Shepparton Golf has put itself in prime position to claim a seventh straight Allan Matheson Shield title, overcoming an in-form Tallygaroopna 14-98 to 4-83 in a gruelling second semi-final to punch its ticket to the grand final.
In what was the third meeting of last year’s Goulburn Valley Playing Area grand finalists, the Redlegs once again took it right up to the reigning champion in what was an absorbing afternoon of action.
Splitting the rinks at two apiece, it would end up being the work of accomplished coach Brad Orr that got his team over the line, with a 37-19 triumph in rink three proving to be the difference in the game.
Fresh off seeing his side into another grand final, Orr said he was happy with how the group banded together and fought out a tough victory.
“I thought we were pretty solid across the four rinks to be honest; we know they are a good side and know they are going to continue to throw everything at us,” Orr said.
“(In rink three) we just backed ourselves in, we are all confident that we can play the bowls and that we deserve to be there, so it is mainly having confidence in each other, and we are enjoying playing with each other.
“We managed to get about a 15-20 shot lead probably halfway through the game, and then they came back at us late, but we managed to hold our nerve late and get the job done, which was very pleasing.”
A win that gives Golf a week to put the feet up before embarking on the big dance in a fortnight’s time, Orr said getting over Tallygaroopna for a third time this season instilled a lot of confidence in the group.
“It is always nice to get the double chance and win straight through, so we will take a lot of confidence out of the performance and really enjoy the build-up for the next two weeks,” he said.
“We are very confident in our ability at the moment and everyone is getting on with the rink compatibility working really well, so we will enjoy the rest and be backing ourselves in heading into the grand final.”
Elsewhere, Kyabram recaptured its best form to break its four-game losing streak and keep its season alive with a thrilling 12-94 to 6-86 win over Tatura-Hill Top.
Coming into the clash in sparkling form, it seemed the Bulldogs were well on their way to the preliminary final, claiming victories in three of the four rinks courtesy of David Cartwright (21-19), Brendon Boyd (22-14) and Peter Le Sueur (28-27).
But they didn’t bargain for a Greg Shilling onslaught in rink three, with his 34-15 victory single-handedly turning the game in the Bombers’ favour.
With the game on a knife’s edge in the dying stages, it would be the class and experience of the Kyabram squad that got the job done, with the eight-shot win potentially being the fire starter it needed to get its season back on track.
Next on the agenda for Glenn Fields and his troops is a red-hot Tallygaroopna, with a spot in the grand final the prize.