EXECUTING big plays in pressure moments - the ability to do that is what booked St Pat's a spot in this Saturday's women's Premier League grand final and what they hope will take them one step further.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Saints will face Lithgow Panthers in the decider. They are the defending premiers, they have not lost a game this season and will hold the home turf advantage.
But Saints coach Ben Weal knows he has a side which can perform under pressure. They showed it last Saturday in their 2-0 preliminary final win against Confederates.
It was locked at nil-all at three-quarter-time, but two minutes into the final period the Saints snatched the lead.
"On the weekend we were under the pump and we dug deep. At three-quarter-time we spoke about the things we wanted to do, everyone was in agreement and we ran out there and we did it," Weal said.
"The move that we scored our first goal on, it was something we actually practised at training.
"It was something we wanted to do and as soon as the opportunity came we took it and we got it - it was like a training drill but it only came because everyone was on the same page.
"Everyone was thinking the same way, people moved into the right positions and it just came together. It only happened because we worked as a unit.
"I showed people at my work, that's how proud I was of the girls in what they did.
"From the back line, we started on the left hand side, transferred the ball to the the high striker on the opposite side who led to a certain spot - which was Millie Fulton. She went to where she was told to go, passed to Esther [Hotham] and Esther finished it."
The Saints last won the premiership in 2018 when beating Panthers 5-2 in Lithgow. Performing under pressure was key then too as they scored three times in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
The grand final starts at 1.30pm.
DO YOU WANT MORE ORANGE NEWS AND SPORT?
- Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...