RESERVES – PENOLA 10.12 (72) d MUNDULLA 3.8 (26)
PENOLA’S Reserves football side kept hope of an Eagles premiership alive on Saturday with a 46-point win over Mundulla in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara preliminary final.
The Eagles were off to a lightning start with four first-quarter majors and never looked threatened from there.
Mundulla only managed one goal in the opening term and trailed by 20 points at the first break.
The Eagles added a further two major scores in the second term to assert their authority.
However, while Mundulla added only another single goal, they peppered the big sticks for five behinds to keep the half-time margin at 22 points.
The third term was an even contest, but the Eagles picked up the intensity in the final stanza with three major scores and held Mundulla goal-less to run out convincing victors.
Tom Clayfield topped the goal kicking with three majors, while Simon Zadow and Louis Merrett added two each and James Foggo, Josh Doyle and Lewis March contributed singles.
Sam Gartner was named best for the Eagles ahead of Merrett and Jesse Martin.
Penola now faces a tough challenge against Border Districts on Saturday for the premiership honours on its home turf at McCorquindale Park.
Coach Jon Copping was pleased with the result after an impressive season, which saw the Eagles lose just one game in the minor rounds, plus the qualifying final.
“We have only lost against Mundulla and Border Districts … the guys have had a consistent year so it is a good reward for what they have done so far,” he said.
The Eagles were certainly at their best from the opening bounce, which Copping put down to a full team effort.
“We had not started well in the second half of the year, even against some of the sides which did not play finals,” he said.
“We have worked on it the last month and it was a real focus going into finals, to get away to a good start.
“I think Saturday it was our pressure that made the difference.
“We have tried to apply pressure at every contest.”
The intensity continued into the final stanza, where the Eagles’ work rate lifted rather than backing off.
“We had a big pre-season and have backed ourselves all year,” Copping said.
“It is probably a combination of two years under A Grade coach Matt Tilby.
“We feel if we are in the game at three quarter time our fitness can be a real strength for us.”
The Eagles will now face Border Districts in the grand final on Saturday.
UNDER 17 – PENOLA 5.6 (36) d NARACOORTE 3.6 (24)
A THREE-goal final term saw Penola book a berth in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Under 17 grand final this weekend after a hard-fought victory over Naracoorte.
Blustery conditions welcomed both sides, with the game descending into a dour struggle.
In the first quarter Naracoorte gained the ascendancy early as it peppered the goal, but fortunately for the Eagles, the Demons only registered behinds.
Against the run of the play Aiden Brand put through the first goal of the game to take a five-point lead into the break.
In the second term the Demons hit back with the only goal and the game was all tied up at half time.
Naracoorte increased the pressure after the break with two goals in the first 10 minutes, but a late goal from Eagle Joel Dent narrowed the margin to five points at the final change.
An inspiring speech by coach Brad Maney and a couple of pivotal positional changes seemed to lift the Eagles as they surged towards victory.
Brock Summerhayes received a free kick 20 metres out resulting in goal to give Penola a one-point lead.
The Demons registered a point to tie the game up, but Aiden Brand kicked an opportunist goal to give the Eagles a six-point advantage.
With three minutes left on the clock Jacob Robbie took a strong mark and then calmly slotted the goal from a tight angle to ice the game.
The Eagles held on for the remaining minutes to win by 12 points and claim a grand final spot.
Robbie was the most influential player on the ground and was outstanding in the final stanza.
Sam Hayes was solid all day at full back, while Caleb Lythgo and Darcy Porter stood up in the last quarter to add some heat to the attack.
Jack Kain and Kaleb Messenger took some telling marks, while Kane Whitehouse and Anders McShane were other strong contributors.
The Eagles now have the opportunity to redeem themselves this week against Kybybolite for a shot at premiership glory.
