St Patrick's takes back-to-back shields

By Melanie Whelan
Updated November 2 2012 - 5:10pm, first published August 14 2011 - 1:37pm
The St Patrick’s College team celebrates with the trophy after claiming back-to-back MCC-Herald Sun Shield titles for the first time in the school’s history.
The St Patrick’s College team celebrates with the trophy after claiming back-to-back MCC-Herald Sun Shield titles for the first time in the school’s history.

ST PATRICK’S College has claimed back-to-back MCC-Herald Sun Shield titles for the first time in the school’s football history.This year the St Pat’s call to arms was to be remembered and coach Howard Clark said his team’s achievement would definitely be spoken about for a long time to come.Glory in the elite schoolboy football competition was a 23-point win against Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School yesterday on the hallowed turf of the MCG – a curtain raiser to a Richmond-Sydney AFL clash. St Pat’s was forced to dig deep and broke free of the tight battle after scores were level eight-and-a-half minutes into the final term.They kicked five of the next six goals to seal victory, 13.11 (89) to 10.6 (66).Clark said it was a relief, more than anything, when the final siren sounded.“I am incredibly proud of the boys,” Clark said.“They were tested but their resolve, attitude and commitment to the program has achieved such wonderful success.“You don’t often realise how much this means to each of the boys until you experience something like this.”Emotional scenes erupted in the underbelly of the Great Southern Stand after St Pat’s belted out its war-cry twice.St Pat’s firsts have only been defeated once in the past three years and that was in the shield final two years ago.Clark said this year’s team was the most talented he had coached in terms of depth in the ranks.St Pat’s captain Nick O’Brien’s instrumental work up forward earned him the best-on-ground medallion. O’Brien, one of three boys to have played in the past three shield finals, said it was an amazing feeling to step back out onto the MCG with his best mates.“It’s always the same running out on the turf – so smooth, there was not a blade of grass out of place,” O’Brien said.“It was perfect.”O’Brien said the team drew inspiration from coach Howard Clark, who had spent six days in hospital leading into the final receiving treatment for a long-term illness. St Pat’s made it clear it was proud to represent Ballarat and thanked the community for its support and well-wishes and a particularly strong partnership with TAC Cup team North Ballarat Rebels.Under a restructured shield format, St Pat’s won its way through to the semi-finals by capturing the Ballarat Associated Schools crown – its fifth consecutive BAS football title – and defeated Associated Catholic Colleges’ premier St Bede’s for a spot on the MCG.

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