Paremata-Plimmerton and Tawa to meet in Senior 1 final

Above: Action from today’s Senior 1 semi-final between Wainuiomata and Tawa at William Jones Park. Tawa won this clash and will meet Paremata-Plimmerton in next week’s final.

UPDATED: Lock in next Saturday afternoon at Ngatitoa Domain for what promises to be terrific Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup final between home team Paremata-Plimmerton and Tawa after the two won enthralling semi-finals today.

Top qualifiers Paremata-Plimmerton held on to beat Hutt Old Boys 17-15 in one playoff match today, while third placed Tawa upstaged second placed Wainuiomata 22-18 at William Jones Park.

Both matches were worthy semi-finals. For the second week in a row Paremata-Plimmerton showed tremendous heart on defence to hold off the challenge of Hutt Old Boys Marist, who were trying to make the final after winning the Senior 2 grade in the first round.

Paremata-Plimmerton protected their 17-15 lead throughout most of the entire second half, after HOBM had come back from a 17-5 deficit soon after the break to close up the scores.

Meanwhile, Johnsonville got up to grab the fourth spot on offer for next weekend’s Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup semi-finals.

Johnsonville will played top qualifier the Wests Roosters in one semi-final and Old Boys-University and Avalon will meet in the other at Nairnville Park.

Johnsonville, who staged a late run to put themselves in contention for the playoffs, qualified without a shot being fired. An organisational error by the referee pertaining to his understanding of the correct kick-off time for this match forced this match to be abandoned and both teams were awarded three points. Consequently, Johnsonville held on to fourth.

In other last round Senior 2 results, Wests, who had already qualified first, stumbled against Avalon, losing 19-36, and Old Boys University defeated Wainuiomata 29-16. In other matches, Norths ended their season with a 24-23 win over Poneke and Petone eased to a 48-10 win over Stokes Valley.

Both today’s U85kg Division 2 semi-finals were won by the visiting team. HOBM toppled Upper Hutt 23-15 at Maidstone Park while Stokes Valley beat the Poneke Cav’s? 23-13 at Kilbirnie Park 23-13.

Next week’s Division 2 final will be at Delaney Park between home team Stokes Valley and HOBM.

Both the U85 kg Division 3 semi-finals were one-sided affairs. Johnsonville beat Paremata-Plimmerton 43-8 and Avalon defeated Poneke 41-5.

Next week’s Division 3 final will be at Fraser Park between home team Avalon and Johnsonville.

In another result to hand, the MSP Internationals beat OBU 50-26 today in one Reserve Grade semi-final to book their place in next week’s final.

In the Premier 1 Plate Final at St Pat’s Town Artificial this afternoon, St Pat’ Town and Porirua College fought out an epic? 17-17 draw. St Pat’s Town were adjudged the winners based on them finishing higher in the round-robin series as per College Sport Wellington protocol.

There were some close games in the Premier 2 and 3 grades, with Aotea College pipping Viard College 24-17, Tawa Colllege edging Mana College 22-21, St Bernard’s beating the Wellington College second fifteen 17-12, the Silverstream second fifteen beating Newlands College 20-8 and Wairarapa College blanking HVHS 40-0. In a close match in Premier 3, Upper Hutt College defeated Paraparaumu College 34-33.

The Premier 1 final between St Pat’s Silverstream and Wellington College is tomorrow at Porirua Park at 2.45 pm.

The match is live on Sky Network Television and a hearty crowd is expected so supporters are advised to get there early.

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