Match Centre

All year the Panthers conceded big starts and in their biggest match they have been made to pay for it.

It's harsh way for Penrith to lose, but the Sharks have deserved this win off the back of an emphatic first half.

30 seconds.

Townsend goes high but Mansour has the ball.

1 minute left.

Penrith make a mess of it and may have cost themselves this match!

Gallen is in civvies. if this match goes into extra time the Sharks won't be able to draw upon their leader.

Cronulla find touch 30 metres out from the Panthers line.

Penrith have possession!

Rugby League - how good is it!

Feki is finally pulled down.

Jayson Bukuya makes a determined charge.

Maloney finds touch inside the Sharks 10 metre zone.

Cronulla want to win this match with a field goal. Penrith are will to score tries.

Woods is within a metre

Ricky Leutele tries a flick pass, but Tyrone Peachey takes the ball over the sideline. Cronulla will pack a scrum 10 metres out.

Cronulla have regained possession.

Short kick off!

KIKAU!

Full credit to Penrith for their second half performance. The first half was all Cronulla, but the Panthers have produced a resilient second half to make a game of this match.

Isaah Yeo is claiming a try, but the referee is deeming an error in the lead up.

Time is not quite of the essence, but the Panthers will want to score shortly.

Another penalty to Penrith on the last tackle.

Penrith are awarded a penalty.

Chad Townsend is on the spot to clean up a James Maloney grubber.

Penrith earn a repeat set on the last.

The next try will be of monumental importance - Cronulla can secure the match, while Penrith have played their best coming from behind.

Christian Crichton is collected by three Cronulla chasers.

Viliame Kikau collects Chad Townsend high and the Sharks will elect to extend the score via a penalty goal.

James Segeyaro on for Cronulla.

With his first touch back on the field Reagan Campbell-Gillard comes up with a dropped ball.

Cronulla are awarded a penalty after James Maloney was ruled to have impeded Jesse Ramien during a Cronulla attacking raid.

Penrith have worked their way back into this match, but the next try scorer will be massive in the context of this match.

James Fisher-Harris belts Valentine Holmes.

Andrew Fifita is back on for the Sharks.

Kurt Capewell tries to put Sosaia Feki over for a try, but the ball goes into touch.

Christian Crichton loses possession inside his own half.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is running with little self-preservation!

Valentine Holmes manages to get out of his in-goal following an impressive set after points from Penrith.

While that kick was being taken, Paul Gallen walked up the tunnel with a possible wrist injury.

Valentine Holmes has watched the ball in the hope of rolling dead, but Nathan Cleary looks set to pounce for Penrith.

NATHAN CLEARY!

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak makes a quality kick return.

Penrith drive Gallen back inside the Sharks half.

Play will resume with a Cronulla set after a frantic finish from both sides.

Corey Harawira-Naera manages to hold onto the ball.

Isaah Yeo makes the best run of the night for Penrith.

Aaron Woods loses possession and the Panthers are off the hook for their poor set finish.

Penrith squander a promising set by gifting their opponents a seven tackles.

James Fisher-Harris puts good pressure on Matt Moylan and the Panthers will start a set inside the Sharks half.

Nathan Cleary eyes a 40/20, but can't get the result desired.

The Bulldogs famously came from 18-2 down to defeat the Eels in the 1998 Preliminary Final, but on the form shown during the first half there will need to be a major reversal in form for both sides.

Both teams are on the field. Penrith to kick off through James Maloney.

In one of the most dominant halves of finals football seen in recent time, the Sharks lead 18-2 with a Preliminary Final date with Melbourne just 40 minutes away.

The Panthers are awarded a penalty in kicking range on halftime.

Penrith on the attack.

Penrith earn a penalty inside their own half.

Take nothing away from Cronulla who have been tremendous with the ball, but the Panthers haven't risen to the occasion tonight.

Penrith have produced poorer halves of football, but in such an important match this first 40 has not been up to standard.

Tyrone May loses possession.

Penrith will get another set 20 metres out from the Cronulla goal line. If ever the Panthers are to post points, this is the time!

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak earns a penalty on halfway. If Penrith are to make a game of this (which they are capable of), they will need to post points soon.

Unless there is a massive reversal of form in the second half, next Friday looks set to be a clash between the 2016 Grand Final combatants - Cronulla are surging!

Edrick Lee comes up with a great take close to his try line.

Sione Katoa (the Penrith hooker) is coming off with a head knock; Tyrone May will come into the game earlier than expected.

Matt Moylan couldn't hold onto Holmes' pass - had he been able to the Sharks would have been in for their fourth try.

Holmes into space.

Moses Leota and Corey Harawira-Naera on for Penrith.

Seeing a champion of the game do what he has done so well over the past 18 seasons brings a tear to the eye knowing that he won't be going around next season.

With the wealth of possession the Sharks have had in the first half, a 14-0 lead does not reflect their dominance.

Matt Moylan kicks the ball in-goal and earns a repeat set.

To compound the error, the Sharks are awarded a penalty.

Another Penrith mistake sees Gallen dive on the loose ball.

Aaron Woods is on for Cronulla.

James Tamou is on for Penrith.

Paul Gallen loses the ball on halfway.

Penrith are on the ropes at the moment. If the Sharks can score another this match may be headed for an anticlimactic result.

Maloney loses the ball after a promising run from Kikau.

Jayden Brailey overpowers his last play kick and Penrith will resume play with a seven tackle set.

Waqa Blake makes a great catch close to his goal line, but just as he did in forcing the turnover a few minutes back, Luke Lewis forces the Penrith centre back in-goal.

Waqa Blake appeared to lose the ball and a belated refereeing call sees the Sharks awarded possession inside the Panthers half.

Nathan Cleary makes a great run to force a Cronulla error. That play may prove very telling in the wash-up.

Penrith have made twice as many tackles as Cronulla with less than 20 minutes elapsed.

Christian Crichton is bundled into touch and the Sharks will have another attacking set.

The Sharks are full of energy at the moment.

Townsend kicks early and leads the chase on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak inside his own 10 metre zone.

Valentine Holmes is claiming a try after being in the right place to finish off a Cronulla bat back.

Katoa is ruled to have passed the ball forward to a rampaging Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Cronulla will start a set on halfway.

Townsend sends the ball long, but DWZ makes a strong return.

Valentine Holmes will take the shot at goal to extend the Sharks lead.

Penalty to Cronulla close to the posts.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is pushed over the dead ball line. The Sharks will have another set off the back of a line drop out.

Matt Prior goes close to the tryline.

Ricky Leutele is collected high by Tyrone Peachey close to halfway. Another big chance for the Sharks to post early points.

Fifita makes a strong run off the kick off.

Jesse Ramien gets a penalty. Cronulla to start a set 35 metres from the Penrith line.

Edrick Lee makes a great catch in his in-goal and charges downfield to start a seven tackle set.

Isaah Yeo is close to the line.

Maloney finds touch on halfway.

Penrith earn a penalty inside their own half.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak makes a strong catch and is collected by Kurt Capewell 10 metres out from the Panthers line.

A strong first set from the Panthers sees the Sharks handed the ball close to their tryline.

Play is underway and Reagan Campbell-Gillard takes the first charge of the night.

Paul Gallen takes the Sharks out to the reception of rapturous applause.

James Maloney leads the Panthers onto Allianz Stadium.

While both sides have progressed straight to the Preliminary Final having triumphed in the first week of the finals on multiple occasions previously, the winner of tonight's contest will need to overcome recent history to book a place against Melbourne next Friday at AAMI Park.

Having reached the second week of the play-offs in the previous two seasons under Anthony Griffin, tonight will prove decisive to the Panthers' decision to install Cameron Ciraldo as interim coach six weeks ago. Losing Semis to Canberra and Brisbane in recent times, the Panthers will need to overcome a similar Semi Final drought having never triumphed in the second week of the finals throughout the NRL era.

Winning 10/12 matches against Penrith since 2011, the Cronulla Sharks will need to break a 16 year record to progress into the final four having last tasted Semi Final success in 2002 against the Dragons in a high-scoring affair played at Aussie Stadium.

Previously clashing twice this season, the Sharks will be hoping to go 3/3 after pulling off narrow wins in Round 7 at home (26-22) and at the foot of the mountains after Origin 3 in Round 18 (24-12).

Fighting back from an early deficit against the Warriors last Saturday, the Penrith Panthers have retained the same playing group that prevailed 27-12.

After going down to the Roosters last Saturday evening, the Sharks have made two enforced changes with Jesse Ramien coming into the centres at the expense of Josh Dugan, while in the absence of co-captain Wade Graham, Kurt Capewell will start in the second row despite wearing jersey 14, with Scott Sorenson reverting to the bench.

The winner of tonight’s match will travel to Melbourne next Friday to contest the Storm for a place in the premiership decider.

Welcome to League Unlimited’s coverage of the First Semi Final between the Cronulla Sharks and Penrith Panthers from Allianz Stadium.