A 20-year drought will be snapped tomorrow when two Queensland schools with rich rugby league histories clash in the boys’ Confraternity Shield decider in Rockhampton.
St Patrick’s College, Mackay and Padua College, Kedron won their semi-finals today in contrasting circumstances before a huge crowd at Kettle Park, moving them into tomorrow’s final.
St Patrick’s College became a “Confro” force when it won eight titles in 16 years with a host of future stars including Wendell Sailor, Shannon Hegarty and Grant Rovelli. But the school that more recently produced Queensland veteran Daly Cherry-Evans has not won a Confraternity Shield since 2003.
Padua College, which played in the first Confraternity Carnival in 1980, won its last Shield in 2005 as it prospered through an era that included future representative players such as David Shillington, David Stagg and Dane Carlaw.
This year, Padua College spent the last school term playing in its Associated Independent Colleges rugby union competition and did not assemble as a league squad until a fortnight before this carnival.
But they held their nerve in today’s semi-final against schoolboy powerhouse St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon, slotting a penalty goal as the siren sounded for a 16-14 win.
On the neighbouring field, St Patrick’s College stunned hosts The Cathedral College with a 34-12 win in a game that was expected to be close. However, St Patrick’s took advantage of The Cathedral College’s mistakes to run away with the game.
This is the 45th Confraternity Carnival, drawing 56 boys’ teams and 16 girls’ teams from Catholic and Independent schools across the state. The Carnival is run by Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby league.
Padua College has overcome setbacks to reach their second decider in as many years after four key middle forwards were ruled out from the rugby union season. And co-captain Billy Atchison broke his ankle five minutes into the carnival’s first game.
But the resilient Padua team came back from an 8-0 deficit against a relatively young St Brendan’s team with the poise and attacking strike that delivered them into last year’s final against Ignatius Park College in Townsville.
Padua was outstanding in last year’s decider, scoring more tries than Ignatius Park, yet they fell to the home team on goal kicks.
Only a handful of players from that Padua team are in this year’s squad and new co-coach Dennis Tomarchio said the result wasn’t driving the team.
“We haven’t looked back at that, it been more about using the experience to build on and prepare for this year,” Tomarchio said.
“These players just keep turning up for each other and that’s been their approach for some time. It’s a real brotherhood with this team and they play for each other and for the school.”
St Patrick’s College’s dominant win over The Cathedral College was hailed as a team effort by first-year head coach Shane Mau who said he was happy with the victory.
“We got through pretty good today, I thought, we were missing one of our second-rowers but other than that we have pretty much been unscathed so far,” Mau said.
St Patrick’s is another of the younger teams at the carnival with about half of the squad in Year 11. Mau said he had been impressed with the players’ development over the past few months.
“We have a really good mix of Year 11s. We were able to sub in some younger players at the end [of today’s game] and the standard didn’t drop,” he said.
Dolphins-contracted Adam McSherry continued to impress for St Patrick’s while winger Calvin Ramos scored three tries with some excellent finishing in the right corner.
In the second-tier of the Division 1 play-offs, Rockhampton Grammar School will take on Marymount College, Burleigh Waters in tomorrow’s Bob Lindner Trophy Final.
St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane qualified for the final of the Division 2 Neil Bloxsidge Plate with a last-second field goal. They will meet AIC rivals Villanova College, Coorparoo in tomorrow’s decider.
The main prize in Division 3 will be contested between Ryan Catholic College, Townsville and McAuley College, Beaudesert. The inaugural Division 4 final will feature Emmaus College, Jimboomba and Trinity College, Beenleigh.
Boys’ semi-final results
DIVISION 1
Shield semi-finals
St Patrick’s College, Mackay 34 d The Cathedral College, Rockhampton 12
Padua College, Kedron 16 d St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon 14
Positional play-offs
Ignatius Park College, Townsville 30 d St Augustine’s College, Cairns 12
Shalom College, Bundaberg 20 d Iona College, Lindum 4
Trophy semi-finals
Rockhampton Grammar School 18 d Marist College, Ashgrove 14
Marymount College, Burleigh Waters 26 d St Mary’s College, Toowoomba 14
Positional play-offs
St Peter Claver College, Riverview 30 d Aquinas College, Ashmore 14
Emmaus College, Rockhampton 26 d St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe 12
DIVISION 2
Plate semi-finals
Villanova College, Coorparoo 14 d Clairvaux Mackillop College, Upper Mt Gravatt 10
St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane 17 d St Columban’s College, Caboolture 16
Positional play-offs
Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay 38 d St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie 12
Marist College, Emerald 16 drew with St James College, Spring Hill 16
Bowl semi-finals
St Edmund’s College, Ipswich 28 d Holy Spirit College, Mackay 8
All Souls St Gabriel’s College, Charters Towers 26 d Blackheath and Thornburgh College, Charters Towers 10
Positional play-offs
Assumption College, Warwick 30 d St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba 4
Columba Catholic College, Charters Towers 40 d St Thomas More College, Sunnybank 6
DIVISION 3
Cup semi-finals
Ryan Catholic College, Townsville 20 d St Patrick’s College, Gympie 4
McAuley College, Beaudesert 28 d Southern Cross Catholic College, Townsville 10
Positional play-offs
Chanel College, Gladstone 22 d St John’s College, Nambour 14
Unity College, Sunshine Coast 18 d Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Dalby 10
Challenge semi-finals
St John’s College, Roma 10 d Faith Lutheran College, Plainland 0
St Mary’s College, Cairns 40 d St Michael’s College, Merrimac 8
Positional play-offs
Good Shepherd Catholic College, Mt Isa 28 d Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia 12
Mt Maria College, Mitchelton 40 d Gilroy Santa Maria College, Ingham 12
DIVISION 4
Classic semi-finals
Emmaus College, Jimboomba 20 d Burdekin Catholic High School, Ayr 18
Trinity College, Beenleigh 22 d St Augustine’s College, Augustine Heights 4
Positional play-offs
Good Counsel Catholic College, Innisfail 8 d St Anthony’s College, Townsville 4
Siena Catholic College, Sippy Downs 40 d Good Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli 14
