Neighbourhood rival clash kick starts Gippsland finals
It wasn’t Saturday’s qualifying final when Maffra defeated Traralgon in a “ho hum” affair but Sunday’s elimination final that pitted neighbours Drouin and Warragul against each other that that gave a mighty kick start to the Gippsland League finals series. Drouin got over the line in a tension packed game after Warragul came from behind to level the scores in time on of the last quarter and were playing all over the Hawks. But Drouin, with a couple of breaks against the run of play added two goals to run out 10-8 to 7-14 winners before a good sized crowd no doubt swelled by the fact Drouin and Warragul were squaring off in a final for the first time in 91 years. Maffra won through to a second semi-final appointment against hot premiership favourites Leongatha when it pushed aside a sore and sorry Traralgon in the qualifying final at Morwell. The injury hit Maroons were out on their feet in the second half. The margin could have been much greater than the 11-23 to 8-7 final scoreline but for a wayward last term near goal by Maffra when it booted 3-9 to Traralgon’s two behinds. The Eagles had led by only nine points at both half and threequarter time breaks. Cora Lynn took a big step towards making its last season in the Ellinbank and District Football League a premiership one when it won its spot in the grand final by downing Bunyip at Western Park, Warragul, on Saturday. Cora Lynn and Bunyip are two of five EDFL clubs that will be part of a new West Gippsland competition next year. The Cobras had too many guns for a disappointing Bunyip running away in the second half to post a 12-14 to 8-8 victory. Their third quarter 4-5 to Bunyip’s one behind broke open the contest. Nathan Langley and Anthony Guiliano each kicked four goals for Cora Lynn while Kris Bedford, with three, was the Bulldogs only multiple goal kicker. Bunyip will get a chance to set up a grand final re-match if it can overcome Nar Nar Goon in next Saturday’s preliminary final. The Gooners have been the giant killers of the EDFL’s finals series. On Sunday it scraped in by one point against Koo wee rup in a thrilling finish to the first semifinal by kicking the only goal of the last quarter. A week early they’d downed Neerim Neerim South by seven points in an elimination final. In Mid Gippsland League Yallourn Yallourn North earned a grand final berth and a chance to go one better than last year’s runner-up finish after bringing down pre-match favourites Newborough in the second semifinal. YYN contended better with a tricky wind at Morwell East to win 8-8 to 5-13. Newborough threw everything into a desperate last quarter to try to peg back a three-goal deficit but, not helped by some inaccuracy near goal, fell short 5-13 to 8-8. Yallourn forward Dean MacDonald’s four goals was a major difference between the teams. Newborough will play Morwell East in Saturday’s preliminary final at Hill End. East has been an even greater giant killer than the EDFL’s Nar Nar Goon. Fifth at the end of the home and away rounds it ran away from Mirboo North (2nd) in the second half to win 9-15 to 6-6 to follow up its upset of defending premier Yinnar a week earlier.