SYDNEY — Queensland scored 20 unanswered points in the first half and went on to beat New South Wales 24-12 Wednesday in the third and deciding State of Origin rugby league match, one of the most anticipated sporting events in Australia each year.Before a sellout crowd of 80,256 at the Olympic stadium in Sydney, winger Xavier Coates scored his sixth try in seven Origin appearances to help give Queensland an 8-0 lead in the 18th minute. Halfback Tom Dearden scored Queensland’s second try in the 27th minute and the Maroons led 14-0 after Valentine Holmes again kicked a conversion. Harry Grant muscled his way past three New South Wales defenders to score Queensland’s third try in the final minute of the half and send the Maroons to the break with a 20-0 lead.Center Stephen Crichton got New South Wales on the board with a try in the 56th minute. But Dearden scored his second try of the match with seven minutes remaining to put the match away for the Maroons.It was the first points Queensland scored in the second half of any of the three Origin match …
