The Queanbeyan Blues have qualified for next week’s Preliminary Final after defeating the Boomanulla Buffaloes 12-10 in a nail-biting match at Walker Park
The Blues claimed the lead after five minutes as a Jacinta Williams cut out pass found Natalie Nowicki who scored out wide.
The Buffaloes hit back shortly afterwards as Madeline Burton sliced her way through the Queanbeyan defence to run 50 meters and score.
Burton had her second shortly afterwards when Karen Lyons managed to offload close to line leaving the fullback little work to do.
Queanbeyan prop Danielle De Groot gave away a penalty right in front of the posts as halftime neared but Boomanulla playmaker Kyree Parsons missed from the tee. However, Boomanulla entered the break with a 10-4 lead.
Both sides had players sent off in the second half as Burton and Tracy Hunter were given their marching order.
The Blues fought their way back into the match and were rewarded when Payge-Louise Condon gathered an offload to score.
Taylor Thorpe gave the Blues the lead not long afterwards when halfback Sade Rihari drew in the defence before passing to the lock. However, Condon missed her third conversion as the margin between the sides was only two points.
As time wound down on the clock, there was no twist in the tale as the Blues held on for the win. The Buffaloes, on the other hand, see their season come to an end.
Queanbeyan Blues 12 (Tries: N Nowicki; P Condon, T Thorpe) d Boomanulla Buffaloes 10 (Tries: M Burton 2 Goals: A Kyburz)
