Casey Kopua said once the hurt fades her side can look back on their season with pride. Photo / Getty Images
The ANZ Championship decider will once again be an all-Australian affair after the Queensland Firebirds brought the Magic's finals campaign to an end in Brisbane tonight.
After a stunning come-from-behind win over the NSW Swifts in last week's minor semifinal, the Magic faded badly over the final quarter of their
preliminary final clash, as the typically relentless pressure from the Firebirds' defence paid dividends late in the game.
Trailing by seven goals heading into the final five minutes the Magic managed one last frantic run at the Firebirds as the Queensland side appeared to get the speed wobbles late in the game. They got to within three in the final minute to make for some nervous moments on the Firebirds bench, but the push ultimately came too late from Casey Kopua's side, with a late settler down the stretch giving the homeside a 54-50 win.
The Firebirds, last year's beaten finalists, will now meet the Melbourne Vixens in the grand final next weekend. It is the second straight year and third time in the competition's seven-year history that title clash has been contested two Australian teams.
Although hugely disappointed not to have a shot at the crown, Kopua said once the hurt fades her side can look back on their season with pride. Written off at the beginning of the season after losing all but three players from their 2013 campaign, to get within one game of the grand final is a huge achievement, said Kopua. The Magic were the only New Zealand side to feature in the ANZ Championship finals this year, maintaining their record as the only team in the competition to have made the play-offs every year.
