BY NATHAN DOLE
Magpies win one-goal thriller against Swans
LAKE Boga is first to the A-grade netball grand final after Saturday’s dramatic second semi-final clash with Swan Hill in the Central Murray FNL action.
The Magpies and Swans played out a terrific match at Woorinen Recreation Reserve.
Lake Boga put an unbeaten run across 16 matches in the home-and away series on the line.
The Swans were 15-1 in the run to the finals.
Swan Hill’s sole defeat was by 16 goals on Lake Boga’s court in the eighth round.
On second semi-final day the Swans kept the heat on the Magpies all match.
At the final siren it was Lake Boga in front, 44-43.
The Magpies will now prepare for a grand final showdown on September 21 against Swan Hill or Mallee Eagles at Swan Hill’s Alan Garden Reserve.
Mallee Eagles kept premiership hopes alive as they won Sunday’s first semi-final against Balranald at Cohuna Recreation Reserve.
A 16-goal win against Tyntynder in the elimination final set up the Eagles’ clash with a Balranald team on the rebound from an 32-40 loss to Swan Hill in the qualifying final.
The first semi-finalists met once in the home-and-away series on Balranald’s court at Greenham Park.
It was the Eagles who soared to a 51-42 victory against the Kangaroos in round eight.
Mallee Eagles were first to qualify for the A-reserve grand final after a 50-44 win against Balranald on Saturday.
Swan Hill will feature in the B-grade and B-reserve grand finals after wins by 11 and 10 goals against Woorinen and Tyntynder respectively.
The Cohuna Kangas bounced their way into the 17-and-under decider after a 60-46 victory against the Tooleybuc Manangatang.
Second semi-final day for Lake Boga included wins in the 15-and-under and 13-and-under matches by five and two goals.
Seasons would roll on or end in Sunday’s first semi-finals.
Woorinen won the A-reserve clash with Swan Hill by eight goals.
It was a nine-goal margin at the end of the B-grade contest as Koondrook Barham marked a 49-40 win against Cohuna Kangas.
Two mobs of Kangaroos met in B-reserve as Cohuna faced Balranald.
It was Cohuna which bound its way to a 47-41 victory.
Kerang won the 17-and-under clash with Woorinen by six goals.
It was a three-goal thriller in the 15-and-under competition as Swan Hill netted a 43-40 victory against Koondrook Barham.
The Tiger cubs from Woorinen roared in a 37-28 result against Koondrook Barham in the first semi-final for 13-and-under teams.
Central Murray netball first semi-finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Mallee Eagles 51 d Balranald 42.
A-reserve: Woorinen 49 d Swan Hill 41.
B-grade: Koondrook Barham 49 d Cohuna Kangas 40.
B-reserve: Cohuna Kangas 47 d Balranald 41.
17-and-under: Kerang 46 d Woorinen 40.
15-and-under: Swan Hill 43 d Koondrook Barham 40.
13-and-under: Woorinen 37 d Koondrook Barham 28.
Central Murray netball second semi-finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Lake Boga 44 d Swan Hill 43.
A-reserve: Mallee Eagles 50 d Balranald 44.
B-grade: Swan Hill 56 d Woorinen 45.
B-reserve: Swan Hill 31 d Tyntynder 21.
17-and-under: Cohuna Kangas 60 d Tooleybuc Manangatang 46.
15-and-under: Lake Boga 39 d Tyntynder 34.
13-and-under: Lake Boga 35 d Tooleybuc Manangatang 33.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Nyah Recreation Reserve:
15-and-under at 9am, court one: Tyntynder v Swan Hill.
17-and-under at 10.25am, court one: Tooleybuc Manangatang v Kerang.
13-and-under at 10.25am, court two: Tooleybuc Manangatang v Woorinen.
B-grade at 11.50am, court two: Woorinen v Koondrook Barham.
A-reserve at 1.15pm, court one: Balranald v Woorinen.
B-reserve at 1.15pm, court two: Tyntynder v Cohuna Kangas.
A-grade at 2.40pm, court one: Swan Hill v Mallee Eagles.
PHOTO – Heidi Palmer