Carey Park have defeated South Bunbury in the Get Careers Colts First Semi Final, defeating the Tigers by one point in a thrilling finish, at PC Payne Park on Sunday morning.
With light rain falling it didn’t take long for the first goal to be kicked by Taj Houlahan, kicking a good goal from long range on the run. The remainder of the quarter would be a dogged affair, with the slippery ball going from one end to another. The Panthers got the ball into a scoring position late in the quarter and then received a 50m penalty, with Sheldon Pickett converting from the goal line.
The second quarter was just as tough to score with the wet conditions making it hard to get any cohesive play going. Late in the quarter the Tigers got their first goal via Connor Pearson who snapped a good goal from the pocket.
The rain cleared in the third and the sun even made an appearance, but both defensive lines were still on top. Houlahan took a good mark midway through the quarter to give the Panthers a twelve point lead. This preceded the best passage of play occurred late in the term, where the Panthers were able to take the ball the length of the ground with a chain of handballs which ended with Sheldon Pickett who goaled from 35m out to give Carey Park a fifteen point lead at three quarter time.
Zenon Parsons took a strong mark right in front to reduce the margin to eight points at the start of the final term, before Riley Della-Sale got a boot to ball in the goal square to set up a thrilling finish. Riley Della-Sale and Pearson goaled in quick succession, with scores level with five minutes to play. Carey Park would need to buck the trend, with not one goal kicked to the Southern End for the match. The ball would go across the face of goals numerous times with the Tigers defence resolute, but eventually a behind would be scored, putting the Panthers back in front.
The final minutes would see the ball on the outer side, with the siren sounding an end to the Tigers season, while the Panthers would be jubilant, and will now face Bunbury in a Preliminary Final.
SCOREBOARD
Carey Park 2.0.12 2.2.14 4.3.27 4.7.31
South Bunbury 0.0.0 1.3.9 1.5.11 4.6.30
Goals: Carey Park – Taj Houlahan 2, Sheldon Pickett 2. South Bunbury – Connor Pearson 2, Riley Della-Sale 1, Zenon Parsons 1.
Best: Carey Park – Rhys Gardiner, Nic Skoda, Tanner Reid, Taj Houlahan, Josh Chamasowa, Taj Beauclarke. South Bunbury – Nehemiah Brown, Riley Della-Sale, Noah Piavanini, Connor Pearson, Eamon Ramsay, Chayse Parsons.
Ground: PC Payne Park
Umpires: Vance Burton, Khye Skoda, Kobe Musitano
Crowd: 1351
