A STUNNING first half display set up St Pat’s first Group 10 premier league title in seven years after a thrilling 19-12 win over the Mudgee Dragons at Carrington Park yesterday.
Playing high on emotion after a pre-match address from Liz Scott, St Pat’s executed the best first 40 minutes of their season and it was only an unusually off day with the boot from captain Trent Hemsworth kept Mudgee in the game.
Tempers flared, Mudgee threw the ball around and St Pat’s began to tire in a second 40 that had everything, but in the end the home side managed to find some extra fuel in the tank and held out the fast-finishing Dragons.
It did not take long for St Pat’s to gain the ascendancy in the opening exchanges.
Standing at first receiver, Hemsworth laid on a perfect pass for Dane Fisher to score the opening try after just three minutes and though the skipper missed the conversion, things were up and running as Pat’s proved the week off would not leave them flat.
The Group 10 player of the year then did it all himself 10 minutes later on the back of consecutive sets when he went from dummy half and burrowed over.
In a game-long pattern Hemsworth missed the kick, but it was clear Mudgee were up against it.
After a string of penalties, it was five-eighth Tim Holman’s turn to lay on a try from close to the Dragons’ line when he linked with a flying Nathan Corliss for a third Pat’s four-pointer.
Mudgee fullback Jared Robinson looked to have pulled one back for the visitors but was held up and in a crushing blow, a Mick Armstrong break down field and some good hands from Holman, Josh Laurie and prop Wade Judd sent Corliss over for his second.
After 20 minutes Pat’s were up 16-0 and the game looked like a potential blow-out.
A 95-metre movement started by Robinson again saw Mudgee desperately close but to no avail and it was only in the 38th minute that St Pat’s made an error.
They completed an astonishing 17 of 18 sets in the first half and quite simply could not have played a better opening stanza.
Knowing they needed something special, Mudgee threw everything at the blue and whites in the opening minutes of the second half, including some fisticuffs.
Pivot Steve Lane had been well below his best all game and his frustrations boiled over as he lashed out at Corliss. Matt Lawson also got involved and the pair were both given 10 minutes to cool their heels.
When Lane got back on the field he was a different player and having sweated on him all day, suddenly the Pat’s players hung off him.
He scored a solo try with 25 minutes on the clock to get his side back in the game and though Lawson looked to have hit back soon, after his try was disallowed.
Hemsworth gave his side a breather with a field goal with 10 minutes left but Mudgee regained from the kick-off and once more Lane turned from villain to hero for Mudgee when he grubbered and regathered to score when it appeared nothing was on.
With the final 10 minutes set up for a thrilling finish, Saint Heath Falkenmire and then Dragon Robinson pulled off brilliant try-saving tackles before Hemsworth took the margin to six with a second one-pointer.
Though Mudgee continued to throw everything at their opponents, it was yet another field goal – this time from Holman 40 metres out which sealed the result.
Judd, Hemsworth, Laurie, Holman, Cameron Plummer and lock Matt Tilley were all outstanding for the victors while Robinson and centre Cafe were sensational for Mudgee.
ST PAT’S 19 (Nathan Corliss 2, Dane Fisher, Trent Hemsworth tries; Hemsworth 2, Tim Holman field goal) defeated MUDGEE 12 (Steve Lane 2 tries; Matt Stott 2 goals)
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