COWS CLAIM A CLASSIC QLD DERBY

BRISBANE lock Pat Carrigan has suffered a suspected season-ending ACL injury as Cowboys fullback Valentine Holmes (pictured) broke the Broncos’ hearts in a 19-18 thriller in Townsville.

The braveheart Broncos produced one of their most committed displays in two years and looked to have posted their second consecutive win when they led the Cowboys 18-12 inside the final six minutes at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

But in a throwback to the 2015 grand final, the Cowboys cheated death again, Jason Taumalolo crashing over in the 75th minute before Holmes stepped up as the hero with a field goal three minutes from time.

Six years ago, it was Johnathan Thurston who landed the field goal to crush Brisbane on the code’s biggest stage. This time, Holmes was the magic man.

The high-octane quality of this contest belied the lowly positions of Queensland’s foes as the Broncos and Cowboys traded blows in another cracking instalment of the code’s greatest derby.

To compound Brisbane’s plight, the Broncos may have lost Carrigan for the rest of the season after the inspirational No.13 hobbled off in the 52nd minute with a suspected snapped anterior-cruciate ligament.

By rights, the Broncos did enough to snatch the derby. They led 12-8 at halftime and defended magnificently to dominate at 18-12, but were left to rue their inability to snap a field goal for a sevenpoint break as Holmes showed them the importance of execution in clutch moments.