St Mary’s continued their rags to riches rise from wooden spooners by winning a qualifying final

ST MARY’S qualified for a second semi-final bout with flag favourites Nightcliff next week after a fighting 31-point win over a feisty Tiwi Bombers

Maurice Rioli Jr was at his defensive and offensive best in St Mary's qualifying final win over the Tiwi Bombers.

ST MARY’S qualified for a second semi-final bout with flag favourites Nightcliff next week after last night’s fighting 31-point win over a feisty Tiwi Bombers.

The 11.12 (78) to 7.5 (47) win was another triumph for first year coach Anthony Vallejo and his players in a rags to riches rise this season.

St Mary’s got out of the blocks in a hurry, booting four goals to one in the first quarter in a game with plenty of feeling following the shock suspension of Saints forward Leroy Larson 24 hours earlier for what sources say was a racial vilification charge.

Larson’s late withdrawal opened the door for veteran Saint Raphael Clarke to play his first game since breaking his left foot in November.

Jacob Long’s 55 metre goal on the quarter time siren put the seal on a flying start for the Saints, who finished second on the home and away ladder after claiming their first wooden spoon 12 months earlier.

The Tiwis could not get their running game going in the early exchanges as their opponents hunted them down at every opportunity.

But goals from a trademark Harley Puruntatameri snap with his left foot and a mark and goal from the consistent Chris Jones got them back to a two-goal deficit.

A big mark and goal by Jackson Calder, his second for the game, got the Saints back to a 21-point lead early in the third term.

The feeling between the two sides looked like exploding midway through the third quarter when an angry pack developed following some pushing and shoving in front of the umpire’s race.

The Tiwis took advantage of the concentration lapse by their opponents, booting two goals in a minute through long serving Bomber Simon Munkara to get back to 13 points.

St Mary’s contained a potential run of goals by the Tiwis by bottling the game up on the scoreboard wing for the rest of the quarter.

Austin Wonaeamirri’s goal a minute into the last quarter was as controversial as it was important.

St Mary’s defender Tylah Saunders was judged to have rushed a behind when not under pressure, presenting Wonaeamirri with his first goal and a seven-point margin.

But joint skipper Shannon Rioli from a free 30 metres out converted to restore a two-goal lead.

Henry Labastida’s goal from a holding decision against Roy Farmer stretched the lead to 19 points and relative safety for the Saints.

ST MARY’S 4.2 5.6 6.10 11.12 (78)

TIWI BOMBERS 1.2 3.3 5.3 7.5 (47)

GOALS — StM: J Calder 4 S Rioli 3 Jacob Long S Edwards R Jordon H Labastida. Tiwi: S Munkara 3 A Wonaeamirri 2 C Jones A Wonaeamirri.

BEST — StM: M Rioli Jr T Davies J Cheek Jacob Long N Paredes. Tiwi: C Jones L Howe J Puruntatameri S Munkara R Farmer