FOUR of Caradon’s senior sides competed in the Cornwall Cup finals day at Penzance on Saturday, May 10 with the ladies’ firsts and thirds securing victory.

In a remarkable feat for the club, the ladies’ first team took on Caradon Seconds in the main final, with the firsts running out 7-1 winners.

Despite neither team relishing the prospect of playing against their club mates, bragging rights were at stake in the first-ever final contested by the same club.

The seconds frustrated the first team with excellent defensive play, but after 10 minutes the ones broke the deadlock with a well-worked goal.

This was the spark that was needed for the first team to play their flowing, high-pace hockey, and although Lynn Oxenham made some crucial saves, it was 3-0 at half-time.

The second half was a show of good hockey from both teams, but the experience and quality of the first team players was evident and after 55 minutes it was 6-0.

Katie Fear scored a well-taken consolation goal but it was player-of-the-match, Jules Butterworth who scored the final goal of the day from a blistering penalty corner to make it 7-1.

The other first team scorers were Bizzie Jeffery (2), Abbie Ingram (2), Clare Mitchell and Libby Walsh.

Caradon’s first team men looked to defend their title against their Truro counterparts who edged an 11-goal classic late on.

Caradon weathered the initial Truro storm and broke the deadlock through a rebounded effort flicked onto the inside of the left post by Tyler Walsh. Capitalising on their chances, the East Cornwall side doubled their lead through Walsh from a clinical penalty routine.

However, during a lacklustre five minutes the yellows went down to 10 men and conceded two in quick succession to go into half-time all square at 2-2.

Truro’s energy and quality carried them through to 5-2 not long into the second half, but back came the Liskeard outfit.

Caradon gave the ball the Ben Hedley on the halfway line – who carried the ball all the way to the D before slipping it to Ben Reynolds at the far post for Caradon’s third.

The pressure continued with Hedley squeezing home a shot before Walsh’s penalty corner levelled the game with timing running out.

But back came Truro and a penalty stroke ensured the title went to the capital.

Inspired by the fighting spirit of the men in the game immediately prior, Caradon Thirds took on Trelawney Division One rivals Penzance Seconds, and edged an eight-goal thriller.

Caradon took the lead after Kerenza Bunt won a short corner as Lila Johns unleashed her drag flick into the net.

Johns’ remarkable afternoon continued as she scored three more before the break, although a penalty flick gave Penzance a glimmer at 4-1.

Penzance made the bold move to sub their goalkeeper and add an extra attacker with 15 to play and it proved to be a great decision as they scored twice in five minutes.

With the pressure now on, Caradon needed a crucial goal-line save from Sharon Jeffery.

From that, she sent the ball out to Jo Maudsley on the left, who found Rach Luiten in the D to calmly slot it past the desperate defenders and secure the 5-3 win.

After ending the season fifth in the league, being crowned Cornwall Plate champions was the icing on the cake.