Magpies fly high to lift finals hope Hot Palmo too good for St Mary’s
PALMERSTON’S finals s hopes got a welcome boost and playing coach Alwyn Davey had 150 reasons to o celebrate after their 23-point t win over long-time nemesis s St Mary’s last night.
The Magpies led from m early in the first quarter and did enough through the remaining three to win 11.13 (79) to 8.8 (56) at TIO Stadium.
St Mary’s fielded only three players from their last premiership side in 2017 – another reminder of the changing of the guard at the 32-time NTFL premier.
But the Magpies were more interested in rekindling their finals hopes after three successive losses and presenting their coach with a 150game birthday cake.
It was enough to take them to a 15-point lead at quarter time through goals from Jamanie Wunungmurra, Kyle Emery and Sam Talbot, after Mathias Liddy kicked the first goal of the match for St Mary’s.
The experienced Magpies had the better of the first two quarters with Matt Dennis controlling the ruck and defenders Aaron Davey and Ezekiel Frank repelling anything their threw at them.
Other Magpies to impress in the club’s first win over St Mary’s since 2011 were the underrated Liam McDonald in defence, Emery up forward and Sam Talbot around the ground.
Palmerston did lead by as much as 43 points at the start of the last quarter when Kyle Emery kicked his third goal, but any hopes of a major percentage boost got a hit when Saints kicked four of the last six goals.
Dennis, one of the favourites to take out the coveted Nichols Medal as the league’s best and fairest player in a opponents month’s time, said the win had more to do with Davey than any late entry into the finals.
“The result of the game before us (fifth-placed Bombers beat the Darwin Buffaloes) meant a win for “Frog’’ (Alwyn Davey) and finishing the season off well was the main priority,’’ he said.
“As for finals, we can only control what is in front of us, but the boys really stuck it out in what was a really good win.’’ GOALS MATT DENNIS