SWFL: Bulldogs regain Betti Cup

Bunbury capped a stellar second half of the season when they out-gunned Donnybrook by 39 points in a high-scoring Peter Betti Cup clash at Payne Park on Sunday.

Jordan Adamson-Holmes finished with six goals and Liam McGuire kicked five for the Bulldogs while Kris Clarkson helped himself to seven majors for Donnybrook.

The Dons were in control for the first 10 minutes with three goals – two off the boot of Clint Hewson – but any signs of an upset were blown away in the next 15 minutes.

Bunbury piled on Seven goals in quick succession with Adamson-Holmes and McGuire both kicking a couple.

Peter Betti Medallist Ryan Sheehan and the improved Rowen McDonnell also got in on the act as the Bulldogs shot to a 25-point quarter-time lead.

The trend continued in the second term as the home side kicked the first three majors, but the Dons found an avenue to goal through Kris Clarkson who began to dominate up forward with strong marking and straight kicking.

Clarkson helped himself to three goals, while Hewson and Ryan Blount added one each to get the Dons back within 12 points.

Glen Howison and Codey Hay put paid to the charge with a goal apiece deep in time and a lead back out to four goals at the long break.

The second half was much the same as the first with first one side and then the other hitting the scoreboard in quick succession.

Sheehan continued to win the ball all over the ground in the second half while Adamson-Holmes took his tally to six, McGuire to five and Clarkson to seven in an impressive display from the big men.

The Bulldogs had most of their senior players in good form and with the recently promoted Ethan McGuire, Cam Lamonica and Craig Thomas all handy they looked set for the challenge presented by the Collie Eagles in the elimination final this Sunday.

Jacob Williams was rested for this encounter and will be back next week but not so Connor Blakely, one of the Bulldogs best, who played on permit from Swans but has not played the six games necessary to qualify for finals.

Donnybrook will finish a season of major improvement in seventh place on the ladder.

Scoreboard

Bunbury 7.2 12.4 16.7 22.9 141 def Donnybrook 3.1 8.3 11.5 16.6 105

Goals:

BUNBURY – J. Adamson-Holmes 6, L. McGuire 5, R. McDonnell, 3, C. Hay, C. Garlett 2, G. Howison, C. Blakely, R. Sheehan, C. Lamonica.

DONNYBROOK – K. Clarkson 7, C. Billings, C. Hewson 3, L. Dale, S. Cristaldi, R. Blount.

Best:

BUNBURY – R. Sheehan, J. Adamson-Holmes, L. McGuire, C. Blakely, S. Miles, C. Thomas.

DONNYBROOK – K. Clarkson, J. Smith, C. Gugliemana, C. Billings, S. Cristaldi, B. Martindale.