Beechwood has sent an ominous warning through the Hastings League with a commanding 48-24 win over the South West Rocks Marlins.
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The win puts the Shamrocks into the minor semi-final on Saturday against the Lower Macleay Magpies.
In the major semi final, minor premiers Comboyne will take on the Kendall Blues.
But it was the Shamrocks who stamped its authority on the league in Saturday’s elimination final.
Luke Donovan and Daniel Jones crossed early with Jamie Donovan landing one conversion for a 10-0 lead.
And the one-way traffic continued with Michael Bright crossing on 16 minutes and when five-eighth Bev Flanagan scored and Donovan booted the conversion, the Shamrocks were running riot at 20-0.
A further Shamrocks converted try pushed the score to 26-0 before the Marlins crossed for an unconverted try prior to the half time break.
For the Marlins to have any hope they needed to score first after the resumption and when centre Chris Carr crossed in the corner and George Jones converted the score was 26-10 and there was some hope for a revival.
But it was short-lived with a converted try to Daniel Jones to leave the score at 32-10.
Any hope for the Marlins all but evaporated when Lionel Blair was sent off with 26 minutes on the clock.
Three minutes later it was the Marlins who managed to post points with a try to Justin Kelly before Aiden Davey also added to their total to leave the score at 32-18.
And the comeback continued for the Marlins – despite being a man down – when five-eighth Lance Robertson cut through the Shamrocks defence to score a try and when Jones converted the scoreline was a touch misleading at 32-24.
Some sense came back to the game when Bright scored his second try of the afternoon and with Donovan on target, the Shamrocks had steadied the ship with a 38-24 lead.
If the Marlins were hoping for another fightback it fizzled out when the Shamrocks crossed for back to back tries – to Steve Schubert and Luke Donovan and Jamie Donovan booted one of the conversions – for a 48-24 scoreline.
In the major preliminary final, the Kendall Blues scored a 36-24 win over the Lower Macleay Magpies.
This weekend’s finals will be played at Lank Bain Sporting Complex on Sunday due to junior finals on Saturday.
Hastings League president Corey Richardson said it was difficult to separate those who remained.
“It’s been one of the closest finals series we’ve seen in four or five years,” he said.
“I wouldn’t write off Lower Macleay because they just love playing semi-final football.”