Elimination final at Balls Paddock 11/9/05:

Dapto 3 (Walker 63', Morris 83', Walker 118') v Coniston Lions 3 (Jankulovski pen 64', 104', Agyei 69') Dapto win 5-4 on pens

Elimination finals aren't any more dramatic than that which was on show at Balls Paddock on Sunday.

While the first 45 minutes may have been relatively mild by comparison, and the 0-0 half time scoreline reflected that, the second half, extra time and then penalties certainly made this match one to remember.

Dapto it was who first took the lead on 63 minutes when Colin Walker got on the end of a Nathan Broad cross and, on the run, was able to hammer a simply unstoppable shot past Joel Ackland in the Coniston goal. Walker had come very close earlier in the first half but this effort made up for that near miss.

But within a minute, Coniston were awarded a penalty when Steve Dimitrievski was brought down in the box and Chris Jankulovski stepped up to square the ledger.

Five minutes later it was then the turn of Coniston to hit the lead when Akwasi Agyei hurtled towards goal and unleashed a bullet from 25 metres which Christian Pretto did well to get a touch to but the power of the shot was overwhelming.

Coniston looked by this stage in control though Dapto continued to work very hard in their attempt to themselves claw back an equaliser. It eventually came just seven minutes from time when Ian Morris found himself in just the right spot and was able to tap in an initial Dapto shot which had rebounded off the post.

With extra time looming, there were still opportunities for a late winner for both sides but Jankulovski and Tomich for Coniston and Broad for Dapto could not nail that crucial final goal. Morris almost found himself the Dapto hero but his drive in the 90th minute just flew past the upright.

Into extra time, and again, Coniston gained the upper hand. A direct freekick just outside the penalty area was superbly taken by Jankulovski who squeezed the ball around the wall and low into the corner on 104 minutes.

This appeared to be the winner as Coniston looked to safeguard their lead, but Dapto, to their credit, continued to push forward in the hope of extending their season. And with just two minutes to go, an excellent cross from the right found Walker again who was able to head home Dapto's lifeline.

While the game itself saw both sides have their share of the lead, the same was to occur during the penalty shootout. With Ben Barlett missing his kick for Dapto, and Coniston having scored from their first four, it came down to Coniston's star, Mirko Jurilj, to claim what was sure to be the Lions' winner. But a save from Pretto saw the game snatched from Coniston's grasp and gave Dapto yet another chance to salvage the game. And when Pece Sobeski also missed his kick, it was Dapto who had managed to secure what had seemed, at times, an unlikely victory.

Dapto 3 (Walker 63', Morris 83', Walker 118') v Coniston Lions 3 (Jankulovski pen 64', 104', Agyei 69') Dapto win 5-4 on pens

Dapto: Christian Pretto, Nicholas Potter, Paul Robaard (c), Brett Fleming, James Ryrie (William Mobbs 110'), Nathan Broad, Shane Wilkshire, Colin Walker, Jay Lucas, Ben Bartlett, Ian Morris.

Coniston: Joel Ackland, Selfer Yildiz (Michael Nikolovski 46'), Yanni Sekulovski (c), Steve Markovski (Pece Sobevski 50'), Mirko Jurilj, Akwasi Agyei, Jone Mladenoski (Sam Mehrkavari 113'), Steve Dimitrievski, Morgan Cawley, Chris Jankulovski, Luke Tomich.

Referee: Srebre Delovski, Assts: S Richards and M D'Amatto.

In the other elimination quarter-final played on Sunday, Picton's Colin Luff, top scorer in the IPL this season, was the hero in scoring all four of the Rangers' goals in their 4-1 win over South Coast United at JJ Kelly Park. Denis Jurjevic being the scorer for United.

Champions Dandaloo suffered an extra-time loss to Port Kembla 4-3 where two goals to captain Mineo Bonetig, another to Shane McGirr and an own goal by Dandaloo defender Norm Wicker did the damage.

Tarrawanna also needed extra time in defeating Cringila 1-0 with their winner coming from Frank "Chich' Barilla.

Tarrawanna and Port Kembla now have a week off while Dandaloo will meet Dapto and Cringila play Picton in next week's semi finals.

Semi Final at Tarrawanna Oval 18/9/05:

Dapto 2 (Bartlett 20', Morris 78') v Dandaloo 2 (Howarth 80', O'Shea 88')

For the second week running, Dapto have continued their finals run after securing victory via a tense penalty shootout. Following last week's dramatic last-gasp win over Coniston, this week it was the turn of newly crowned champions Dandaloo to suffer at the hands of their near neighbours.

Dapto had looked the goods throughout the match against a depleted Dandaloo, missing the influential and combative Shane Lyons as well as regulars Norm Wicker and Matt Parker. Dapto were unchanged and clearly ready for the task.

The first goal arrived after twenty minutes when Ben Bartlett made the most of his chance after Dandaloo failed to clear their defence. Bartlett shot low and hard from outside the penalty area just beating the outstretched hand of Kiel Zerner.

Shane Wilkshire had a chance to quickly double the lead just minutes later but his wild shot, when in a perfect position, never threatened the goal. It really should have been two for Dapto.

Dandaloo's best chance of an even first half fell to Geoff Howarth, putting in an impressive performance, but his header clipped the wrong side of the post.

Into the second period and, again, Howarth almost set up a Dandaloo equaliser but his cross could not be put away by Blake Coates, whose header went over.

Paul Gaffney, driving forward down the right at every opportunity, then set up Steve Krishna but while his shot did find the net, the goal was disallowed for offside.

Dapto seemed to be leading a charmed life for a while with Dandaloo doing everything possible but being unable to breach a resolute Dapto backline. And when Ian Morris exquisitely chipped Zerner from out wide to give Dapto a 2-0 lead with under a quarter of an hour to go, it seemed that Dandaloo's run was finally at an end.

But a lapse of concentration by keeper Christian Pretto, who had hardly put a foot wrong all game, allowed Howarth the easiest of tap-ins to set up a barnstorming final ten minutes.

Coates almost drew Dandaloo level but blasted over, again, but finally, following a brilliant Gaffney run down the right in which he beat three defenders in turn, his low cross was met by Matt O'Shea who bundled in the equaliser, with just two minutes remaining.

The consequent thirty minutes of extra time saw Dapto's Wilkshire have the best chance to snare a winner but when he looked certain to score, a desperate tackle by Ben Waldron enabled Dandaloo to hang on.

But, in penalties, it was to be Dapto's day again. With Dandaloo missing three of their five kicks, keeper Pretto proved to be Dapto's saviour.

Dapto 2 (Bartlett 20', Morris 78') v Dandaloo 2 (Howarth 80', O'Shea 88'). Dapto win 3-2 on pens.

Dandaloo: Kiel Zerner, Luke Grounds, Blake Coates, Brendon Kearns, Ryan Carr (Ben Waldron 90'), Jason Spencer (c), Paul Gaffney, Matthew O'Shea, Steve Krishna, Geoff Howarth, Paul Harries.

Dapto: Christian Pretto, Nicholas Potter, Paul Robaard (c), Brett Fleming, James Ryrie (Dean Kerr 100'), Nathan Broad, Shane Wilkshire, Colin Walker, Jay Lucas, Ben Bartlett, Ian Morris.

Dapto 2 (Bartlett 20', Morris 78') v Dandaloo 2 (Howarth 80', O'Shea 88'). Dapto win 3-2 on pens. and progress.

Wrap up:

In the evening semi final at Wetherall Park, eighth placed finisher Picton eliminated league runners-up Cringila 4-2 to move into the final four.

Darren Carney got Picton off to a flying start with the opener within the first minute but Cringila equalised only two minutes later through Nick Polymenakos.

Man-of-the-match David Reid restored Picton's lead on 17 minutes before Vuko Tomasevic, early in the second half, knocked in Picton's third. Reid, again, secured the victory with his second of the night just three minutes later before Polymenakos reduced the deficit for Cringila with 22 minutes remaining.

Final at Balls Paddock on 26/098/2005:

Dapto 0 v Tarrawanna 0 aet. Dapto win 4-3 on penalties

Dapto secured their passage to the Grand Final after defeating Tarrawanna 4-3 on penalties following yet another tense shootout at Balls Paddock on Sunday. It was Dapto's third victory on penalties in as many weeks, after previously eliminating Coniston and champions Dandaloo.

But it could all have been so different if Victor Costabile had not missed easily Tarrawanna's best chance with only a minute or so of normal time remaining. After running at the defence and then committing Christian Pretto, Costabile could only watch in horror as his shot just passed wide of the open goal. A good number of Costabile's teammates slumped to the ground in disbelief knowing that that likely winner had been snatched from their grasp.

Despite the lack of goals in this game, there was certainly no lack of action or near misses. Arguably the best player on the pitch was the Dapto keeper, Pretto, who time and time again, denied Tarrawanna. While the first half was relatively even, Tarrawanna clearly held the upper hand during the second period with particularly good chances to Matthew Naylor, Chich Barilla and Costabile. Costabile's shot, for one, being expertly tipped over by Pretto.

Anthony Guido, always looking for a way through the Dapto defence, looked to spur the Blues to victory while Chich Barilla showed nice touches. But with the strong Dapto backline and Pretto in fine form, Tarrawanna just could not gain the goal their second half dominance threatened.

Dapto, for their part, were not as dangerous up front as in the past couple of weeks with Ian Morris and Jay Lucas having relatively quiet games. But chances to Shane Wilkshire and Ben Bartlett did keep Tarrawanna on their toes. The extra time period did lean towards Dapto but ultimately, it was to be on penalties in which Dapto were to gain the win.

Despite a miss by Colin Walker for Dapto, Claude Cellini could not take advantage for Tarrawanna leaving Ian Morris to put away the deciding kick.

Dapto's opponents in the Grand Final will be Picton Rangers, who qualified for their second successive Grand Final, after defeating Port Kembla 2-1 in the evening match.

Dapto 0 v Tarrawanna 0 aet. Dapto win 4-3 on penalties

Dapto: Christian Pretto, Nicholas Potter, Paul Robaard, Brett Fleming, James Ryrie, Nathan Broad, Shane Wilkshire, Colin Walker, Jay Lucas, Ben Bartlett, Ian Morris.

Tarrawanna: Josh Tidswell, Claude Cellini, Gavin O'Brien, Nathan Pegler, Frank Barilla, Damian Counter (Tim O'Brien 113'), Matthew Naylor, Darren Stone, Anthony Guido, Victor Costabile, Chcih Barilla.

Referee: Tony Bosevski

Asst refs: Steve Uitterlinden and Steve Bozic, 4th: Bobby Masevski