Kwame Emmanuel (left) of ABC tussling with Krizia Layne of the TTDF in yesterday's mixed final.

by CRAIG COZIER

A BADD CONNECTION (ABC) dominated finals day at the Banks International Hockey Festival yesterday as they tasted double success with victory in the mixed and women's competitions at the Astro Turf of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.

Their first title came from the mixed team, who finally prevailed 3-2 over Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) in a highly-entertaining encounter.

The women then wrapped up their third Festival crown, and first since 2000, with a comprehensive 4-0 thrashing of Maple. Allison Haynes began the rout with a cracking blast from the left side that took ABC into half-time 1-0 up.

Patrina Brathwaite added an equally crisp strike from a penalty corner to double the lead early in the second period.

Further conversions from Maria Browne and Nicky Brathwaite made sure there was no way back for Maple.

Maple had arrived in the final thanks to a 3-1 comeback win over England's Royal Navy on Friday night. The local side went behind to an Ann McCaffrey goal but bounced back with three goals in seven minutes in the second half.

Strikes from Benita Maynard, Lisa Crichlow and Veronica Alleyne catapulted the Maple girls into the final. ABC took their third mixed title following wins in 1993 and 1996 when they turned the tables on TTDF, who had beaten them in the group stages.

TTDF started the stronger and Trinidad and Tobago representative Nicholas Wren gave them a 1-0 lead within the first five minutes.

ABC responded through Nicky Brathwaite but Neil Lashley, another national cap from TTDF, sent the Trinis into halftime with a 2-1 lead. The Bajans, in the gruelling heat, fought back gallantly and Dave Cox squared the contest with 13 minutes left.

The winner came from Neil Franklyn, one of ABC's players of the tournament, who slotted home after a penalty corner with three minutes remaining.

ABC were denied the chance for an unprecedented treble when their men went down 4-3 on penalties in the first of two scintillating semi-finals on Friday night.

Anthony Trotman gave the defending champions a 1-0 lead against Dominion, but ABC found themselves 2-1 down at the break as Paul Reid and Ryan Drayton converted well-worked short corners.

ABC clawed their way back and Robin Parris' equaliser sent the match to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Corey Murray missed for Dominion to give ABC the early edge, but Paul Pounder and Trotman were both denied and Jamar Small sealed the Dominion victory by putting away the final penalty.

Dominion, the 2003 and 2004 champs, met TTDF in last night's final after the Trinidadians also came through a penalty shoot-out against All Stars in the second of the semi-finals.

Two of the best goals in the tournament were scored in regulation time but the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

Roger Bailey, a former Barbados national player, gave TTDF a first-half lead with a brilliant deflection with his back to the goal after a fine link-up play with Neil Lashley.

But All Stars hit back in the second half when Dario Jordan latched on to a cross from Dennis Lollo.

Neil Lashley, who missed his first stroke in the shoot-out, returned in sudden death to bury his next effort and when Andrew Morris failed, it was the Trinis who were celebrating.