The Cats did it the hard way defending a total of 100 against Katunga just one week after defending 101 in the semi final against Cobram Yarroweyah United.
Batting first on what is traditionally a great cricket wicket at Katunga, the Cats found themselves in deep trouble early in their innings being 2/6 off eight overs, with Adnan Malik (two) and Paul Massingham (one) back watching from the sidelines.
With Russell Anderson joining Cougar McGrath they steadied the ship to get the Cats to 22 before McGrath (12) hit one too many in the air and the Swans’ fielders pounced.
The Swans’ bowlers continued to apply the pressure to the Cats’ batsmen and they were slowly getting on top with Duncan Clarke (four) bowled by Joshua MacFayden (2/15 off eight).
The Cats had to find something with Justin Crowley and Anderson using all their years of experience to keep the score ticking along, but also respecting the Swans deft bowling.
The pair moved to score to 50 before Crowley (nine) was plumb LBW handing the ascendancy back with the Swans.
Boundaries were difficult to come by for the Cats with Anderson and Cameron Isedale rotating the strike on a regular basis.
When Anderson fell for a patient 21, the game had swung back in favour of the Swans with the Cats balancing at 6/62 off 32 overs.
Needing runs to give their bowlers something to defend Anthony King (18) and Isedale (15) ensured they got to that magic number of 100, scoring 38 runs off the last eight overs.
Coming out after the tea break the Cats knew they had to bowl well to be any chance of defending such a small total.
When King (2/11 off eight) and Darcy Webb (1/9 off five) dismissed both openers in the first six overs the Cats got a sniff of something special.
Mitch Doyle and MacFayden had different plans and the Swans youngsters put the pressure back on the Cats bowlers.
With the Cats needing a breakthrough Archie Mason was gifted the perfect opportunity and he took it with open arms running out MacFayden (10) after he backed up too far.
The Cats suffered a huge setback in the field with Damon Anderson twisting an ankle and having to be replaced by 12th man Callum Campbell.
Skipper McGrath now had to juggle his bowling options.
With Adam Cook joining Doyle at the crease they started to apply more pressure to the Cats bowlers taking the score to 69 in the 24th over before Massingham (2/22 off eight) had Cook (16) caught by Crowley.
Even with that wicket the Swans still had their noses in front.
Malik and Massingham tightened things up and when Malik (2/9 off seven) claimed two quick wickets and Massingham claimed the prize scalp of Doyle (35) the game was in the balance with the Swans 7/78.
When Mason (1/6 off two) claimed a pole in his first over the Cats were back on top with Katunga 8/80 and in trouble.
With the pressure on both sides, and the huge crowd on the edge of their seats, the Swans edged closer to the target with some crafty batting from Toby Miles and Shaun McAllister.
When Isedale ran McAllister (0) out, the game was still anyone’s for the taking, with Katunga needing 13 runs and the Cats one wicket.
King was reintroduced into the attack to try and mop up the tail, and with the final ball of his eighth over he had Miles (11) caught at point by Clarke to have the Finley crowd cheering and with the premiership coming back to Finley with the Cats.
The Swans finished the game all out on 93 runs after 37 overs, handing Finley a seven run win.
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