Gisborne Park lost 7-5 to Te Puia Springs but scored enough points to grab the third semifinal berth.
The fourth and last spot went to a relieved PB (1) by just one point from the Springs.
Had Te Puia, who were missing No.1 Andrew Higham, gained one more point — and they had the chance to do so — they would have forced a play-off against PB (1).
Not to be. The reigning champs survived and have the significant benefit of home advantage in tomorrow’s cut-throat semi against fellow city club Park.
Patutahi face Tolaga Bay tomorrow morning, the winners advancing directly to the final; the losers facing the winners of the Park-Poverty Bay clash.
The Tahi will be at full strength as they look to regain a title they won from 2012 to 2014 and shared with Poverty Bay (1) in 2017.
Jace Brown is at No.1, Hukanui Brown No.2, older brother Eddie Brown Jr No.3 and Tony Akroyd — yet to lose a singles match — No.4.
Brown Jr was the only Patutahi player to drop points last weekend, going down to PB (2) whitewash-saving Peter Clayton.
Tolaga Bay welcomed back former Poverty Bay-East Coast representative Dion Milner and he responded with two wins, including the scalp of Poverty Bay Open champion Pete Anderson in the afternoon singles.
Tolaga Bay’s team tomorrow are Taine Lincoln, Bruce Yates, Milner and Tere Lincoln.
Yates brought Peter Kerekere’s perfect 2019 series run of five wins to an end last weekend.
Despite scraping into the semis, Kerekere leads a formidable PB (1) line-up on their home track. William Brown had two wins at Tolaga and Anderson combined with Chandra to win the Poverty Bay men’s open foursomes at the Bay on Saturday.
It has been a surprisingly dry pennants series for Simon Jeune and Anderson. Last year Jeune had seven wins and one half over the pennants. This year he has lost all six of his foursomes and singles matches while Anderson has a zero-from-four record. Both, however, will be a far different prospect on home fairways.
Park will be without their kingpin Chandra, who has had five wins and a half — that half courtesy of Te Puia’s Regan Hindmarsh sinking a great putt on the last hole.
The morning line-up is Brad Reynolds, Zane Boyle, Sel Peneha and Rob Taylor. Rod Moore will replace Boyle in the afternoon.
Tomorrow morning also features a playoff between fifth-placed Springs and sixth-placed PB (2), the winners staying in the hunt for the Pounamu Trophy for third.
