Preliminary Finals: Dynasties Fall, Grand Finalists Rise

So now we know, after a long hot day at Hackney, the Preliminary Finals saw wins for the Demons x2, the Swans, Lions and Giants, so lets take a look at how they panned out

Men's Socials

The Demons had put the Ealing Emus to the sword in the regular season, but this was one of the best games of the day, with the result in doubt right up to the middle of the final quarter.

The Emus started positively and had the Demons pinned back for much of the opening exchanges but without creating a scoring chance, as the Demons held firm. Eventually the Emus did make the pressure count and a set shot from Jarrod Bunker gave them the first six points of the game. The Dees gradually got into it, and Pat Hurley picked up a minor point as they got on the board. The Emus suffered a couple of blows, with Cillian O'Boyle ending up in A&E after a bad landing, and Daniel Bloch overstretched and looked to have tweaked a hammy, but as the quarter ended they held a 1.0.6 to 0.1.1 advantage.

The Demons were out of the blocks quickly in the second quarter and after a ball into the Emus 50 wasn't dealt with and Hurley was on hand to gather and fire home from close range and the Dees hit the front. Jonno Carter responded with a minor score for the Emus and we were level again.

Simon Poole nudged the Dees ahead with a behind, and they ended the half strongly and two quick goals gave them an eleven point advantage. Firstly Danny Radis did superbly to mark a ball dropping over his shoulder and goal, on the stroke of half time Matthew Roberts did well in the middle of the park, found James Noske who marked and scored, and the Dees led 3.2.20 to 1.1.7 at half time.

If the second quarter belonged to the Dees, the third quarter saw the Emus in the ascendancy Oliver Hoskings and George Heptinstall notched early minors, before good work by Jesse Rosomacki saw the ball drop to Heptinstall and under huge pressure from several Dees he managed to finish low between the stick. The Demons responded but a set shot by Hurley dropped short and the Emus survived. The last scoring effort saw Jonathan Rhodes strike a post, and the sides went into the final quarter with the Dees 3.2.20 to 2.4.16 ahead.

Carter gathered a Jeremy Costa set shot that dropped short and his effort on the turn saw the Emus back in front. Ben Redwing fired a set shot goalwards for the Dees, which dropped short and was smuggled over the line for a minor, to reduce the deficit to one point. Shortly after the miss, Redwing was involved again, this time a high challenge led to a free shot which he converted and the Dees took the lead, and they were never to relinquish it

Three quick behinds pulled them away, and when Radis gathered well under pressure from Bunker and found Noske at the back post, the Demons struck a fabulous left foot effort from a tight angle, and that was that.

The Demons progress to the Grand Final, and a clash with the London Swans after a 5.6.36 to 3.4.22 win.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Women's Conference

What a tense encounter in the Women's Conference, with 70% of the points being scored in the first quarter. The Dees started brightly and had the Giants on the back foot in the opening exhanges, Jayden Cooney saw a set shot drop short, before following up with a minor to give the Demons the lead.

The only goal of the game came on the back of a tremendous weaving run by Alex Stephens ended with a long ball forward and a footrace that was won by Georgina Alvarez, who poked the ball home for six points and a 1.0.6 to 0.1.1 lead for the Giants.

Early in the second quarter and a great pick up and run by Abby D'Cruz was interrupted by "wrong way" shouts and an abrupt about turn before launching the ball the correct way forward. The Dees had a long spell of pressure in and around the Giants defensive third but were unable to force and efforts on goal, thanks in part to some tremendous scrambling defence. Just when it seemed they would crack, a relieving 50 got them up the field, and there was to be no scoring in the quarter and the Giants led 1.0.6 to 0.1.1 at the big break

The Giants dominated a lot of the third quarter, but only had a Ruby Leonard minor score to show for their efforts, and the quarter came to an abrupt end, when Alvarez was badly injured and after a period of treatment, was eventually carried from the field of play. The Giants led 1.1.7 to 0.1.1 at three quarter time.

Elise Gale scored a minor early in the final period for the Demons, and when another minor went through for Jordan Wright the Dees were right back in it. Unfortunately for them and despite a lot of pressure they were unable to crack a resolute Giants backline again and the Giants held on for a 1.1.7 to 0.3.3 win

They will now take on the North London Lions in the Grand Final

• 

• 

• 

• 

Men's Conference

It was a repeat of last years thrilling Preliminary Final between the Wandsworth Demons and Wimbledon Hawks, but this time it was the Dees who came out on top, in a game that was effectively all done and dusted by the end of the third quarter and it was something of the Liam Dove show, with the Demon scoring six goals.

The Demons started brightly and pinned the Hawks back in the early stages and took the lead through a Liam Dove set shot. Initially Dove looked to have been well defended by Trent Grant, but the Hawks was adjudged to have tackled high, and Dove converted the set shot from close range.

The Hawks were back level quickly, and Damian Gleye launched the ball forward, Myles Hudson collected and found Mitch Bloomfield who in turn played the ball into 50 where Billy Glasgow marked and converted to level the scores. Trent Dutton nudged the Dees ahead with a minor score, and the Dees ended strongly with Lewis Radford converting with a set shot right of the uprights, and the Dees led 2.1.13 to 1.0.6 at the break

Dove increased the Demons lead early in the second quarter, before Billy O'Loughlin responded for the Hawks. The Dees turned up the pressure and a launched ball forward by Nick Barker caused confusion in the Hawks 50 and was smashed against the post for a minor score, before Daniel McCallum notched a six pointer from in front of the sticks. Barker missed the target for the Dees, before Glasgow tapped a ball down from a ruck to Hudson but he could only score a minor, and the Dees took a 4.3.27 to 2.1.13 lead into the big break

The Hawks needed a big quarter to wrestle the initiative away from the Demons, but it was the Dees who surged clear to take the game away from the Hawks. Dove was at it again capitalising on a long spell of Dees pressure to fire between the uprights, and then neat link up between Mackenzie Ryan and Monte White ended with a minor score, and as the Hawks tried to play out from the restart Dove intercepted and fired home another. Two more scoring shots followed from Dove, one minor one major, as we witnessed a rare sight, a Dove taking down a Hawk. Three quarter time saw the Dees 7.6.48 to 2.1.13.

The Hawks started the final period on the offensive and Trent Grant was marched forward 50 to score in front of the sticks tp reduce the arrears. Was a remarkable comeback on.

Short answer, No, Trent Dutton restored the Demons advantage, and White the gathered on the right cut inside and gave a handpass to Barker for a simple tap in from a yard. White then found McCullum who scored unopposed, and fittingly having been picked out by Jonathan Newton-Jacobs, the final word went to Dove, and the Dees marched into the final against the all conquering London Swans with a 11.6.72 to 3.2.20.

• 

• 

• 

Women's Premiership

After four seasons the age of the Wildcat is over. Having seen off all-comers over those four years, the Cats came unstuck against a dominant London Swans, who reached their first Women's Premiership Grand Final.

Having lost in the Qualifying Final last week, the Swans welcomed back two gun players in Saskia Taylor-Doyle and Tara Barratt, although scorer of long range solo efforts Jamie Wittervan was unavailable.

It was a cagey opening to the game but the Swans struck first through Chelsea Fisher (yep, I know, and there was some disbelief from the Giants I was sitting with), and they increased their lead through a hooked Niamh Leahy effort, and come the end of the first quarter they had a healthy 2.1.13 to 0.0.0 lead.

If there is one thing you know, it is that you can never write the Cats off and they came storming back in the second quarter. A launched ball over the top was hunted down by Emma Davis, and despite being challenged on the goalline, the tackle was shrugged off and goal scored.

A couple of behind saw the Swans rediscover their composure, but Isabella Tuttle scored with a Cats set shot to make it a three point game, and a bit more pressure from the Cats saw them eventually level things up through Jamie Symons on the stroke of half time, and we went into the big break at 2.3.15 apiece, and all to play for in the second half.

Having suffered a heartbreaking Preliminary Final loss last season the Swans were clearly in no mood for that to happen again and a breathtaking third quarter saw them take the game away from Cats. Leahy scored from wide and the Swans led again. Emma Ryan thought she had levelled things up for the Cats, but a call of dangerous play ruled out the goal, and from their the Cats hopes wilted.

A freakish goal from Eliza Johnston with a huge ball forward that beat everyone and bounced all the way through increased the lead, and when Chloe Lenders found Barratt it was three unanswered goals for the Swans, and they led 5.4.34 to 2.3.15 at the three quarter break.

Two early behinds saw the Cats reduce the deficit to 17 points but the Swans were quickly back on the front foot, and when a Fisher effort from wide took a bounce and went in the game was effectively up. A late double from Taylor-Doyle put the seal on the win, and although Emma van Dorssen scored again for the Cats, it was all over. The Swans progressing to the final courtesy of an 8.5.53 to 3.6.24 win.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Men's Premiership

Our final game of the day saw the Men's Premiership clash between the North London Lions and the West London Wildcats, which saw the predatory Lions overpower the Cats, after a relatively close opening quarter.

The Cats made a bright start, and a couple of minor scores got them up on the scoreboard early, but a long ball over the top saw Daniel Beddison hold off the challenge of Tyson Gray and fire the Lions ahead. A minor increased the Lions lead, but when Sam Threlfall broke on the left and despite a strong challenge found Jeremy Christianopoulos the Cats were ahead again, and we looked on for a thriller.

That goal though was the last time the Cats led in the contest. James Gilfillan converted for the Lions from a tight angle and great pace down the line by Callum Jenkinson saw him outpace Jamie Dobson and find Fraser Allen and the Lions were pulling away. The first quarter ended with the Lions 3.3.21 to 1.3.9 ahead.

Gilfillan stretched the lead early in the second quarter, and a fabulous mark by Beddison and converted effort added another six for the Lions. The Lions were in full flow now, and added a couple of minor scores, before Fergus Hotchkiss marked and converted from the edge of the 50.

More behinds followed for the Lions with just a couple in reply from the hard-working but ultimately outgunned Wildcats, and scoring for the quarter and half was completed late on when a long ball forward beat the Wildcats defence and Jake Whatman was on hand to soccer the ball home, and we went in at the big break with the Lions 7.5.47 to 1.5.11 ahead.

The pressure continued into the third quarter and the game was taken firmly away from the Wildcats. Hotchkiss launched a ball forward which Joe Lowe somehow failed to mark, but the reprieve was short-lived for the Cats, and Beddison gathered the ball in the middle of the park and was marched forward 50 to score. Beddison then scooped one up off his toes after Sam McKenzies through ball, to set up another chance, which he duly converted.

Tom Robb got the Cats on board for the quarter with a minor score, and a the Lions picked up a couple of minor scores for themselves. As the quarter ran out, the dominant Lions ruckman Lachie Trevorton claimed well under pressure from three Wildcats to add a six pointer of his own, and Judah Edmunds picked up his first goal of the game shortly before the siren. Three quarter time came with the Lions 11.10.76 to 1.6.12 ahead.

There was too be no let up in pressure, or points from the Lions,Cameron Johns added a quick goal, and the sides traded behind. A jinking Johns run saw him find Whatman, who converted from wide on the right. The Wildcats added their first goal since the first quarter, with Clay Page finding Isaac Kenna who fire home from distance.

Whatman drove home a low set shot, and a great run out of defence by Brayden Hellyar ended with him finding Edmunds who score on the turn, and scoring was complete when Rhys Lee found Edmunds who converted. The game ended early, following a nasty looking injury to Wildcat defender Tyson Gray, and with the state of the game, the sides called a halt to hostilities, with the Lions through to the Grand Final and a clash with the Wandsworth Demons, courtesy of a 16.12.108 to 2.8.20 win.

• 

• 

• 

•