KEY POINTS:
The Chatham Cup final will again be played in Auckland - but not at North Harbour stadium.
The winner of Sunday's cup semifinal between Central United and North Shore United at Kiwitea St was yesterday guaranteed a home game for the September 1 or 2 final against the winner of the second semifinal (in Dunedin) between Caversham and cup-holders Western Suburbs.
There is also a 50-50 chance the Women's Knockout Cup final will be played in Auckland.
If Western Springs beat Wellington's Seatoun in their semifinal, they will have home advantage for the final. If Seatoun win, they will host the final but not at their home ground, preferring instead to go to Miramar's Centennial Park, Newtown Park or the one-time holy shrine of Chatham Cup finals, the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand Soccer competitions manager Glyn Taylor said the call to leave North Harbour stadium - which has hosted eight of the nine finals since 1998 - was made for two reasons.
"There will be no live television coverage of this year's final as it would cost us $30,000-$40,000," said Taylor. "And North Harbour stadium is not available on the weekend we need to play the final as the rugby team have a home game in the Air New Zealand Cup."
So, the names went into a hat and were pulled out with Auckland teams faring well in the draw.
To play a final at Kiwitea St, should they win Sunday's tie, would be something new for Central, who have played in five finals in the past 10 years - winning at Napier's McLean Park and twice at North Harbour as well as losing there twice.
North Shore, chasing a record-equalling seventh cup win, have won four times at the Basin Reserve, once at Papakura's McLennan Park and once in a home and away two-leg final (in 1986) at their home ground (Allen Hill Stadium) and Mt Maunganui's Links Ave.
Shore also lost three finals at the Basin and once each at Newmarket Park, Mt Smart and McLean Park.
But there is no chance the final will return to its original home. The 1923 and 1924 finals were played at the now gone Athletic Park in Wellington.
