September is finals time for the winter sports and Mount Isa is no exception.
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But first Miles-based jockey Adin Thompson took out this year’s Birdsville Cup on top weight Blue Jest. The teenage Thompson was barely six months into his professional career and had a dream ride on Bevan Johnson’s horse winning by a nose from Jay Morris’s Expat Envy in a dead heat for second.
In soccer Sandfire Bulls surprised by beating favourites and minor premiers Atlas to take their place in the grand final. Atlas had another chance against Parkside. In league Cloncurry claimed the minor premiership by defeating Townies 40-28 on the final day of the season. Curry were disappointed they were not awarded a home final. In AFL Buffs booked their grand final spot beating Young Guns 12-10 (82) to 8-8 (56). They play Tigers in the final.
In the league preliminary final at Alec Inch Oval, it was defending premiers Townies who prevailed over minor premiers Cloncurry. After an even first half Town took command in the second to win 38-18. Cloncurry had to beat Wanderers to reach the final.
Buffs edged out Tigers to win back-to-back AFL premierships. The lead change hands several times in a close contest but Buffs won in a thriller by five points 63-58 with Buffs’ Shannon Macnamara best on ground.
Parkside women won the soccer grand final beating Sandfire Bulls 3-0 in the final. Concordia Tigers beat Cloncurry 4-0 in the B-Grade decider. Parkside’s win gave them the trifecta of premiership, minor premiership and cup. In the men’s decider Atlas gained revenge for their preliminary final defeat by beating Sandfire Bulls. Despite the loss of star player Dean Kelley with injury Atlas led early and prevailed 3-1 to claim the premiership.
In netball Spinifex Strikers claimed victory in Division 1 of the Mount Isa Amateur Netball Association grand finals with a victory over Tigers.
The top two sides Town and Cloncurry did battle again in the Mount Isa Rugby League grand final. A huge crowd came down from the Curry but saw their men outmuscled by the team in maroon. Curry wilted in the afternoon heat to lose 50-8 and could only watch as Town clinched back-to-back premierships.
Mount Isa’s Leichhardt Services Club won the annual North Queensland bowls championship playoff in Cloncurry. The win sees them advance to a state playoff in Helensvale.
Top north west silk Dan Ballard was named Queensland Country’s premier jockey for the fourth time at the end of September. Ballard won 54 races in 167 starts for the season earning $391,075 in prize money for his lucky horse owners.