THE Group 10 premier league trophy went back to Bathurst as St Pat’s claimed their first title in six years with a 34-12 grand final win over the Cowra Magpies at Sid Kallas Oval on Sunday.
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A man-of-the-match hat-trick to Benjamin John, some resilient St Pat’s defence and an increasingly frustrated Magpies side were the ingredients to the grand final.
Cowra’s forwards may have looked more threatening through the opening half but some St Pat’s line breaks and more creativity in attack got them to a 14-4 lead at half-time.
St Pat’s saw a majority of the possession in the second half, as the discipline of the home side started to dissipate.
When Magpies five-eighth Jeremy Gordon was sent off for throwing a punch 10 minutes from full-time the fighting spirit of the hosts departed as well.
St Pat’s coach Kurt Hancock allowed his team to enjoy a simple grand final preparation.
“We prepared well this week and our goal was to just enjoy the day and you could see that in our footy,” he said.
“Our outside backs were great, our halves were excellent. Garry Reilly’s kicking boot was on. The plan worked really well, we had one and they stuck to it. They deserve it.”
The Magpies were first to score with a leaping try for Toby Nobes on the right wing off a well-placed Tim Holman kick 10 minutes in.
Minutes later Reilly made an intercept on halfway to score in the corner and level it up a 4-all.
That try against the run of play seemed to kick St Pat’s into gear.
Cyp Ale had been causing problems for the Magpies’ defence early on and his line break and following offload allowed Derryn Clayton to give St Pat’s the lead for the first time.
On the stroke of half-time John was gifted a try by the posts when he produced a familiar dart over the line from dummy-half.
John went from hero to villain from the second half’s kick-off when his knock on led to a Jay McClintock try on the following Cowra set.
Just like in the first half, St Pat’s found a way to hit back almost immediately with John scoring off a run from dummy-half.
Cowra enjoyed a resurgent period as their forwards found their stride.
Holman scooped up a loose ball to run 50 metres for a try to make it 20-12 to St Pat’s.
From that point on, however, Sid Kallas Oval became and blue and white playground.
John gave Cowra a case of déjà vu as, for a third time, he caught his opponents unaware with yet another try from dummy-half.
One of Cowra’s best chances of the half, sending the ball to an overlap on the left side, was blocked with yet another Reilly intercept.
Down 26-12 and needing more than two converted tries to give themselves a chance, Cowra’s tensions boiled over as Gordon’s tangle with St Pat’s captain Mick Armstrong handed the Magpies half his marching orders.
While Ale was sin binned from the ensuing scuffle, leaving both sides down a player, it crumbled apart for Cowra eight minutes from full-time.
A Luke Single try for St Pat’s and Cowra’s Jack Nobes’ binning for dissent just minutes later prevented any chance the Magpies had of delivering a miracle comeback.
Reilly chewed up the clock with a pair of late penalty goals.
The victory brings the Group 10 title back to Bathurst for the first time since St Pat’s last won in 2008.
BATHURST ST PAT’S 34 (Benjamin John 3, Garry Reilly, Derryn Clayton, Luke Single tries; Reilly 5 goals) def COWRA MAGPIES 12 (Toby Nobes, Jay McClintock, Tim Holman tries; Jeremy Gordon goal).
