Cowra’s Senior Men have secured their place in the grand final after a dramatic 1–1 draw against Waratahs, decided 4–2 in a tense penalty shootout.
Coach Adam Gambrill summed up the night by saying, “Cowra secured a grand final place in a thrilling major semi-final against Waratahs FC”.
The semi-final, held in Cowra, began at an electric pace with both sides throwing themselves into every challenge.
Tackles came in hard and fast as the two rivals battled for control.
“The first 45 minutes were a true battle, with both teams fully committed and tackles flying in hard and fast,” Gambrill said.
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For the first half-hour neither side gave an inch, but Cowra eventually found their rhythm.
The breakthrough came just before halftime when Joey Crittenden let fly from distance.
“The breakthrough came when Joey Crittenden unleashed a stunning strike from about 30 to 35 yards out, finding the top corner and giving Cowra the lead heading into halftime,” Gambrill said.
The strike sent the Cowra supporters into raptures and gave the home side a vital edge at the break.
Any thoughts of cruising through the second half were quickly silenced when Waratahs equalised just ten minutes after the restart.
A curling free kick found its way past the defence and into the net, swinging momentum back in the visitors’ favour.
“In the second half, Waratahs equalised with a free kick about 10 minutes in, swinging momentum their way for a while,” Gambrill said.
Cowra’s defensive structure was tested repeatedly as Waratahs pushed hard for a winner.
The backline, however, held firm, keeping the score locked at 1–1.
The pressure grew in extra time, and the match took a dramatic turn when Cowra went down to ten men.
Ed Galea received a red card late in the game, leaving the home side undermanned.
To make matters worse, he also picked up an injury in the incident.
“Despite going down to 10 men after a late injury and red card for Ed Galea, the team managed to hold on and force a penalty shootout,” Gambrill said.
The crowd roared their approval as Cowra dug deep, defending with everything they had to reach the penalty stage.
The penalty shootout was always going to come down to composure and nerve, and Cowra’s goalkeeper Mitchell Thompson rose to the occasion.
“In the shootout, goalkeeper Mitchell Thompson was enormous, as he always is in big moments,” Gambrill said.
Thompson produced crucial saves while Cowra’s penalty takers showed ice-cool finishing under pressure.
The home side converted four spot kicks to Waratahs’ two, sealing the 4–2 shootout victory.
In the end, the result was a mix of individual brilliance and collective determination.
Gambrill praised the group for rising to the occasion in front of their home supporters.
“Cowra moves on with a well-earned win, thanks to a true team effort and some standout individual performances,” he said.
With the grand final secured, the Senior Men can now shift focus to the final match of the year, knowing they’ve already shown they can fight through adversity when it matters most.
