Wheeler inspires comeback as Mater Dei pips TRAC in Carroll Cup thriller

After trailing for the first three quarters, Mater Dei kicked two goals to one in the final term which propelled them to a 4.6 (30) to 4.3 (27) victory.

Harrison Wheeler was best on ground for Mater Dei and he finished with all four goals, despite playing a fair chunk of the game in the midfield.

Mater Dei coach Nathan Irvine was glad his side could get the win, but he agreed they had to fight hard to secure victory.

"Yeah definitely," Irvine said.

"TRAC sort of got the jump on us and started really well in the first quarter and we didn't adjust to the slippery conditions.

"We were second to the footy and probably giving away too many free kicks, but after halftime and with Harrison Wheeler moving into the midfield we started to get the ball going our way a bit more.

"Obviously we were taken some chances there at the end which helped."

TRAC kicked the only two goals of the first quarter through Brodie Browning and Harry Glanvill which saw them ahead by 12 points at quarter time.

That margin was then extended out to 16 at the halfway mark of the second term after a goal by Jack Rudd, however Wheeler had his first of the game to have Mater Dei only down by 11 at the main break.

Wheeler then kicked the only goal of the third quarter which had Mater Dei down by less than a kick with a quarter to play.

His third goal of the game early in the fourth term gave Mater Dei the lead, however TRAC hit back through Henry Angel with only four minutes to play get back in front.

But Wheeler's fourth goal with just two minutes remaining then was enough to hand Mater Dei a thrilling victory.

Although they already had one foot in the grand final, Mater Dei's third victory of the competition cements their spot to face Kildare Catholic College on Wednesday, May 29.

Irvine knew it was likely they would play in the final, however he said it was pleasing they could enter it off the back of a victory.

"We knew it would have to be a fair swing in percentages for us not to get through," he said.

"But we wanted to go in having won, so that sets us up now to have a crack at Kildare in a week."

Kildare were far too good for Mater Dei in their round one clash winning by 47 points, however Irvine was hopeful they could put on a better showing in the grand final in just over a week's time.

"We hope we've improved since the first game," he said.

"We'll have to wait and see if we have or not, tonight doesn't fill you with a heap of confidence.

"But we've now got 10 days and we've had that experience of playing under the lights at this time of night, so hopefully the boys will learn a bit from that."

Kildare was supposed to play in the earlier game however Kooringal High School forfeited the contest.

Full Time

MDCC 0.1 1.3 2.5 4.6 (30)

TRAC 2.1 3.2 3.3 4.3 (27)

GOALS: MDCC: H Wheeler 4; TRAC: B Browning, H Glanvill, J Rudd, H Angel

BEST: MDCC: H Wheeler, L Crittenden, B Edmunds, T Wichman, M Walker, N Murtagh; TRAC: S Lenton, N Hamblin, S Drew, S Pigram, H Rynehart, H Glanvill