An experienced and classy Sunnybank has piled on seven tries to slaughter GPS 51-13 in the Strategic Airlines Queensland Premier Rugby Minor Semi-Final at Ballymore.

The heavy defeat inflicted by the Dragons sees them progress to the Preliminary Final next Sunday 18 September at Ballymore while the Gallopers crash out of the competition in humbling fashion.

Premier Rugby’s leading try scorer Rota Setu added to his mounting total with three tries - all stemming from the platform laid by a Dragons forward pack littered with St.George Queensland Reds talent.

Reds prop Greg Holmes and Adam Wallace-Harrison added their names to the scoresheet late in the match; Jake Schatz and Liam Gill worked tirelessly at the breakdown and in defence; and Albert Anae was a powerful force in attack where his strength to shrug off or run over his opposite defender a clear highlight of the match.

Centre Ben Tapuai controlled the game from the midfield for the Dragons and was the architect for a number of tries by making the initial linebreak, while Ben Lucas, who was playing at halfback, was his trademark busy self and set-up one of the tries of the game.

Lucas darted down the blindside to deliver a beautifully timed long-ball to Richard Kingi and, after a 30 metre dash, returned the ball to Lucas, who threw another precise cut-out for Setu’s third try.

Despite GPS putting first points on the board through a Patrick Smith penalty goal, it was the Dragons who controlled the remainder of the contest with a heavy dose of possession and territory too much for the Galloper to overcome.

In a sign of just how strong the Sunnybank lineup remains, they enjoyed the luxury of bringing on Reds rising star Liam Gill from the bench at the 30 minute mark when the scoreline was 20-3 in their favour.

GPS continued to battle despite the growing scoreline and were rewarded with a consolation try to winger Byron Roberts in the dying minutes.

They also weren’t without a number of strong individual performers with lock Dan Gorman and captain Jono Ellis producing strong efforts in a losing side.

The loss is a disappointing way to end the season for GPS after they qualified for the finals in fourth position with 13 wins from 18 games during the regular season, especially considering they were successful in defeating the Dragons in both home-and-away contests during 2011.

The hefty defeat also closely mirrored the Gallopers last finals appearance in 2008, where the Dragons were dominant 57-10 victors.

Sunnybank commenced their scoring in the 13th minute when Tapuai slipped through two defenders before linking up with Setu for the first of his three tries.

Two penalties to Lucas and a try from flyhalf Shalom Suniula rounded out the scoring for Sunnybank in the opening 40 minutes while the result was put beyond doubt five minutes after the interval when Setu benefited from another Tapuai linebreak to bring the score to 27-6.

Holmes added a five-pointer when he carried multiple defenders across the line on a burrowing pick-and-go effort near the line, while Wallace-Harrison scored from a close-range driving maul.

Sunnybank 51 (Rota Setu 3, Shalom Suniula, Greg Holmes, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Shane Seiuli tries; Ben Lucas 4 cons, 2 pens; Jason Hofmeyr con) def GPS 13 (Byron Roberts try; Pat Smith con, 2 pens)