The Cronulla Sharks
have halted St George Illawarra's semi final charge
with a convincing 40-24 victory at Aussie Stadium
tonight.
The victory however
may have come at a cost with Matthew Johns being
forced from the field with a shoulder injury and
forward Jason Stevens being placed on report for
a head high tackle.
With nothing to lose,
both sides launched early attacking raids with the
Sharks fullback, David Peachey scoring the 7th minute.
St George centre,
Mark Gasnier scored five minutes later and in the
17th minute Jason Ryles scored next to the posts
to give Saints a 12-6 lead.
With Sharks' five
eighth, Matthew Johns being forced from the field
with a shoulder injury, Saints looked to be gaining
the ascendancy.
But Cronulla started
to control possession and struck back with tries
to Phil Bailey (21st min) and Paul Franze (37 min).
In the 39th minute,
Sharks prop Jason Stevens was placed on report following
a high shot on Dragons' back rower, Nathan Tutt.
At half time, the
Sharks had the momentum and held a 18-12 lead.
After the break, the
Sharks went further ahead when Matt Bickerstaff
scored under the posts after a Brett Kimmorley break
from 25 metres out.
More tries to Franze
(53rd min) and Paul Mellor (59th min) put the score
at 34-12 and with 20 minutes to go, the Dragons
looked to be on the receiving end of a hiding.
But Saints gave their
supporters a glimmer of hope in the 68th minute
with a Trent Barrett inspired try to Lee Hookey
which started on the Dragons' 20 metre line.
Five minutes later,
Jason Ryles grubbered into the in-goal surprising
everyone, including himself, to score just wide
of the uprights.
With seven minutes
remaining, Cronulla were in front 34-24.
But Sharks winger,
Greg Bird snuffed out any faint hope of a Dragons
revival when he scored in the 76th minute, Cronulla
running out winners 40-24.
This match sees the
end of the Dragons 2002 NRL campaign. The Sharks
now progress to next weekend where they take on
the New Zealand Warrors, the winner of that match
earning a spot in the 2002 grand final.
7:30PM, Saturday,
21 September, 2002
Aussie Stadium (SFS)
Referee: W Harrigan
Crowd: 31, 783
Scorers
Dragons 24
Tries: Ryles 2, Gasnier, Hookey
Goals: Clarke 2/2, Riddell 2/2
Sharks 40
Tries: Franze 2, Peachey, P Bailey, Bickerstaff,
Mellor, Bird
Goals: Kimmorley 6/7
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