St Patrick’s College, Mackay took a step towards a treasured Confraternity Shield for their school in an unbeaten start to the girls’ rugby league competition in Brisbane today.
St Patrick’s won their two opening matches in the third edition of the girls’ draw at the famous Confraternity Carnival, which is in its 43rd year of bringing together Catholic and Independent Schools from across the state.
Rockhampton schools Emmaus College and The Cathedral College were also unbeaten after two matches, leaving a final pool match tomorrow to determine the semi-finalists in the afternoon.
Twelve teams are contesting the girls’ competition to be split into tiers to compete for the top Confraternity Shield and the second-tier Confraternity Trophy.
St Patrick’s College, Mackay have one of the proudest histories in Confraternity Carnival, stretching back to the boys’ unmatched five-year Shield winning streak from 1988 with teams including future league legend Wendell Sailor.
But St Patrick’s haven’t claimed a Shield since 2003. The girls and boys’ teams were excellent last year but lost their finals when thousands of spectators watched on in Mackay.
This girls’ team has made a positive start under new coach Imogen Healy, a town planner who is still playing top-grade league as a halfback in Mackay.
Healy has brought together a team with 11 players from last year’s campaign and some who featured in the inaugural girls’ competition in 2021 before Covid-19 forced an early end to the carnival.
“Some of these girls have been playing together since they were in Year 7 so they’ve developed good combinations on the field but they’re also friends off the field,” Healy said.
“We have spoken about what happened last year and the chance to get another opportunity this year. They have come here to do their best and to see where that can take us.”
The Cathedral College made a statement when they inflicted the first loss in Confro girls’ history on Marymount College, Burleigh Waters. Last year’s Shield champions fell 8-4 to The Cathedral College before rebounding with a 40-4 win over Townsville’s Southern Cross Catholic College.
Emmaus College, Rockhampton also staked a claim with wins today over St Margaret Mary’s College, Townsville and St Ursula’s College, Yeppoon.
Three new teams played their first girls’ matches today: Emmaus College, Jimboomba; Mt Maria College, Mitchelton; and Trinity College, Beenleigh. Mt Maria began its campaign with a 22-10 win over Southern Cross Catholic College.
The winners of tomorrow’s semi-finals will qualify for Thursday’s deciders. The girls’ Shield grand final will be held at 11am on Thursday, one hour after the Trophy grand final.
Girls’ Day 1 results
Pool A
The Cathedral College, Rockhampton 8 d Marymount College, Burleigh Waters 4
Mt Maria College, Mitchelton 22 d Southern Cross Catholic College, Townsville 10
Marymount College, Burleigh Waters 40 d Southern Cross Catholic College, Townsville 4
The Cathedral College, Rockhampton 8 d Mt Maria College, Mitchelton 0
Pool B
St Patrick’s College, Mackay 24 d Shalom College, Bundaberg 0
St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba 14 d Emmaus College, Jimboomba 4
Shalom College, Bundaberg 32 d Emmaus College, Jimboomba 0
St Patrick’s College, Mackay 34 d St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba 0
Pool C
St Ursula’s College, Yeppoon 26 d Trinity College, Beenleigh 6
Emmaus College, Rockhampton 16 d St Margaret Mary’s College, Townsville 8
Emmaus College, Rockhampton 36 d St Ursula’s College, Yeppoon 4
St Margaret Mary’s College, Townsville 30 d Trinity College, Beenleigh 0
