ST Pat’s have bid farewell to the Sportsground in style with a 24-16 win over the Cowra Magpies, and kept their Group 10 premier league finals bid alive in the process.
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Strong patches of football at either ends of the game proved the difference for the home side, who recovered from a 16-12 deficit at the break.
Despite a smattering of second half errors, it was solid try line defence from Pat’s which kept the visiting Magpies scoreless after the break.
A Garry Reilly intercept inside the final 10 minutes – and subsequent try at the end of the set – broke a long standing 16-all deadlock and spurred the Saints on to victory.
The boot let the Magpies down as they failed to hit a single conversion.
“The first half was unbelievable. In the first 20 minutes they really took it to Cowra, and I think they went out there with a point to prove since there were a few boys out this week,” Saints co-coach Brady Cheshire said, who was one of those unavailable for the match.
“In the second half we were a bit flat at the start but we really brought it home, and we were only down to one bloke on our interchange by the end of the game.
“Nathan Lawrence at fullback had a blinder of a game, and saved a few tries for us. Jack Mackey up front also had a really good game for us.”
Saints came out fired up in the opening 10 minutes as they scored twice on the back of some superb hit ups from their forward pack.
Pat’s opened the scoring with a try to Hudson White then put themselves up 12-0 in the space of just eight minutes when Nathan Lawrence scored out wide.
The intensity from the hosts waned as the half went on and Cowra were ready to pounce.
Toby Nobes and Eli Richardson found tries on opposite wings to bring the margin back to four.
Des Doolan picked up two tries for the Magpies in the space of just three minutes to give his side the advantage at half-time.
It took Pat’s just a few minutes to level the scores after the break when Mick Latu, on premier league debut, crossed for a try.
Pat’s survived several close calls on their own try line before Reilly’s intercept eased the pressure.
White scored his second try on the back of that run, and Latu was also able to complete his double just moments later.
The match will be the last at the venue for Pat’s as they prepare for their move to the new Hereford Street complex in 2018.
