TWO goals in as many minutes killed off Riverside's hopes of gracing a statewide final.
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Deservedly in front through Fletcher Fulton's tidy first-half header, the home side seemed to be weathering the Olympia storm until Abdelrahman Azab struck a quickfire double to ruin the Windsor Park party and send the visitors into the under-20 cup final.
Roos coach Chris Rademacher said his players had plenty to be proud of despite the 2-1 defeat.
"I told them to keep their heads up," he said.
"It was not an easy game, we learn from it and move on but of course it's hard to take and they are upset. But we are in the top three best teams in the state, they should be proud of that and maybe tomorrow morning it will sink in what they have achieved.
"Every one of them has got huge potential. They are technically very good, the side is jam-packed full of talent and that's great for the future of the club."
Nearly half of Riverside's starting line-up had NPL experience and the side looked comfortable with Aaron Kidmas pulling the midfield strings and Max Reissig coordinating the defence.
A game of few clear-cut chances turned in two-minute spells midway through the first half and late in the second.
No sooner had Bilal Ait Maamar waltzed through the home defence only to stroke his shot wide than Henry Cook's cross enabled the diminutive Fulton to again demonstrate his aerial prowess.
However, Azab turned the game around with a composed right-foot finish on 82 minutes and the game's second clinical header on 84.
Glenorchy beat Somerset 5-2 in the other semi-final.
Lakoseljac Cup
Launceston City will play Glenorchy in the Lakoseljac Cup final, if they can win Sunday's semi.
Roger Hardwicke's team are due to take on Olympia at 2pm at Warrior Park knowing another Southern powerhouse awaits in next week's showpiece.
Saturday's twilight semi-final at KGV saw second-placed Glenorchy defeat third-placed South Hobart 3-2 in a thriller.
Joffrey Nkoso kept his cool to give Glenorchy an 11th-minute lead before a Tom Young header made it 2-0.
South took just four minutes to reduce the arrears, Kobe Kemp heading in an Andy Brennan corner.
But they had to wait until midway through the second half for the equaliser when Nick Morton produced a tidy finish.
Alessandro Bellini restored the home side's lead with a composed finish 19 minutes from time.
Despite heavy pressure from Ken Morton's men late on, the Knights held firm to book their spot in the final.
Women's Cup
An Eastern Shore derby between the top two sides in the Women's Super League could be looming in the Women's Cup.
Second-placed Clarence beat Kingborough 3-0 and will face the winner of champions Olympia and South Hobart who are due to meet on Sunday.
Allie Berry gave Zebras the lead in first-half stoppage time when she smashed a goal-kick straight back past the keeper.
A superb volley from Danielle Kannegiesser doubled the lead before Berry's second wrapped up the win.