Injury-hit Tigers no match for Pies

Defending premiers Magpies 1 have kept their title defence alive after defeating an injury-hit Railways outfit by 22 goals in Saturday’s Albany Netball Association elimination final.

Railways finished the home-and- away season in third spot by percentage while Magpies managed to claw their way into the top four, pushing Sonix and Grammar 1 out of finals contention.

Both sides came to play as they went goal for goal for the first quarter with nothing separating the teams at quarter-time, 10 apiece.

Hard-running Tiger Kirsten Gault went down midway through the first term with a nasty knee injury to reduce her side to only seven players.

Magpies were able to skip away in the second term, outscoring Railways 13-8 to take a handy five-goal advantage into half-time.

Early in the third term, Tigers shooter Shelby Upson was forced from the court with an ankle injury, leaving the Tigers with six fit players.

The third term was very even with both sides defending well, before Tigers forward Cass Cheetham re-injured her already troublesome knee.

Upson was forced back onto the court for the Tigers as they trailed Magpies by eight goals heading into the last quarter.

The last quarter belonged to the Magpies as they put their opponents away, with gun shooter Brittany Finigan hitting 14 of 14 shots in the quarter as her side outscored Railways 20-6.

Finigan was a key pillar in Magpies’ 53-31 win, shooting 40 goals from 43 attempts. Kylie Spencer and Macy Lane were solid also.

Railways defenders Kiera Stephen and Hollie Siviour tried hard all day but the Tigers simply ran out of fit players.

In the other game, Royals Saints 1 progressed straight through to the grand final after overcoming a strong Narrikup 1 challenge, 41-35.

Royals Saints led at half-time, 26-17, before Narrikup came with a big run, scoring nine goals in the last quarter as they just fell short and will now face the Magpies in the preliminary final.