Kohekohe scored four second half goals to win the premier men’s hockey title at Rosa Birch Park on Saturday afternoon. They downed Waiau Pa 4-1 to lift the Challenge Shield and take out the championship for the third year in a row.

Earlier in the week Waiau Pa pricked Pukekohe Indians bubble eliminating them in the semi-finals.

The premier men’s finalists were confirmed after Kohekohe easily accounted for Onewhero-Pukekohe in the other elimination game held mid-week. That set up a repeat of the men’s reserve final played two weeks ago by the same clubs.

On that count Kohekohe went into the Premier Final with a notch in their belt.

The playing conditions were good for the final but the arctic wind made spectating somewhat unpleasant.

Waiau Pa scored the only goal of the first half through Curt Goldsmith and they went to the break ahead.

Kohekohe traded in penalty corners and goals in the second half.

Within five minutes of the restart Prada Dahya had them on level terms after he was put through by Midlands NHL player Chad Whitehead.

Trent Thornton scored from close range to give Kohekohe the lead.

Skipper, Jerry Mekkelholt, made a telling run down the right wing which led to two penalty corners in a row. Jamie Jensen eventually cashed in on the pressure scoring Kohekohe’s third goal.

A few minutes later Mekkelholt put his name on the scoresheet with a neat effort from well out. By then Waiau Pa’s injuries were keeping pace with Kohekohe’s goals.

Whilst they were comfortable winners Kohekohe didn’t convert as many short corners into goals as they should and that’s a number they will want to improve on next season.

A battered but plucky Waiau Pa Club, who were runners-up in four major club finals, will be hatching a strategy to turn silver into gold over the summer.

Waiau Pa 1 (C Goldsmith) Kohekohe 4 (P Dahya, T Thornton, J Jensen, M Mekkelholt) Halftime 1- 0.