McGillivray, Ryan Burgess, Aaron Spears and Kyle Johannes defeated Sargeant, Ted Clarke, Chris Macauley and John Green 12-10 in a hard-fought tussle.

The veteran Warilla skip looked in trouble down 10-6 with three ends to play, but his young side held its collective nerve to win after leading by one shot heading into the final end.

"We hung in there, it was a good game, the boys stood up and played well," McGillivray said.

McGillivray believes the time is right for his side to atone for defeat in the past two South Pacific deciders.

"It's my third year with them, we've made two finals and we're back in the semis," he said.

"The boys have matured a bit and grown up and I think we can put it to them. With the way we're playing at the moment we've got a big chance."

Windang's Dennis Skinner is the only competitor left in all three disciplines after he anchored Kevin Abrook, Mick Dihm and Trevor Gillis to a 16-13 victory over Keith O'Connor, Russell Hammond, Steve Anger and Jim Tulley.

Skinner's Windang club-mate George Stewart and his team of Brian Doyle, Peter Thomson and Ron Herrick fired a warning shot at their rivals by thrashing Dal Wakeling, Noel Davis, Brian Davis and Dave Wakeling 22-7.

Zoran Bosev's side of John Ainsely, Ernie Moane and Ray Krauss defeated Paul Oliver, Ray Grove, Warren Turner and John Ferguson 15-12 to also advance.

The round of 16 featured more last-end heroics from Green and Sargeant as their combination eliminated defending fours champion Shane Garvey, who was playing with Engadine club-mates Greg Helm, Anthony Moran and Brendon Edwards.

The composite side raced to a 12-2 lead before Garvey and Co fought back to lead 13-12 with one end to play.

However, Green produced a perfect clutch display to turn that deficit into a 16-13 triumph less than 24 hours after he and Sargeant won two cliffhangers in the pairs play-offs.

CORRECTION: Yesterday's Mercury reported Mal Lyons and Paul Luke were eliminated from the pairs by Fairy Meadow duo Brian Jackson and Jamie Johansen, 17-15. The Towradgi pair won the round of 16 clash 17-15 to advance to the quarter-finals.