The Finley Cats will be aiming to keep their season alive when they take on Moama in the Murray League preliminary final at Barooga on Saturday.
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The Cats battled hard against Congupna in Saturday’s second semi-final, but despite getting within 13 points in the final term they were over-run late in the match.
The final margin was 31 points.
Moama won their way through to the preliminary final with victory over the Deni Rams on Sunday.
Finley and Congupna squared off at Rumbalara with the winner going straight into the grand final.
The conditions were challenging at times with prevailing winds, however the sun was out and there was a good crowd in attendance.
The first quarter started at a frenetic pace with the ball going end-to-end, and it was the Road through Brayden Squires (four goals) who scored the first goal.
Finley then moved the ball forward, where Luke Moore won a stoppage and goaled.
Congupna went to work around the ball and their run and carry put the Cats’ defence under extreme pressure.
Squires goaled again from 45 metres out on the run, and they again scored the next two goals to take a lead of 27 points at the first break.
The second term was an arm wrestle for the first eight minutes until Tom Lang marked and goaled.
The next score came from an intercept mark from Finley’s Jesse White who played on and goaled for the Cats.
Brayden Squires, who was having a significant influence on the game through his run and carry, scored the next two goals.
Finley clawed one back through Tom Lang just before the half-time siren.
Leading goalkicker Kyle Mueller won the ball out of a stoppage and snapped truly to maintain a 26 point lead for Congupna at the main break.
The third quarter saw the Cats coaching group move the magnets around and this saw the side come out with more intent in and around the contest.
Angus Roberston kicked the first goal and the Cats went forward again but couldn’t convert the opportunity.
The Road kicked the next two goals to again maintain the lead.
Mitch Carson kicked a short pass to Finley forward Zac Brain, and he worked his way through some congestion and goaled.
The next passage of play saw the ball go forward and Robertson plucked a one handed mark with three opponents on him.
He went back and kicked the goal and after another goal to Tom Lang this saw the margin reduced to 18 points.
The last term was played at high intensity and the pressure went to another level.
It was The Road’s Kyle Mueller who again snapped from a difficult position to goal.
Matt Jackson then got the ball to Brain who kicked it to Tom Lang who goaled.
Mark Whiley then marked after a Jackson pass and he goaled to reduce the margin to 13 point.
This gave the Cats a sniff but Mueller snuffed that out shortly after with a goal and then another snap from Daniel Campbell who goaled to all but stop any comeback from Finley.
The next passage of play saw The Road’s captain Daniel Schaper mark and goal and they were heading to the grand final. The final margin was 31 points.
The now face Moama in this week’s preliminary final.
Final score: Finley 11.10 (76) def by Congupna 16.9 (105).
Best players: Tom Lang, Angus Robertson, Kayden Sharp, Jesse McDonald, Mark Whiley, Zac Brain.
Goals: Tom Lang 4, Angus Robertson 3, Luke Moore 1, Jesse White 1, Zac Brain 1, Mark Whiley 1.
Awards: OMLS: Tom Lang; Eagle i Machinery: Angus Robertson; Marshall Ag Repairs: Jake Maconachie; Kelly Grains: Kayden Sharp; Finley RSC: Charlie Lang.
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In the netball, Finley’s C-grade and C-reserve sides were eliminated with semi-final losses at home.
Match reports were not received at the time of going to print.
C-grade: Finley 34 def by Mulwala 53.
C-reserve: Finley 43 def by Echuca United 44.
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