CULBURRA have kept their season alive with a dramatic victory over Illaroo at Ison Park on Sunday afternoon.
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Nothing could split the two teams at the end of regulation or two periods of extra-time, meaning penalties were needed.
Scott Merivale proved the match winner for the Cougars, saving two decisive penalties, before Jack Miller finished the game off, with a calmly taken penalty.
Culburra started the stronger of the two teams and were unlucky not to go ahead through Kieran Witt.
Fifteen minutes into the minor semi-final, all Culburra fans held their breath as striker Corey Ryan fell awkwardly and landed on his left ankle.
The competition’s leading goal-scorer was helped from the field and would not return.
Some might have thought the Cougars' attack would be blunted without Ryan but that idea was put to bed very quickly as Stephen Grey found himself on the end of a Keith Merivale, to open the scoring.
This goal opened the rest of the first half, as Mitch Blundell should have doubled the Cougars' advantage.
Illaroo made of the most of this let off and against the run of play, found a goal for themselves.
Cullburra failed to clear a ball inside their 18-yard box, which Aaron Crittenden pounced on and drilled into the bottom right hand corner, to level it at 1-all.
Illaroo finished the half the stronger and were unlucky not to go into the interval in the lead, as goalkeeper Merivale pulled off a sensational one-on-one save against Brendan Kellett.
As the match wore on, in the second half, both teams started to tire and seemed to wait for the other to make a mistake.
Both teams had chances to hit the front but again it was Grey for Culburra who found the back of the net.
A cross failed to be cleared by Illaroo and after a scramble in the box, Grey slid in and doubled his tally for the day.
Within minutes of falling behind though, Illaroo pulled a goal back.
Strike partners Crittenden and Kellett caused issues for Culburra all day and the pair were heavily involved in their team’s equaliser.
On the counter-attack, Crittenden laid it off to Kellett who cut in and beat a defender before sliding it past Cougars keeper Merivale, to make it 2-all.
As the match headed into extra-time, both teams had chances to steal the game, as players cramped and became exhausted.
The best chance of the first period of extra-time fell to Culburra before Kellett had a goal disallowed for offside at the death.
In penalties, both teams traded converted shots and misses, before Andrew Timbs missed Illaroo’s sixth penalty, which was saved by Merivale.
Up stepped Miller for Culburra, who slotted home the penalty.
Best players for Illaroo were Kellett, Crittenden and Andrew Timbs, while Culburra were led by Grey, Dale Blundell and Miller.
Culburra will now meet Gerringong next Saturday for a chance to meet United in the final.