Avoca Beach Sharks are set to meet the Ourimbah Razorbacks in the grand final of this year’s Central Coast Rugby Union competition on Saturday, September 23, at Industree Group Stadium.
The Avoca Beach Sharks defeated Terrigal by 39-19 in the first grade preliminary final on September 19 to secure the grand final berth.
Played in extremely hot conditions the match saw Avoca Beach go into the half-time break with a 17-5 lead.
The Sharks were quick to take more control of the scoreboard in the second half, crossing for a further two tries and a penalty goal to go to a 32-5 lead at the midway point.
Terrigal fought back hard in the final quarter of the match, crossing for two late tries to reduce the Sharks’ lead to 32-19 but a final try close to full-time sealed the victory for Avoca Beach.
There were some star performers for both teams.
Best for Avoca Beach were hooker Bradd Sheridan, centre Alex Halls, halfback Mitch Magrath and fullback Kye Tancred.
Terrigal was best served by fullback Jayden Woolley, flanker same Kenney and prop Antonio Cunha.
The loss sees last year’s Premiers bow out of the competition.
In second grade, the Razorbacks recorded a good win over Avoca Beach in the preliminary final, taking the match by 30-20.
In an intense and tight encounter throughout, the scores were locked at 13-all at half-time, and even at the midway point of the second half, the teams were still neck-and-neck with the score locked at 20-all.
It was only a late penalty goal and a converted try that sealed the victory for the Razorbacks.
Both teams crossed for three tries, but the goal kicking of Razorbacks fullback Edan Sirone proved the difference.
The victory sees all three of the Razorback senior men’s sides into the grand final.
The Razorbacks second grade team now meets Terrigal in the grand final.
Terrigal took out the President’s Cup preliminary final defeating Gosford/Kariong by the narrow margin of 24-23.
Gosford had the better of the start and it was not long before they had jumped to a handy 15-0 lead.
But Terrigal gradually worked their way back into the contest, with two late tries in the first half reducing Gosford/Kariong’s half-time lead to 15-12.
The lead see-sawed in the second half, with Terrigal hanging onto victory by a one-point margin.
Terrigal will now meet the Razorbacks in the grand final, in a replay of the major semi-final.
The Women’s 10s preliminary final saw Terrigal run out winners by 53-12 over The Lakes.
The score was only 15-12 in Terrigal’s favour at the half-time break, but Terrigal piled on the points in the second half and were able to score 38 points to nil in that final 20 minutes.
Grand final matches at Industree Group Stadium in Gosford on September 23 will kick off with the President’s Cup at 2.30pm, followed by second grade at 4.15pm.
At 6.10pm the Women’s 10 grand final gets underway, with the first grade clash between Avoca Beach and the Razorbacks to begin at 7.15pm.
Source:
Central Coast Rugby Union