Hockey: Harbour in final after thriller

The Midlands women's team were dealt a harsh lesson in the realities of top-level sport at the National Stadium yesterday.

Top qualifiers - and reaching the semifinals for the first time - the Hamilton/Tauranga-based team were expected to beat North Harbour and win through to this afternoon's final showdown with Canterbury.

Ahead 2-0 before halftime in the second of the semifinals, after Kiisha Gurran had slammed home a Kate Mahon free hit and Clarissa Eshuis had cleaned up after a penalty corner, Midlands were coasting.

Midway through the second spell, Holly Riini got one back for Harbour. Still, there was no panic for the Di Weavers-led Midlanders.

Then, four minutes from time, an errant foot on the ball by a Midlands defender handed Lizzy Igasan the chance from the penalty spot.

She converted and the game went to extra time.

There was no golden goal in the two six-minute periods.

Mahon and Weavers had their attempts saved by Bianca Russell and Harbour, with Karlie Maloney scoring the last of 10 strokes, got home 4-3.

There was some small consolation for Weavers later in the day when she and also retired former Black Sticks captain Suzie Muirhead were named joint players of the year.

Both have won the award before with Muirhead, 31, taking the honours in 2002 and Weavers a year later. With 238 caps, Muirhead remains New Zealand's most-capped women's international.

The final will be a replay of last Saturday's round six clash in Christchurch, won 2-1 by Canterbury.

Ahead 1-0 at halftime, Canterbury scored twice in the second half to beat Central 3-1 in the early semifinal.

Central meet Midlands for third.

Auckland, pipped by Harbour for a semifinal spot, beat Wellington 4-1 after leading 1-0 at the break and will play Northland, 3-0 winners over Southern, for fifth.

Defending champions Wellington, a shadow of last season's team, meet Southern for seventh.

Drawn apart for this afternoon's semifinals, the Canterbury and Harbour men will be looking to book a repeat of the women's final.

Harbour meet Auckland in the early game and Canterbury play Wellington in the last match of the day.

National men's captain Ryan Archibald was a runaway winner of the Brian Maunsell Memorial as the player of the year.


Today's action

* Women
Final: North Harbour v Canterbury, 2.45pm
Third/fourth: Midlands v Central 12.20pm
Fifth/sixth (Plate final): Auckland v Northland
Seventh/eighth: Southern v Wellington

* Men
Semifinals: North Harbour v Auckland, noon; Canterbury v Wellington, 4pm
Fifth to eighth: Central v Midlands 10am, Northland v Southern 8am