St Patrick’s College Mackay have taken a giant step towards reaching the Grand Final of the prestigious Aaron Payne Cup schoolboys rugby league competition.
The decorated College savoured one of its finest victories last week after toppling Confraternity Shield champions Ignatius Park College 20-6 in front of a boisterous Townsville home crowd to clinch the 2022 minor premiership.
There was double reason to celebrate for the Mackay youngsters with the final preliminary round triumph also avenging St Patrick’s devastating loss to their Townsville rivals in this year’s Confraternity Shield Grand Final at BB Print Stadium last month.
The stirring feat also snapped a five-year drought for St Patrick's, who managed to post their first win over Ignatius Park since 2017.
St Patrick’s lined up against neighbours Mackay State High School in a Cup semifinal on Wednesday, hoping to replicate their opening round 36-4 victory at the Mackay Junior League Fields while Ignatius Park squared off with Kirwan State High School in a local Townsville semifinal derby.
The winners of both semifinals will progress to the Aaron Payne Cup Grand Final to be staged on Friday August 19 as a curtain raiser to the North Queensland Cowboys v New Zealand Warriors NRL clash at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
St Patrick’s playmaker Jaxon Purdue produced a standout performance at half back, scoring two of his team’s tries and creating havoc out wide with his vision and silky passing.
Bailey Anderson turned in a strong defensive effort on the wing with rampaging forward Matthew Watts, gun hooker Xavier Kerrisk, fullback Will Shears and centre Kai Simon also making an impact for the Mackay giants.
Shears was rewarded with a try while Simon booted four goals from as many attempts to complete the scoring.
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Minor Premiers Mercy Chase Cowboys Challenge Grand Final Berth
Caption: Promising Mercy College five eighth Adam McSherry in action for the minor premiers in the Cowboys Challenge Shield competition. The young gun remains a key player in Mercy's quest for the premiership title
They might have wrapped up the minor premiership title but Mercy College coach Ian Schifilitti will undertake a low key approach to the 2022 Cowboys Challenge finals series.
While disappointed with his side’s listless performance during a 12-4 loss to Ignatius Park College in Townsville last week, a buoyant Schifilitti knows they are well placed to challenge for trophy honours in coming weeks.
Mercy may have suffered their first loss of the season but go into this week’s semifinal showdown with Mareeba State High School full of confidence after trouncing their Cairns rivals 52-0 just a fortnight ago in a preliminary round.
While the players face another arduous road trip back to Townsville for the big clash, they are fully aware that another comprehensive victory will set up a Challenge Shield decider against either Kirwan State High School or Ignatius Park College in Mackay.
Kirwan State High toppled Ignatius Park College 26-10 in the earlier Cowboys Challenge rounds before succumbing 16-10 to Mercy College in recent weeks.
Queensland Under 15 representative prop Cohen Jackson turned in a wholehearted performance for Mercy in the loss to Ignatius Park and was ably supported by playmaker Adam McSherry, hooker Hudson Clark and industrious forward Saxon Croft.
A sloppy Mercy team surrendered a 4-0 lead at the break with an undisciplined second half display as their Townsville rivals seized the advantage.
By Chris Karas
Classy St Patrick's half back Jaxon Purdue proved instrumental in the 20-6 Aaron Payne Cup victory over Ignatius Park College to snap a five-year drought against their Townsville rivals
Dashing St Patrick's fullback Will Shears returned to his enterprising best to help his team sink Ignatius Park College 20-6 in schoolboy rugby league action last week
