One of the most successful schools in Confraternity Carnival history broke a 22-year drought today in a dramatic finish to the prestigious schoolboys’ carnival in Rockhampton.
St Patrick’s College, Mackay – the school of State of Origin players Daly Cherry-Evans, Wendell Sailor and Shannon Hegarty – outlasted gallant Padua College, Kedron 10-8 in a gripping Confraternity Shield final.
The decider came down to a scrambling finish as Padua College peppered the Mackay line – their last play went through nine sets of hands and included a regathered kick – but the Brisbane team was unable to haul in a 10-0 halftime deficit.
The win restored St Patrick’s College to the top of a Confraternity Carnival they once dominated. In a 16-year period from 1988, St Patrick’s won eight Shield titles including five in a row.
But they had not won since defeating St Mary’s College, Toowoomba in the 2003 decider on the Gold Coast.
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 and was hosted by The Cathedral College.
This “Confro” was difficult to predict. The Shield semi-finalists included teams from Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Mackay and Brisbane. And the mixture of young players and schools who had come off their rugby union seasons made it guesswork.
The carnival came down to a Mackay team led by cane farmer and rookie coach Shane Mau making the most of their opportunities in wins over Confro powerhouses Ignatius Park College, Townsville, hosts The Cathedral College and the brave Padua College team.
“That was so nail-biting,” Mau said. “We were riding that finish because it was just such a close game.
“We got to the front but Padua came back. They are just a great side. They never give in and we knew we would have to work really hard to beat them.
“To be a part of this is just so special for everyone involved. Our squad is just a great group of young men.
“We’ve got some really good players in our team who are well known in schoolboy footy but we also have a full squad that just never stopped trying all week. The win comes down to the whole squad.”
Halfback Adam McSherry, contracted to the NRL Dolphins, is one of those high-profile schoolboys who caused trouble for St Patrick’s rivals across the week.
McSherry created one of the first line breaks as St Patrick’s dominated the first half before Padua College’s reply. Five-eighth and player-of-the-carnival Damon Humphrys, contracted to the NRL Bulldogs, sparked the Padua attack as the southerners scored twice in the second half.
Padua College had played its first rugby league game of the year in Monday’s opening pool round after claiming the Associated Independent Colleges’ First XV rugby union title. St Patrick’s had been involved in their regional rugby league competition.
Goal-kicking proved the difference with McSherry’s single conversion of St Patrick’s two tries enough to land St Patrick’s ninth Shield triumph.
The Bob Lindner Trophy, for the bottom tier of Division 1, stayed locally as Rockhampton Grammar School claimed the title on countback after a 20-all draw with Marymount College, Burleigh Waters.
The Division 2 Neil Bloxsidge Plate went to St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane 18-12 against AIC rival Villanova College, Coorparoo. Another AIC school – St Edmund’s College, Ipswich – claimed the Division 2 Confraternity Bowl in a 18-0 victory over All Souls St Gabriel’s College, Charters Towers.
Division 3 was again hard-fought between teams from across the state. The highest-ranking Confraternity Cup went to Townsville’s Ryan Catholic College with a 16-0 win over McAuley College, Beaudesert.
The Confraternity Challenge was won by St Mary’s College, Cairns, defeating St John’s School, Roma 20-16.
The inaugural Division 4 final was fought out between Brisbane Catholic Education schools Trinity College, Beenleigh and Emmaus College, Jimboomba. Trinity College won the Confraternity Classic 10-4, surviving a last-minute attacking raid by Emmaus College.
Boys’ semi-final results
DIVISION 1
Shield final
St Patrick’s College, Mackay 10 d Padua College, Kedron 8
Shield positional playoffs (in order of placing)
St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon 26 d The Cathedral College, Rockhampton 10
Ignatius Park College, Townsville 48 d Shalom College, Bundaberg 10
St Augustine’s College, Cairns 38 d Iona College, Lindum 8
Trophy final
Rockhampton Grammar School 20 drew Marymount College, Burleigh Waters 20.
(Rockhampton Grammar School won on countback).
Trophy positional playoffs (in order of placing)
St Mary’s College, Toowoomba 18 d Marist College, Ashgrove 10
Emmaus College, Rockhampton 24 d St Peter Claver College, Riverview 12
St Patricks College, Shorncliffe 20 d Aquinas College, Ashmore 4
DIVISION 2
Neil Bloxsidge Plate Final
St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane 18 d Villanova College, Coorparoo 12
Plate positional playoffs (in order of placing)
Clairvaux Mackillop College, Upper Mt Gravatt 14 d St Columban’s College, Caboolture 8
Marist College, Emerald 32 Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay 6
St James’ College, Spring Hill 54 d St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie 16
Bowl final
St Edmund’s College, Ipswich 18 d All Souls St Gabriel’s College, Charters Towers 0
Bowl positional playoffs (in order of placing)
Holy Spirit College, Mackay 24 d Blackheath & Thornburgh College, Charters Towers 16
Columba Catholic College, Charters Towers 14 d Assumption College, Warwick 0
St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba 24 d St Thomas More College, Sunnybank 18
DIVISION 3
Cup final
Ryan Catholic College, Townsville 16 d McAuley College, Beaudesert 0
Cup positional playoffs (in order of placing)
Southern Cross Catholic College, Townsville 18 d St Patrick’s College, Gympie 10
Chanel College, Gladstone 26 d Unity College, Sunshine Coast 18
Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Dalby 10 d St John’s College, Nambour 4
Challenge final
St Mary’s College, Cairns 20 d St John’s College, Roma 16
Challenge positional playoffs (in order of placing)
Faith Lutheran College, Plainland 30 d St Michael’s College, Merrimac 8
Mt Maria College, Mitchelton 14 d Good Shepherd Catholic College, Mt Isa 4
Gilroy Santa Maria College, Ingham 18 d Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia 12
DIVISION 4
Classic final
Trinity College, Beenleigh 10 d Emmaus College, Jimboomba 4
Classic positional playoffs (in order of placing)
Burdekin Catholic High School, Ayr 14 d St Augustine’s College, Augustine Heights 0
Siena Catholic College, Sippy Downs 30 d Good Counsel Catholic College, Innisfail 12
St Anthony’s College, Townsville 36 d Good Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli 12
AWARDS
The Lionel Williamson Trophy for player of the carnival
Damon Humphrys, Padua College, Kedron
Player of Second Division
Sean Kelly, Villanova College, Coorparoo
Player of Third Division
Jesse Jones, St John’s College, Nambour
Player of Fourth Division
Jordan Caralson, Trinity College, Beenleigh
Player of the Final
Declan Grady, St Patrick’s College, Mackay
Player with the Most Potential
Ben Walker, St Augustine’s College, Cairns
Carbine Club Spirit of the Carnival Award
Chase Tansey, Blackheath & Thornburgh College, Charters Towers
QISSRL Boys’ Merit Team
1 Liam Rice, Marist College, Ashgrove
2 Sterling Wilkinson, Marymount College, Burleigh Waters
3 Harrison Vera, Padua College, Kedron
4 Leo Fanuatanu, Rockhampton Grammar School
5 Solomon Terare, Ignatius Park College, Townsville
6 Damon Humphrys, Padua College, Kedron
7 Adam McSherry, St Patrick’s College, Mackay
8 Cayde Miller, St Augustine’s College, Cairns
9 Darcy McFarlane, St Patrick’s College, Mackay
10 Sitivei Afu, Ignatius Park College, Townsville
11 Nate Clark, Padua College, Kedron
12 Flynn Moore, Aquinas College, Ashmore
13 Alekisio Siale, The Cathedral College, Rockhampton
14 Ryder Abell, Marymount College, Burleigh Waters
15 Lachy Anderson, St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon
16 Sean Kelly, Villanova College, Coorparoo
17 Zac Bateman, The Cathedral College, Rockhampton
Coach: Jason Hamilton, Marymount College, Burleigh Waters
Manager: Todd Riggs, St Peter Claver College, Riverview
