CHAMPIONS: Keagan Byrnes in action for James Sheahan yesterday. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0910netball6
JAMES Sheahan Catholic College has dominated the 2012 Marianne Murphy Shield, winning under 14s and under 16s crowns while coming runners-up in Opens to win back the shield the school narrowly lost to Orange High School 12 months ago.
Last year OHS claimed the title only after winning the Open’s decider 45-41.
And while OHS again claimed the Open’s crown with a dominant 50-29 victory, the day belonged to Sheahan.
Sheahan won the under 14s title thanks to a 35-7 grand final victory then claimed the under 16s crown with a similarly convincing win, knocking off Kinross 30-19 at Sir Neville Howse Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Those two titles coupled with the runners-up finish in the Opens competition was enough to claim back the title Sheahan last won in 2010.
Carnival organiser Amanda Rouse said Sheahan were deserved champions.
“Definitely. They’re fortunate enough at the moment to have a number of representative players at the school,” Rouse said.
“They’re under 14s and under 16s are quite strong.
“They’re the school to beat at the moment.”
For long running school-based competition was this year run on the one day, with Sheahan, Kinross, OHS, Canobolas Rural Technology High School and Orange Anglican High School all entering teams for this year’s event.
Rouse said the new format proved a hit.
“I think the kids enjoyed the carnival atmosphere,” she said.
“My school, Canobolas, really enjoyed themselves and Orange Anglican, in their first time in the competition, did really well.
“Kinross have some really strong depth in the 14s and 16s too.”