3 May 2011

Magic finish second in netball minor premiership

6:05 am on 3 May 2011

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic have secured second place in the Trans-Tasman netball championship play-offs after beating the Central Pulse 60-50 in their last match in Taupo last night.

The much-improved Pulse gave a nothing-to-lose effort to bid farewell to their coach of the last three seasons, Yvette McCausland-Durie, however the Magic, who led by just 3 at half time, drew away in the third quarter.

Shooters Irene van Dyk and Julianna Naoupu swapped positions in the second half which proved decisive.

So the Magic finish second and will play the unbeaten Queensland Firebirds in the major semi-final in Brisbane on Monday with the winner qualifying for the Grand Final, while the loser will play the winner of Sunday's minor semi-final between the New South Wales Swifts and the Northern Mystics in Sydney.

In last night's other match the West Coast Fever beat Adelaide 64-59.

The Pulse completed their best ever season with 3 wins, finishing 8th in the 10 team competition.