating the upstart Burlington Centaurs in the Semi Final. Their dangerous backline is led by captain and Blues veteran Jesse Lofthouse, with Arrows winger Johnny Sheridan running out at fullback. Sri Lankan international Lee Keegel provides x-factor in the midfield.
The Markham forwards lack big name presence and will look for leadership from 2017 club MVP Gavin Howe and his athletic second row partner Jeremy Browridge. Brandon Black starts on the flank having featured as a hooker with the Blues, and lock Barry Ward is a towering presence from the bench.
A number of matches will take place on Finals day including the Gee Gage Cup at 11:30am, the McCormick Bronze at 12:30pm, and the McCormick Shield at 1pm. The McCormick Cup Final kicks off at 3pm local time. A live stream is available on YouTube.
BRANTFORD HARLEQUINS
1 Cullen Fawcett, 2 Tyler Mirco, 3 Graeme Mahar, 4 Tom van Horne, 5 Josh van Horne, 6 Paul Auzins, 7 Jordan Kozina, 8 Graham McKelvey, 9 Adam Schouten, 10 Steve Piatek, 11 Nathan Boeyenga, 12 Hugh McDonell (capt.), 13 Connor Fitzsimmons, 14 Joe Newman, 15 Rory McDonell
Replacements: 16 Dave Neill, 17 Dave McLean, 18 George Bocock, 19 Kolby Francis, 20 Adam Maahs, 21 Mitch McIsaac, 23 Casey Bouk, 23 Janusz McNeill
MARKHAM IRISH
1 Mike Gallagher, 2 DJ Bott, 3 Patrick Laffan, 4 Gavin Howe, 5 Jeremy Brownridge, 6 Brandon Black, 7 Jason Chuck, 8 Alex Jordan, 9 Owen Schimpl, 10 Jesse Lofthouse (capt.), 11 Jordan Lofthouse, 12 Brian Duncan, 13 Lee Keegel, 14 Alex Russell, 15 Johnny Sheridan
Replacements: 16 Ryan Cochrane, 17 Charl Smith, 18 Mike Thorne, 19 Barry Ward, 20 Josh In, 21 Mike Sheridan, 22 Tim Chapman, 23 Liam McGuckian
Date: Saturday, September 29
Venue: Fletcher’s Fields, Markham
Kickoff: 15:00 local (12:00 Pacific)
Broadcasts: YouTube
