Elimination Finals: Farewells, Fireworks and Finals Footy

If Saturday saw the London Swans and the Demons descend on Reading then Sunday it was the Wildcats and Hawks in town at Peckham Rye with a little bit of Sussex Swans thrown in for good measure

Opening proceedings was the Men's Socials clash between the Ealing Emus (3rd in the ladder) and the Sussex Swans (4th in the ladder). The sides had met just a couple of weeks earlier with the Swans coming out on top by a eight points, and it was clear from the outset that we had another tight encounter on our hands.

The opening quarter was scrappy with plenty of misplaced passes and clearances and very little to trouble the scoreboard, and the sides went in at the quarter break with the Wildcats 0.2.2 to 0.1.1 ahead.

Swans player-coach Dom McInerney levelled things up early in the second quarter before Isaac Wheeler set up Jasper Krushka and he struck a post as the Emus retook the lead. Finally though we got a goal, and it came from a well taken mark and conversion by Emus Daniel Block. The Swans kept probing and three more behinds kept them in touching distance at the big break. The Emus leading 1.3.9 to 0.5.5

Early in the third quarter the Bloch looked to set to stretch the Emus lead, but a fantastic Iain Beaton challenge stopped a certain goal. The respite though was short-lived and Cameron Abraham did well deep in Swans territory and found Lachie Sutton and the Emus struck again. Ignacio Ramis struck a post as the Emus looked to pull clear and after Sutton had been denied by a Luke Cowling challenge, captain Joe Moore fired home for the Swans to get them back to within a score going into the final period, the Emus leading 2.5.17 to 1.6.12

Into the final period and both sides were still struggling to make any meaningful additions to the scoreboard, but once Jesse Rosomacki popped over a set shot, the Emus were out to eleven points clear and in a tight game that was to prove decisive. Swans did pop over a behind, but in the end it wasn't enough and the Emus won 3.5.23 to 1.7.13.

The Emus head off to a Preliminary Final clash against the Wandsworth Demons, whilst it is season over for the Swans, and a changing of the guard with skipper Joe Moore and the influential Steven Welton both set for pastures new.

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If Game 1 was a tight tense affair, game 2 was effectively all over bar the shouting come the end of the first quarter where an on fire Wimbledon Hawks had put the Shepherds Bush Raiders to the sword in the Mens Conference.

The signs were ominous for the Raiders early on, a huge bomb from wide on the left by Myles Hudson took a right angled bounce to give the Hawks the first goal of the quarter and it went on from there. Billy O'Loughlin wide on the left found Mitch Bloomfield, and he cut inside to score from close range, and on the other side Billy Glasgow shrugged off the attentions of O'Loughlin to put a booming kick of his own between the uprights.

Brendan Moldrich and Chase Cordon both found Glasgow within striking distance, and the big man duly obliged notching another couple, and when Glasgow did spill the next entry into the 50, Bloomfield was able to pounce on the loose ball and finish from 2/3 inches. Tim Sparks took a fantastic mark running backwards and found Glasgow, and we all know the outcome to that, and when Ayden Dignan scored on the turn, the Hawks found themselves just shy of a half century going into the first quarter break, leading 8.1.49 to 0.1.1

Some semblance of pride was restored for the Wildcats with a relatively low scoring second quarter. The Raiders got their first goal, through James Carry, after good work by Sam Meyrick, but Moldrich found Hudson and he notched his second of the game to send the Hawks in 9.4.58 to 1.2.8 ahead.

The Raiders started the second half positively and quickly scored two goals (were they playing their St Kilda card and launching a remarkable recovery), firstly through Harry Austin, and then Jeremy Landberg - was a miracle on the cards.

Sadly for the Raiders, no it wasn't, they had merely poked the briefly slumbering bear, and the Hawks quickly restored there advantage and increased it. O'Loughlin intercepted a Jye Medwin clearance for the first; Hudson then linked up with Bloomfield, who jinked passed a couple to set up Dignan; and Hudson was again the provider finding Glasgow, who never looked like missing. Ceejay Inglis got in on the act, latching onto a loose ball, and the Hudson/Glasgow combo was in effect again, with Glasgow firing home his sixth. Three quarter time came with the Hawks 14.7.91 to 3.2.20 ahead.

Any thoughts that the Hawks might take the foot off the gas were quickly dispelled. Early on a ball into the 50 wasn't dealt with and O'Loughlin converted with a low bobbly effort, and Dignan added his third on the turn shortly after to break the 100 point barrier. Austin Atkins went close for the Raiders but his effort drifted wide, for a behind, right at the last minute, then the veteran Drew Le Roy scored from the left of the sticks for the Hawks, and a huge booming effort by Maxwell Drew got him his first of the game.

Hudson then took over, marking a ball from Drew to score, and then launching a huge effort straight through the middle. Brian Tran got the Raiders only goal of the quarter, capitalising on a rough tackle by Le Roy. The final say though went to Hudson, having seen his first shot blocked, he reacted quickly to gather the rebound and score, giving a full time score of 21.11.137 to 4.4.28

The Hawks move on to a repeat of last years Preliminary Final against the Demons, and if it half as good as that game it will be a belter.

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The final game of the day saw the multiple reigning champions the West London Wildcats and the Wimbledon Hawks, and WOW what a game.

The Hawks started positively, putting the Wildcats under heavy pressure in the early stages, but set shots from Tess Harris and Olivia Niddrie both dropped agonisingly short, and having absorbed a heap of pressure it was the Wildcats who struck first, through the impressive Sarah Vague. Both sides traded behinds, and it was the Cats who led into the break 1.3.9 to 0.1.1

The game was tense and tight with both sides having good chances. Maddie Grimes found Iona Williams who in turn picked out Jamie Symons, but the Hawks defence got around the Cat and smothered the shot, and the Hawks were soon back to within a couple of points. A launched ball forward by Mel Hogg dropped short but Abbey L'Estrange reacted quickest and scored on the the turn. 
As the quarter and half drew to a close, the Cats got some breathing space after Williams soccered goalwards and Emma Ryan gathered and fired home from close range. Half time saw the Wildcats 2.4.16 to 1.3.9 ahead.

The third quarter will live long in the memory, a thrilling display of attacking, counter attacking and body on the line defence from both sides. Tess Harris launched the ball into the Wildcats 50 and after an umpire abuse call a set shot from Jacinta Costanzo got the Hawks to within a point. There then followed a spell of the Hawks pounding away at the Wildcats 50 but the defence was superb and held them at bay until Emily Maguire marked and found Costanzo who fired the Hawks ahead.

At this stage and under immense pressure it would have been easy for the Wildcats to crumble, but whilst players come and go, the ethos is the same, and they showed why they have won four consecutive titles. Georgina Pulsford launched the ball forward, Angie Wang Hartmann gathered the ball and the Wildcats levelled the scores. Late in the quarter Hogg found L'Estrange and she was agonisingly close to a goal, but had to settle for a behind and the slenderest of Hawks leads heading into the final quarter - 3.6.24 to 3.5.23

Once again the Hawks started brightly throwing everything at the Cats, but there was no way through a resolute defence and the Cats broke away Williams launched the ball over the top, Emma Davis gathered just inside the boundary, cut inside and hooked home to put the Cats ahead. A couple of behinds followed and the margin stretch to a goal and a bit and the Hawks were chasing the game. The result was sealed late on, a set shot dropped short, but umpire abuse in the Hawks 50 saw Vague marched forward, and that was that and the Wildcats won 5.7.37 to 3.6.24

The Wildcats progress to a Preliminary Final against the London Swans, whilst for the Hawks, its had to know what to say, they threw everything at the Cats, turned in a stunning performance, but the Cats found a way to win. With Mel Hogg and Molly Sheehan set to depart there will no doubt be a period of adjustment, but they leave with the club in a strong place.

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Unfortunately the London Swans were unable to raise a side, due to injuries and unavailability for the Women's Conference meaning the South East London Giants progress.

So next week the Preliminary Finals are as follows:

Men's Socials

Wandsworth Demons v Ealing Emus

Women's Conference

Wandsworth Demons v South East London Giants

Men's Conference

Wandsworth Demons v Wimbledon Hawks

Women's Premiership

London Swans v West London Wildcats

Men's Premiership

West London Wildcats v North London Lions