Match Report
Round 11 – Blues stay in touch with top half after tough contest
Back to winning ways for the Senior side with a solid win against relegation battlers De La Salle. The Blues Two’s had a sniff of coming back from a 30-point half time deficit however favourites, De La Salle, held on for the win. At the Crawford Oval, the Under 19’s and Old Ivanhoe drew 72-all with both teams fighting for that 4th placed spot in Section 2.
Seniors
University Blues 3.5-23 7.9-51 10.10-70 11.16-82
De La Salle 1.3-9 4.3-27 5.11-41 8.11-59
After an indifferent few weeks, the Blues came out knowing they had to win to stay in the hunt for a finals place while De La had to get points to move away from the dreaded relegation spots. The Blues opened up strongly with physical intent and commitment noticeable. Tim Harper and Tim Geappen both had eyes for the goal early on before De La Salle managed to grab their first major. A pearler from Juice Cameron had the Blues up by 14 going into the break as Blues had the ascendency across the park.
With plenty of inside 50’s in the first term, the Blues once again peppered the De La defence with chance after chance. A double to Swoop and a goal to young gun Matt Blair had the Blues humming along nicely. The lead looked like stretching out to 40 point plus however some lapses in concentration and turnovers in the back half allowed the away side to kick two goals straight before break. Thankfully Quinny kicked true late on to send the Blues into the half 24 points to the good.
The game tightened in the 3rd term as both sides threw themselves into the contest. Ayce Cordy, BOG for the second week in a row, once again continued his goal scoring form with a left foot snap with Swoop and T Harper adding to the tally. Both sides missed chances under the pressure of the contest and after a tight term the Blues held sway.
Not for the first time this year the opposition kicked the first goals of the last term and the lead narrowed to 19 points 10 minutes in. The Blues defence held firm under pressure and the game levelled out for a long period. Finally Kieran Harper scored the only goal for the Blues to seal an important win by 23-points victory.
We head to Old Trinity next week for a final 4 showdown.
Reserves
University Blues 3.2-20 4.3-27 8.6-54 10.11-71
De La Salle 5.2-32 9.3-57 13.3-81 14.3-87
A depleted Reserves ran onto the field with optimism that an upset could be on the cards against De La Salle. Big man Gus Milham was linking well with the midfielders while forwards Paddy Gardener and D. Barton where menacing the backline of the away side. There wasn’t a quarter were the Blues Twos did not compete. The Thirds contingent that came up to the ranks did not look out of place with Kane Flanagan, Hammer Melville and Sam Gill getting the job done. A fair effort from the Twos with finals footy still on the cards.
Thirds – No Game
Under 19’s
University Blues 2.3-15 7.5-47 8.5-53 11.6-72
Old Ivanhoe Grammarians 1.7-13 5.8-38 8.10-58 10.12-72