KEY POINTS:
Central United, just 90 minutes away from their sixth Chatham Cup final in 10 years, go into tomorrow's semifinal with North Shore United as a hot, or at least very warm favourite.
But while the odds suggest a cakewalk for Aaron McFarland and his Central team, a lazy dollar on the Kiwitea St clash going to extra time might be worth considering.
In their latest cup outings Central, as favourites, have been taken to extra time by fellow northern premier clubs East Coast Bays and Eastern Suburbs.
In a fourth-round clash dominated by the flashing cards of referee Steve Fletcher, which reduced the playing numbers of both teams, Central edged Bays in a penalty shootout after extra time.
In the quarter-finals they were again taken to extra time before sneaking home 2-1 over Eastern Suburbs.
North Shore, under coach Clive Campbell, have found it only a little easier.
They got through their third-round encounter 1-0 at home to Albany United and made it by the odd goal in the next round, edging Manurewa 2-1 before, aided by yet another home tie, beating Hamilton Wanderers 3-1 in the quarters.
The big time beckons for North Shore, and to a lesser extent, Central.
Victory in the September 1 or 2 final would see Shore, New Zealand's oldest surviving soccer club, join Mt Wellington as a record-equalling seven-time winner. Shore have already played in a dozen finals - one less than Mt Wellington.
Central, five times finalists, would join Wellington's Waterside and Napier City Rovers as four-time winners with only heavyweights Eastern Suburbs, North Shore, Christchurch United and Mt Wellington ahead of them.
Western Suburbs, away to Dunedin's Caversham in next weekend's second semifinal, are also three-time winners (and cup-holders). It all points to the South Islanders being real outsiders in this race.
Caversham have yet to play a final but get their chance, if they win at Tonga Park, to play the 80th final and join inaugural cup-winner Seacliff (1923), Northern (1959, 1961), Dunedin City (1981) and Dunedin Technical (1999) as the fifth team from the city to claim the prized trophy.
The split round for the semifinals follows a request to play the northern tie early as both clubs have players in the New Zealand Invitation team who will play matches in Fiji next Friday and Sunday.
North Shore have Jeff Campbell and Sam Jasper in that side while Central lose brothers Joel and Sam Mathews.
Given their greater experience and their certain cruise to the premier title, Central should be untroubled against a Shore side who have flirted with relegation for much of the season.
