Only the barest of margins could separate the NSW Cup's two best teams on the competition's biggest day.
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It was the boot of Drew Hutchison that denied Canberra Raiders feeder club Mounties a premiership in the most heartbreaking fashion.
The Illawarra halfback kicked himself into the history books with a 73rd minute field goal giving the Cutters a thrilling 21-20 victory at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday.
The scene was set for the competition's player of the year to return serve on the final play.
But Mounties halfback Sam Williams pushed a long-range attempt across the face as the clock wound down to zero to end an 11-game winning streak.
Mounties were left to rue a lacklustre start after the Cutters raced out to a 16-0 lead inside 14 minutes.
Former Raider Josh McCrone started the rot as he busted through the defence in the third minute, laying the platform for Illawarra to draw first blood on the next play through Levi Dodd.
The Cutters were racing the clock – and beating it – as wingers Kurt Mann and Kalifa Faifai Loa each swooped on bouncing balls to stretch the deficit to 16.
An offside ruling on Mann denied Illawarra a 20-point buffer, and Williams didn't need a second invitation.
A cut-out pass sent Edward Aiono over to open his side's account before a Sam Duggan try sliced the margin to six.
Mounties backrower Scott Sorensen then celebrated his upgrade to Canberra's NRL squad with a crucial try minutes before the break as Illawarra took a 16-14 half-time lead.
A try to NSW Cup fullback of the year Zac Santo gave Mounties their first lead of the game early in the second stanza, and the boot of Williams pushed the minor premiers four points clear.
But that was all she wrote for the Mount Pritchard outfit as they failed to crack Illawarra's line in the final 37 minutes.
Faifai Loa found himself on the end of a Cutters overlap to tie the scores with 15 minutes left, and Shaun Nona's failed conversion attempt meant little as the boot of Hutchison had the last word.
Illawarra now face Queensland Cup premiers Burleigh in NRL grand final day's State Championship clash at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The Bears snapped a 12-year long premiership drought with a 26-16 defeat of the Redcliffe Dolphins.
Meanwhile, Canberra junior and NRL Rookie finalist Jordan Martin scored two tries to help Mounties to the Ron Massey Cup title in a 36-16 win over St Mary's. The win marked Mounties' second straight premiership after going down in the 2013 and 2014 grand finals.
Mounties fell short in the Sydney Shield decider in a 32-24 loss to the East Campbelltown Eagles.
LLAWARRA CUTTERS 21 (Kalifa Faifai Loa 2, Levi Dodd, Kurt Mann tries; Dodd 2 goals; Drew Hutchison field goal) bt MOUNTIES 20 (Edward Aiono, Sam Duggan, Scott Sorensen, Zac Santo tries; Sam Williams 2 goals)
