MRS Property Match Report First Semi Final: South vs Glenelg

MRS Property League Match Report

South Adelaide vs Glenelg
First Semi Final - Adelaide Oval - 04/10/20

Goals: Karpany 4, Overall, Wilkinson, McCreery 2, Schwarz, Bogle, Horne, Sampson
Best: Karpany, Hunter, Wilkinson, Horne, Sampson, Broadbent
Full Injury List

South Adelaide storms into the Preliminary Final on the back of a 25-point win over reigning Premiers Glenelg at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

"It's a really exciting time for this bunch of lads, obviously its something you plan for at the start year to make finals, and go deep," Head Coach Jarrad Wright said post-match.

"We've started building some momentum and we get another opportunity next week," he said.

The Panthers first finals win since 2014 was built on the back of an even-team contribution, and was all but confirmed by the youngest player on the field because, with just six minutes left and a three goal lead, the 17-year-old Jason Horne collected the ball and chipped over the top for a 'clutch' goal.

While the final scores would read 14.12 (96) to 10.11 (71), which was the Panthers fourth win in as many weeks, the game certainly didn't start out as planned as the Tigers would boot the first goal of the day after just a minute of play.

However, just minutes later Nic Schwarz would send the ball deep into attack, only for it to be cleared by Glenelg but their kick landed into the lap of Schwarz, who this time was in scoring range and finished truly to hand the Panthers their first of the day.

In a true do or die fashion, the two sides refused to give an inch and continually traded blows as the Tigers would reply with a goal of their own just a minute later.

South Adelaide would soon reply, courtesy of Sam Overall, who collected the ball out of a pack and, with his first disposal of the day, drilled his first goal of the day.

The Panthers' forward pressure was on display throughout the match, and it was this that forced an early turn-over that was capitalised on with an impressive goal by Beau McCreery.

Then late in the quarter, Malcolm Karpany would follow up with his first of four goals for the match to hand the Panthers a 4.2 (26) to 2.2 (14) lead at the first change.

Karpany would go on to be named as the Panthers Best on Ground following a performance that saw him collect 18 touches and five clearances.

However, it would be a while until the Panthers next goal, which would come thanks to McCreery's pace, which was on full display as he outran his opponent before kicking truly.

Then, Luke Bogle, who finished with a team-high of 21 touches, was hit with an unlucky fifteen metre penalty which allowed Glenelg to respond. 

South Adelaide would continue to pepper the goals but for no reward, that was until a snap by Karpany was safely shepherded over the line by Overall to extend the lead to 16 points.

Then just minutes later, a turnover in midfield allowed Horne to hit up Eamon Wilkinson, who goaled after the siren to hand the Panthers a 7.8 (50) to 4.3 (27) lead at the main break.

The game was a hotly contested one, best shown through the fact that there were 34 frees paid for just two quarters of football, 13 to the Panthers and 21 to the Tigers.

After kicking the last of the second term, Wilkinson followed up by diving on a kick by Daly Andrews, which allowed him to go back and also kick the first goal of the third term.

The Panthers would follow up again as the side went end to end, thanks to a thumping kick by Matthew Broadbent, which eventually resulted in Karpany's third goal of the day.

He would strike again midway through the quarter, this time by cutting off a Tiger handpass before snapping truly.

The Panthers were provided with plenty of first looks thanks to Paul Hunter, as South Adelaide collected nine more clearances which contributed towards having 17 more inside 50s.

However, as South Adelaide began to take control the Tigers became desperate and came close to scoring on several occasions only to be prevented in doing so by some clever footwork by Jack Elsworthy and some gusty intercept marks by Tom Highmore.

But eventually the Tigers would strike back with a goal, only for South Adelaide to respond almost instantly as Karpany's clearance kick was crumbed and snapped through by Hayden Sampson to hand the Panthers a 11.11 (77) to 6.8 (44) lead at the final change.

The reigning Premiers would register the first four scoring shots of the final term but would only manage one major score.

This opened the door for Bogle to strike back with the goal of the day, as he collected the ball from a marking contest, ran along the boundary, and kicked truly from deep in the pocket.

The Tigers would respond with two unanswered goals, before ever reliable Joel Cross and Overall combined to send the ball deep into attack, which was crumbed by Horne for the earlier mentioned clutch goal.

And after taking a heavy knock, Overall would show his strength by kicking the final goal of the day to hand the Panthers the impressive 14.12 (96) to 10.11 (71) semi-final win.

The Panthers now face the Minor Premier Eagles in the Preliminary Final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday October 11, from 3:15pm.