One of my most memorable cup finals in which one of the teams was from a lower division was in 2004.

Not that there haven’t been others, but this one sticks out for me. It was a cold May morning in Salisbury, and I spent a few hours at my soccer club watching the FA Cup final between Millwall and Manchester United.

For neutral observers, it was a chance to watch a young Tim Cahill turn out for the Lions (it would be his last game before transferring to Everton). The young Australian had only just been capped by the Socceroos after years of wrangling with FIFA about his eligibility.

Millwall had finished 10th that season in the division now known as the Championship (England’s second tier).

Their opponents: the mighty Manchester United, who had Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, Keane, Scholes and Giggs all starting.

The Red Devils ran out three-nil winners, but at a time when all we got to hear of divisions below the Premier League were BBC simulcasts on Adelaide radio, it was fascinating viewing.

Saturday’s Federation Cup Final between Modbury Jets and Adelaide City has a similar allure.

Modbury is plying its trade in State League 1, South Australia’s second tier. City, a local powerhouse, is leading the NPL – South Australia’s top division.

The game whets the appetite for many reasons: a potential giant-kill being the obvious one.

But it will also be the first senior final to be held at the new State Centre for Football. This is a historic moment and will be something no one can take away from either the Jets or City: they will always share the honour of being the first.

The venue has been a massive success for the Federation and if you haven’t been to see it, Saturday’s final is as good a reason as any.

Photo: Jayden Betterman/Football SA

The complex will be officially opened by dignitaries and there will be a cup semi-final from the women’s competition to enjoy as well.

Adelaide City will go into the game as heavy favourites and will be looking to win their first cup final since 2014 when they beat bitter rival West Adelaide four-one.

Their team is loaded with talent. Irabona, Deveruex, Ochsenham, Kur, Halliday and Bucco are just some of the names.

Kur Kur and Aladin Irabona have 11 league goals each this season and form part of an attack averaging just over two goals a game. Defensively, City have only conceded 15 goals in the league (0.83 a game).

They’ve lost one game all season – a recent one-nil defeat to MetroStars. But statistics and form can mean very little in cup football and they can’t take the Jets for granted.

Modbury is top of State League 1 and two games clear of their nearest rival (with four games to go in the league – the Jets are favourites to secure automatic promotion to the NPL). Hamish McCabe has smashed in 15 goals this season and impressive 17-year-old Cooper Wegener has nine.

Adelaide City’s left-back, Zak Waters, is acutely aware of the Jets’ potential.

“Modbury will be a tough opponent,” he notes.

“They have very good players, but if we play well and have a bit of luck, hopefully we can bring the cup home.

“To be a part of a club like Adelaide City with such history is amazing, and to reach a cup final with the chance of winning silverware and make more history for the club is exciting. Hopefully, we can achieve something for the fans and the club.”

For Modbury, this will be the first time since 2014 that they’ve played in a cup final – a game they lost to MetroStars. You need to go back to 1989 for their last success in this competition – a two-nil win against rivals Para Hills.

Modbury’s President Jeff McCormack told InDaily his club had set its sights on making the final.

“We are on the brink of achieving one of the goals set by our senior coach, Maurice Natale, at the start of 2022,” he said.

“Not only did we want to reach the final, but we want to win the trophy.

“The commitment from the players and support staff has been fantastic but no one is getting ahead of themselves; we know there is still a job to be done.

“Reaching the cup final has highlighted how well the club is travelling, and it feels like we have paid back our sponsors, supporters and volunteers for all their hard work.”

If you think there’s no rivalry between these two teams, you’d be mistaken. Modbury’s club song makes specific reference to “hating” Adelaide City. It’s an intriguing footnote to what should be a cracker final.

Spiro Karanikos-Mimis is InDaily’s soccer columnist. He is a contractor for Football SA. By making the final, both teams have qualified for the Australia Cup Round of 32. The Jets will head to Forrestdale in West Australia to play Armadale next Thursday. City host Brisbane’s Logan Lightning on Wednesday 27 July at Marden Sports Complex.