Sport
Send us your sport stories and photos: sport@echo.net.au
Mullum league juniors win premiership
WAR make it five in a row The Wollongbar-Alstonville Pioneers have won the Far North Coast rugby union premiership for the fifth year running by beating Lennox Head on Saturday in Lismore. The Pioneers won the close-fought game 19–14 after scoring three tries to two. Ben Damen, Daniel Damen and Matthew Scott crossed the line for the winners while Hugo Marks scored two for the Trojans. The Lennox club fared no better in reserve grade where local rivals Ballina got
Kylie Grainey
Despite a good defensive effort Lennox Head gave away too many penalties to a commited Ballina. Photo supplied
the better of them notching up their premiership with a 20–14 win. Each side scored
two converted tries apiece but Ballina forged ahead with two successful conversions.
Suffolk swing into Shand finals with strong win After a week where the sky leaked more than the Turnbull cabinet the Shand series needed a pitch inspection before the first semifinal between the Lennox Head Ripstarters and the Suffolk Swingers. Although slower than a month of Sunday sermons, Lomath Oval was declared fit for play. Hughsey of Suffolk called correctly and chose to bat. Owen the barbarian (31no) flashed a few through slips
early but soon found his range with some trademark thumps over cover. Gary’s wrong-uns and Scoot’s nippy mediums (2/4) proved hard to get away. The innings dawdled along, anchored by a determined Stuart (30no), but it took some late hitting from Hughsey and Wortho to edge the total to a middling 148. The Lennox reply was soon running off the rails as Benno’s famous conundrum balls took an early toll and Zac’s outswingers (2/4) were
darting alarmingly in the fresh breeze. At backward point the mercurial Rocket flung himself around like a man possessed to hold some very sharp catches. At 6/45 the game looked done and dusted but Scoot (34) and Gary began to find their range and the small total still looked vulnerable with only four an over required. Late wickets to Hughsey, Owen and Chi saw Lennox run out of wickets at 110.
Magpies ready to swoop on flags The Byron Bay Magpie AFL sides will look to make it a double-premiership day when they take on Ballina Bombers teams in the grandfinals at the Cavanbah Centre this Saturday from 10.30. The senior team has had a week off after beating Ballina two weeks ago in the first semifinal, and are starting to get good numbers back on the field after being ‘bedeviled by injuries’ during the regular season, coach Brett Porter said. ‘At one stage we were down 25 players, now will have extras for the final,’ he said. Despite having a fullstrength team the Magpies are working hard. ‘We are just concentrating on ourselves, working on what we need to do. We need to be prepared and to expect the unexpected,’ Brett said. The Ballina Bombers played their way into the final with a tight win (11.8.74– 10.12.72) over the Tweed Tigers last weekend. The Magpies are going for their third premiership in a row whereas the Bombers are going for their first premiership in a number of years. The Byron Bay reserves grade also have a match up against Ballina for the flag,
Magpie Jordan Bourke gets high for the mark against the Lismore Swans earlier in the season. Photo supplied
and have also had a week off after beating them in the first semifinal 9.3.57–7.4.46. The Bombers reserves played their way back into the grandfinals with a strong (11.10.76–4.3.27) win over the Tweed sides. In the Women’s AFL Lismore are looking to make it two in a row when they take on the Tweed Tigers. ‘The ground is in immaculate condition, food and beverages will be readily available and a jumping castle will be there for the kids. This has the makings of an entertaining day of local AFL football,’ Brett said. All the action at the Cavanbah Centre Saturday September 15: Reserves 10.45am,
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
Women 12.30pm and Seniors 2.20pm.
The Mullumbimby Giants Junior Rugby League finished a good year on a high note when the U/10s won the grandfinal on the weekend. The team was undefeated throughout the year, taking out the minor premiership, so the win was icing on the cake. Coach Damon (DJ) Scott has led most of the team since they started playing together as U/7s. It’s a family affair for DJ, coaching his son and two nephews. His sister Chelsea is team manager. The Club is extremely proud of them and the way they play the game. The club’s other three competitive sides also made it
The undefeated Giants U/10s with coach. Photo supplied
through to the top-five finals series, with the U/12s narrowly missing out on a spot in Saturday’s grand final. Our mini league sides from U/6 to U/9s wrapped up their season a few weeks
ago. It is so good to see the kids out there having such a good time week after week. Darcy Irby, U/9s, was awarded the Keeley Farmer Mini League Player of the Year–Best and Fairest Player.
Wildcat thirds win shootout to make grandfinal John McKay
The Byron Bay FC third division Wildcats have played themselves into the grandfinal after a sensational comefrom-behind win in tough conditions at Lismore Workers last Friday night. The game was a fastpaced end-to-end affair with both teams looking capable of scoring, only both being thwarted by desperate defence. But as the game wore on Lismore took the ascendency and were winning 2–0. However, in the 83rd minute, Wildcat Violet Rogers finally out-paced her defender and got past the goalie to get a much-deserved goal that set up a frenetic finish! With one minute left on the clock Byron were awarded a penalty and a seemingly very calm Wave Lachish slotted home the equaliser with 13 seconds remaining. The 2–2 finished obliged extra time. The Workers scored first and with only three minutes to go, the indefatigable and
The Wildcat thirds play the Italo Stars for the 2018 premiership this weekend in Lismore. Photo supplied
never-say-die Wildcats were awarded a free kick from a very difficult position, where captain Taylor Kempnich stepped up and hit it sweetly into the gaol. The Spell and the Gypsy Collective Wildcats then went on to win the penalty shootout 3–1 to set up a grandfinal clash against
the Italo Stars on Sunday in Lismore. The Byron Bay FC Spell and the Gypsy Collective premier division Wildcats lost their semifinal on Friday night against Thistles 5–1. They now play in the preliminary final at home for a chance to play in the grandfinal in two weeks.
New Mixed Comp this Season Check it out! Come and have a trial game!
Free Referee Coaching @ Trial Games and throughout the season
B r u n sw i c k
Sign On & Trial Games
N ip p e r s
Friday 14th, 21st & 28th September 2018 5pm till 7pm @
Sign On
Burringbar District Sports Club
S e p t e m b e r 16 & 23 9 am - 11am LOCATION Register at Brunswick Surf Club Financial Scholarship Available
Enquires
Contact jac@brunswickslsc.org
Sub Juniors from 4 years old Juniors 7 – 12 years You sign up as an individual and we will put you into a team
Seniors from 12 years Mixed comp – Men, Women, Kids – The whole family! Maximum of 11 players per team. Including 2 – 6 Men, 2 – 6 Women and 2 – 4 Children under 15 Teams need to be submitted & finalised by 28/9/18
Enquires – Contact Nina 0402 160 353 Email – burringbartouchfootball@gmail.com Competition Starts Friday 19th October 2018 @ Burringbar Touch Football
All Welcome! Fun Family Atmosphere! Annual General Meeting - 21st Sept 7pm - All Welcome
The Byron Shire Echo September 12, 2018 47