Match Centre

FULL TIME - Usually suffering for their poor goal kicking, Cronulla were the beneficiaries tonight, snapping a big losing streak with a 16-14 win.

Coen Hess takes it up and simply drops the ball in the tackle and that'll be it.

Josh Morris almost catches out tired Cowboys defenders but is taken 40 out. Chad Townsend then runs it on the last and the Cowboys have to go 90 to score. Less than 60 seconds to go.

Jason Taumalolo with a charging run and they are 15 out now. Scott Drinkwater falls on the last and the Sharks may have it now. Just under two minutes to go.

This will help. A crusher tackle. Penalty Cowboys.

Blayke Brailey to Bronson Xerri on the last - it almost opens up but he slips over and is tackled. Big job for the Cowboys to score seeing they look tired and are inside their own 20.

Shaun Johnson with a great grubber and he forces a dropout.

Momentum has well and truly turned as Shane Wright comes up with an error 30 out from his own line. After a near-perfect first half with the ball in hand errors are hurting them now.

Shaun Johnson takes it up and plays it short to Briton Nikora who looks certain to score but a great tackle from Jake Clifford saves it.

Shaun Johnson grubbers it through, it may be too deep but Scott Drinkwater won't risk it and takes it dead.

Cowboys come up with an error and the Sharks get another chance.

Shaun Johnson with a looping ball over the top to Sosaia Feki who goes over in the corner but it is called forward.

Penalty Sharks and they are 10 out.

Jake Clifford kicks straight to Josh Dugan on the last who takes it up to the 40.

Cronulla spread it left and there's a brief moment that looks promising but they don't execute well and go into touch.

Shaun Johnson puts it into the air and Josh Morris is taken out by Coen Hess. Penalty Sharks. 10 out. Big chance to strike back.

Paul Gallen! A gap opens up under the posts and he surges towards it but seems to have dropped the ball - he reaches out and offloads but loses it.

Murray Taulagi bats down the pass from Cronulla as they shift it right. Full set to come again for the Sharks.

Early ball to Bronson Xerri who finds space on the left and then earns a penalty. Sharks 30 out.

Space on the left edge and Ronaldo Mulitalo soars towards the line but the Cowboys force him into touch. Great strength, in particular from Scott Drinkwater who was the first to hold him.

Jake Clifford's kick is out on the full and Cronulla start their new set on halfway.

40 out on the last here for the visitors and Jake Clifford finds touch 10 out.

Bronson Xerri gets early ball - he almost breaks through, offloads for Chad Townsend and Cronulla are 40 out. They go to the air and the Cowboys have it back.

Second effort from the Sharks and the Cowboys have a chance to push further ahead with a penalty blown. They are 40 out. Jake Clifford with a deft grubber on the last, dangerous here for Cronulla but Josh Dugan goes well to take it under pressure. Sharks ball.

Cowboys with the first chance of the half after getting a relieving penalty.

Just trading sets early as Scott Drinkwater goes above to take the bomb. Cowboys now working it out of their own 20.

Jake Clifford clears it on the last and Cronulla have it on their own 30.

A tough bomb early - Tom Opacic knocks it backwards, Cowboys survive though as Scott Drinkwater has it.

Back for the second half.

HALF TIME - That late try sees the Cowboys lead 8-4 at the break.

Tough ball to Braden Hamlin-Uele, put under immediate pressure and he drops it. Final chance for the Cowboys 30 out.

Bronson Xerri saves a terrible end to the set with a lovely grubber that traps Jake Clifford in-goal.

Jake Clifford hurries a kick from inside his own 30, Josh Dugan is onto it and breaks a tackle. He is eventually taken 40 out from the Cowboys line.

Kyle Feldt - just brilliant - takes a tough ball sliding towards the corner and turns around to keep it in the field of play. Hard yards to come for the Cowboys inside their own 10 with Cronulla surging in defence.

Paul Gallen with a great run and Cronulla are 40 out. Shaun Johnson goes to the air but the Cowboys have it back. They are working it out of deep inside their own half but a strong charge from Scott Bolton takes them over their own 40. Jake Clifford then finds touch 15 out. He is certainly demanding the ball more which is great.

Ronaldo Mulitalo now has it after taking the clearing kick and the Sharks are inside their own 20 to begin this set.

Braden Hamlin-Uele almost charges straight over. He is pulled up just short. Then Chad Townsend grubbers through but Kyle Feldt reads it beautifully and storms out into the field of play.

Offside against the Cowboys. Penalty Sharks right in front. They tap.

Chad Townsend tries to grubber through to force a dropout. Josh McGuire plays at it, Josh Dugan falls on it. Six again Sharks 10 out.

Shaun Johnson with another difficult bomb to take. Kyle Feldt goes up too early and Shane Wright cleans it up before being dragged in-goal.

John Asiata takes on the line, shrugs off a tackle and there's a gap but he passes to Josh Morris! Cronulla have it.

Chance here for Cronulla. Aaron Woods with a nice offload to Paul Gallen who finds Bronson Xerri early. He sees space and tries to link with Kurt Capewell but the edge backrower puts it down. Cowboys 40 out.

30 out on the last. Tom Opacic puts it into the air. Josh Dugan takes it well under pressure. Still just the one try to Drinkwater.

Matt Prior with a strong carry up into the Cowboys 20 but the ball comes loose and the Cowboys have it back.

Jake Clifford's kick is too big and Ronaldo Mulitalo takes it in-goal and right up to the 40.

Shaun Johnson with a towering bomb on the last. Chad Townsend takes out Kyle Feldt and denies him any clean attempt at the ball. Penalty.

Jake Clifford kicks it on the last from inside his own 40 and picks out Josh Dugan on the full who takes it up to the 30.

Cronulla spread it right to Sosaia Feki but the Cowboys handle it well and put him into touch.

Another penalty for the Sharks, right in front of the posts. Meanwhile, Briton Nikora is down injured receiving attention for an ankle injury.

Paul Gallen earns a penalty and quickly taps it. Sharks 20 out.

The Cowboys even things up by bombing a try of their own. Jake Clifford grubbers through, Josh Dugan has an air swing as he tries to kick it - Kyle Feldt pounces it but drops it!

Paul Gallen penalised for holding on too long. Jake Clifford finds touch over halfway.

Clearing kick on the last from Jake Clifford and the Sharks are inside their own half. But some strong runs from Paul Gallen and Matt Prior bring them deep inside the Cowboys territory. 20 out on the last - Chad Townsend to the air and Scott Drinkwater is safe under it again.

That was bombed. Shaun Johnson runs on the last, steps back inside and is through! He gives it to Josh Morris who dummies to an unmarked man and goes for the line and is held up!

Jordan McLean with a surging run over halfway. Jason Taumalolo then rolls up to the 30. Big metres through the middle. 20 out on the last. Jake Clifford to the air - Josh Dugan does well to rise above and take it.

Shaun Johnson with another nicely placed kick on the last but Scott Drinkwater once more goes above to take it. Murray Taulagi taken in a crusher tackle and the Cowboys get a relieving penalty.

Kyle Feldt with a strong carry to the 30 before Jake Granville capitalises on a quick play-the-ball to dart up to the 40. Jake Clifford clears it on the last, Ronaldo Mulitalo fumbles it, backwards though. Play on for Cronulla inside their own half.

They are just 30 out on the last. Shaun Johnson goes high on the last and Scott Drinkwater is under it. Cowboys working it out deep inside their own half.

Cowboys just shy of halfway on the last. Jake Clifford with an awkward grubber through the middle on the last. Josh Dugan charges onto it and Cronulla start this set on their own 30.

John Asiata with a lovely kick to Kyle Feldt on the last. Ronaldo Mulitalo fumbles it forwards and North Queensland have another shot at the Cronulla line.

Josh Dugan with the first error of the night. Cowboys 20 out.

Jake Clifford with the opening kick of the night, finding Sosaia Feki who brings it up past the 30.

Underway at Cronulla. Cowboys with first use of it.

Meanwhile, Javid Bowen is out for the Cowboys, replaced in the centres by Coen Hess. Corey Jensen comes onto the bench.

Matt Prior starts for the Sharks, swapping with Braden Hamlin-Uele in a late change for the home side.

Both sides are desperate to keep their finals hopes alive with the road that much tougher for tonight's loser.

Good evening and welcome to tonight's coverage of the clash between the Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland Cowboys.