East Lismore spoiled Ballina's parade into Far North Coast Hockey Men's A Grade Grand Final with a thrilling 3-2 win.

Ballina A Men were hoping to play next week’s Grand Final along with eight of their other teams, while Easts coming off two losses in a row - 6-3 to Ballina and 6-1 to Star - knew they had it all ahead of them.

Corey Watson opened Ballina’s account Midway through the first quarter when he converted a penalty corner. Both sides had their chances and Dan Riley for Easts was creating plenty of opportunities and a standout throughout the match. Five minutes into the second quarter and Easts levelled when Nick Layton converted a Penalty Corner with a solid hit, low and hard, into the backboard. Neither side could add to their tally before half-time despite some brilliant attacking raids.

In the first two minutes of the third quarter, Wynand Volschenk scored for Easts and almost immediately Corey Watson scored his second to tie things up again. Both keepers were on the game: Lawrence for Ballina and Mitchell for Easts saved the game for their respective sides repeatedly.

With the teams entering the fourth quarter it looked like the match was going into extra time and drop off. However, in the final minutes of the match, Marcus Currie off a Penalty Corner rebound scored and Easts took the match 3-2.

All players were on their game and in addition to those mentioned; Crawford, Harvey, Davis, Callum, and Marshall Brown worked hard for Ballina whilst Franey, Hughes, Jonas Clark and Matt Carter led the way for Easts.

Ballina are now two teams short of playing in each of the 10 Men's Grand Finals whilst Star play in seven. Easts, Alstonville, and Coraki provide the other five places.

The Preliminary Final of Far North Coast Hockey Women’s A Grade Division was a close encounter between Northern Star and Coraki.

Early in the first half both teams had individual runs in attack. For Coraki, Georgia Brown travelled with the ball and used her skill to evade several Star defenders, linking with fellow players Denni-Lee Gray, Olivia Osborne and Nella Bradford, but they failed to create scoring opportunities. Star's Alana Albertine linked up with her mum Leanne and passed the ball to Annalyce Bodley but excellent keeping by Anne-Maree Cheffins in goal for Coraki negated the scoring shot.

Star goalscorer Annalyce Bodley tries tio shield the ball from Coraki players, left to right, Georgia Brown and Denni-Lee Gray. Photo: Shez Napper

The opening goal came after Star’s Maya McGrath used the width of the field to link with Tracey Makings, whose pass was picked up by

Hollie Mathews, who scored a freaky goal by guiding the ball along the back line into the goal. Annalyce Bodley scored Star’s second goal, off a pass sent into the circle by Taquira McGrath.

Coraki scored late in the game when Georgia Brown converted a Penalty Corner with a low flick.

Both teams are to be commended for the manner in which they played the game.

The Star, victorious over Coraki 2-1, will meet Ballina in the Grand Final on Saturday.