The Wentworthville Magpies pulled off an upset win, securing their place in the 2024 Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup Grand Final after an impressive 24-10 win over the St Marys Saints today at Ringrose Park.
Minor Premiers St Marys Saints will now turn their focus to a do-or-die game next week against the Glebe Dirty Reds. The winner will advance to the Grand Final at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday 14 September.
Glebe defeated Mounties 36-18 in the Minor Semi-Final at Ringrose Park today.
Major Semi-Final: (3rd) Wentworthville Magpies 32 def. (1st) St Marys Saints 10
The opening 10 minutes saw both teams start strongly, before the Minor Premiers opened the scoring with St Marys Saints centre Toni Santini who found the line to add four points (4-0).
Wentworthville Magpies hit back in the 17th minute with the ball being shifted quickly out to the right for centre Chris Tupou to score a converted try (6-4).
Saints regained the lead in the 25th minute through winger Christian Crichton who scored in the corner before halfback Zac Greene converted a penalty goal right on half-time to bring the score to 10-6 at the break.
The second half started with both teams putting on a clinical performance in defence, each team struggling to break through their opponent’s defensive line.
The first points came in the 54th minute through Wentworthville fullback Austin Quast who stepped his way past defenders to race down the field before passing the ball back on his inside for hooker Meni Luke to cross (12-10).
Wentworthville held all the momentum in the second half going on to score another two back-to-back converted tries to Quast and five-eighth Dylan White (24-10).
Wentworthville sealed the win with Luke crossing for his second converted try of the day in the 74th minute before centre Liam O’Brien converted a penalty goal on full-time to finish convincing 32-10 winners.
RESULTS: Wentworthville Magpies 32 (Meni Luke 2, Chris Tupou, Austin Quast, Dylan White, tries; Liam O’Brien 6 goals) def. St Marys Saints 10 (Tony Santini, Christian Crichton tries; Zac Greene 1 goal)
Minor Semi-Final: (4th) Glebe Dirty Reds 36 def. (2nd) Mounties 18
Glebe came out of the blocks firing scoring two converted tries in the opening six minutes with hooker Craig Garvey and centre Vito Tevaga giving the Dirty Reds a strong 12-0 lead.
Mounties soon found their feet and starting testing Glebe in attack, with centre Douglas Levi crossing for a four-pointer (12-6).
It didn’t take long for Glebe to be back on the front foot, scoring another two tries before half-time with Tevaga crossing for a double and his centre partner Iverson Fuatimau scoring his first of the day (22-6).
Mounties hit back right on half-time through five-eighth Brad Abbey who crossed for a converted try to reduce the margin to 10 at the break (22-12).
Both teams started the second half with a handful of errors which saw set-for-set football being played for the opening 15 minutes.
Mounties centre Roman Ioelu eventually found space in the defensive line to score, reducing the margin to 22-18.
The Dirty Reds found themselves with all the momentum and scored two much needed tries through winger David Nofoaluma and Saiyasi Ikanidrodro (32-18).
Glebe sealed the win with Nofoaluma scoring his second try of the day in the corner in he 73rd minute to extend the lead to 36-18.
RESULTS: Glebe Dirty Reds 36 (Vito Tevaga 2, David Nofoaluma 2, Craig Garvey, Iverson Fuatimau, Saiyasi Ikanidrodro tries; Joseph Whitikama Temara Taipari 4 goals) def. Mounties 18 (Douglas Levi, Brad Abbey, Roman Ioelu tries; Roman Ioelu 3 goals)
