Cowboys 18 Panthers 19

NORTH Queensland star Luke O'Donnell was controversially sent off in regulation time and Penrith dramatically beat them with a golden-point extra-time field goal at Dairy Farmers Stadium last night.

Twice in the 80th minute, with Penrith leading 18-14, video referee Bill Harrigan was called on by referee Alan Shortall - making his first-grade debut - to judge on possible North Queensland tries.

On the first occasion, Harrigan said no to replacement forward Jacob Lillyman. On the second, Harrigan ruled ref's call after fullback Ashley Graham reached for the line. It wasn't clear whether Graham had lost control of the ball or not, but Shortall awarded a try.

Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston missed with the conversion attempt from out wide, forcing the game into extra time. Penrith winger Jarrod Sammut won the game with his third extra-time shot at field goal, the ball going in off the right upright in the 88th minute.

Shortall dismissed O'Donnell on a touch judge's report in he 55th minute. O'Donnell, in possession, had run at Luke Lewis and raised his arm as the Penrith halfback came in to make the tackle. Touch judge Russell Turner reported to the referee that O'Donnell had raised his elbow, although replays suggested the contact may not have been that dramatic.

Penrith coach Matt Elliott believed the send-off was a difficult call for Shortall. "But if you lead with your elbow into people's faces you are eventually going to get sent off," Elliot said. "I know Luke, he is a good guy, but … he doesn't need that in his game, he really needs to look at his technique because someone is going to get hurt."

The rookie referee had no choice but to back the touch judge's report and he sent O'Donnell off.

On his Cowboys coaching debut, Ian Millward questioned whether it was the right decision. "I saw Luke's palm come up first but I didn't think it was intentional," he said. "Obviously it would have earned a penalty but a send-off was a tough call, a really tough call.

"They turned up here with a really good attitude, tonight we were down to 11 men in extra time and the blokes showed a lot of courage."

The Panthers settled into their game quicker, and it was a break from Penrith centre Michael Jennings that led to the first try.

Jennings found back-rower Frank Pritchard in support and he delivered an inside ball for a try to winger Luke Rooney. Sammut converted for a 6-0 lead. North Queensland looked certain to score until Thurston lost the ball one metre out from the Penrith line, in the 21st minute.

The Panthers made the Cowboys pay barely a minute later, when Sammut grubbered into the in-goal area and centre Brad Tighe scored.

North Queensland scored their first try in the 32nd minute and two minutes later they were in again. Thurston's conversion gave the home side a 12-10 lead they took to the half-time break.

The two teams swapped penalty goals early in the second half and then the dismissal of O'Donnell put the Cowboys under enormous pressure to hold on.

>GUS'S VERDICT

PHIL GOULD