Gallery | Finley left smiling like a Cheshire Cat after last-gasp Murray Football League prelim victory

The expression was relevant not because one side performed great in one half and poor in the other but rather because the two halves were polar opposites in terms of entertainment.

The first two quarters, largely thanks to the blustering wind, cold air and occasional rain was a dour affair for players and football lovers.

No clean passages of play could occur due to the swirling breeze, which took the ball in random directions when kicked higher than a couple of metres off the ground.

At half-time, the score was 22-21 in the Magpies’ favour.

In the third quarter, while the quality of the match didn’t drastically improve, Finley gained some ascendancy and used the strong breeze to its advantage.

Cats veteran Paul Massingham’s set shot goal from the boundary added a classy highlight to the day’s play.

Big and bustling Cats ruck Lachlan Hawkins kicked a brilliant goal out of a stoppage in Finley’s forward line to give his side a 43-28 lead heading into the final change of ends.

While the first three quarters were played with great intensity and pressure, Moama lifted it up a gear — or three — in the final term.

With the breeze at their backs, the Magpies relentlessly pressed and prodded at the Cats’ defence.

Throughout the initial stages, defender Angus Robertson and player-coach Jordan Taylor kept Finley’s defence resolute.

However, the Magpies were soon able to apply some scoreboard pressure thanks to goals from Danny Brewster and Brad Edwards, cutting the margin to two points.

With two-and-a-half minutes left on the clock, up stepped Moama’s young gun key forward — potential first-round AFL draft prospect — Jobe Shanahan.

Having played the majority of the final quarter in the ruck, Shanahan was sent forward and took a strong mark out on a lead.

The young forward went back and kicked truly to the raptures of the Moama faithful, making it 47-43 in the Magpies’ favour.

A congested start from the following centre bounce led to a kick out to Finley’s half-forward line, where Cat Charlie Lang marked before a Magpie encroached and gave away a 50m penalty.

It was a cruel final twist that would end Moama’s 2024 season.

Lang was walked to 15 metres out on a slight angle before he kicked the goal to steal back the two-point lead.

The siren sounded soon after and the ground was filled with a herd of Cats players, supporters and families as the club celebrated its qualification for next Saturday’s grand final.

Star of the show Lang recalled his match-winning moment.

“I took the mark,” Lang said.

“I wanted to wheel quickly, but then I saw the man encroaching in the protected zone.

“Initially, I was fine running down to take the shot and then one of my teammates came up to me and said this will be the last kick of the game — then the moment really sunk in.

“I just tried to kick straight and hope for the best.

“Now, I guess the rest is history.”

The scenes on the field after the match were pure jubilation for Finley fans, who swarmed into the changerooms after to celebrate with the players.

Lang said moments like these help bring small communities such as Finley’s together.

“It is an all-round good vibe for the town,” he said.

“The team and club have battled over the last few years, so just to see the smiles on faces is great.

“Congupna will be bloody hard to beat, but we will give it a crack and see how we go.”