The emotions flowed in Bundaberg tonight as rugby league’s famous Confraternity Carnival threw up stunning quarter-final results that ensured another new champion in 2019.
Matt Geyer kicked the winning goal in an NRL premiership for the Melbourne Storm, but today looked like his happiest day as his Marymount College, Burleigh Waters team, stormed back from 14-0 down against Marist College, Ashgrove, to win their Confraternity Shield quarter-final 16-14.
Assistant coach Geyer – who is also a teacher at Marymount – and his players stayed into the dark to celebrate the win. It was the first time that Marymount has cracked the semi-finals at a Carnival that stirs the emotions of many who participate. Their breakthrough came just minutes after Xavier Coates, who was part of last year’s Marymount team, was named for his NRL debut for the Broncos this weekend.
But the loudest cheer of the day came for Padua College’s stunning comeback against powerhouse St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon to move the Confraternity originals into the semi-finals for the first time since 2006. Padua, despite coming off a term of school rugby union, mowed down St Brendan’s whose former stars include the likes of Corey Oates and Ben Hunt.
They call this heartbreak Tuesday at Confro for many reasons, not the least that each team is playing its fourth game in only two days. For St Brendan’s, they had the heartbreak of missing the semi-finals despite drawing 18-18 with Padua. The game was decided on tries scored in the quarter-final – Padua scored four to St Brendan’s three as they stormed back from an 18-0 deficit.
Padua’s winning try was scored by prop Sam Mataafa, who reached out with two minutes remaining to crush St Brendan’s hopes of a 14th Confraternity title after they were knocked out before last year’s quarter-finals.
St Mary’s College, Toowoomba had hoped to become the first school to successfully defend their title since 2015, but they crashed to The Cathedral College, Rockhampton, 14-0 in their quarter-final. The Cathedral College has moved ominously towards the finals, repeating their semi-final appearance from last year.
At the same time, Townsville’s Ignatius Park College showcased its power with a clinical 20-0 quarter-final win over 2017 champions Rockhampton Grammar School. Ignatius Park’s line wasn’t crossed today – they held out Marymount in their final pool match before inflicting another quarter-final defeat on Rockhampton Grammar. The school of Valentine Holmes and Michael Morgan has conceded only one try in its four matches.
Last year, Ignatius Park had to score two late tries to defeat Rockhampton Grammar in the quarter-final, but they were more comfortable today with two first-half tries into the teeth of a strong wind.
After tomorrow’s rest day, Ignatius Park College will take on Padua College in a semi-final while Marymount College will meet The Cathedral College.
The chase for the Bob Lindner Trophy – the second tier prize at Confraternity Carnival – is wide open after AIC schools St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe, and Iona College, Lindum, joined St Patrick’s College, Mackay and St Augustine’s College, Cairns, in the semi-finals.
The Shorncliffe team was buoyed by an omen despite losing all three pool matches. They did the same when Confro was last in Bundaberg 10 years ago only to recover to win the Lindner Trophy. Their 32-6 win over St Peter Claver College, Riverview – the school of Anthony Milford and Joe Ofahengaue – has them hoping that history repeats.
There were high quality matches across Bundaberg’s The Waves Sporting Complex as the 40th Confraternity served up some memorable moments. Among them was Columba Catholic College’s stirring comeback against St Laurence’s College, Brisbane in the Neil Bloxsidge Plate quarter-finals. Columba was also down 18-0 with only 12 minutes remaining but stormed home to win 22-18.
The 48 teams have been split into six separate competitions that will be decided on Thursday and Friday following tomorrow’s rest day. The chase for the Confraternity Shield – the most cherished prize – will conclude with Friday’s final at midday.
QISSRL president Peter Elmore said the second day of play was again well contested.
“These young men do their schools proud. They play hard rugby league on the field but we’re very encouraged to see the way that they continue to hold up the Carnival’s ideals of sportsmanship, respect and fellowship,” Mr Elmore said.
“We’ve got an exciting conclusion on Thursday and Friday but tomorrow these players get a well-deserved rest.”
Full results can be found on the Confraternity Shield app:
Apple: http://apple.co/2tt17LK
Android: http://bit.ly/2ttr6CJ
For more information, contact Michael Crutcher, 55 comms, on 0417 798 794
Day 2 results – Pool matches
Division 1 – Round 3
Marist College, Ashgrove 26 d Emmaus College, Rockhampton 6
Rockhampton Grammar 14 d St Peter Claver College, Riverview 10
The Cathedral College, Rockhampton 20 d Aquinas College, Ashmore 10
Padua College, Kedron 30 d St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie 4
Ignatius Park College, Townsville 18 d Marymount College, Burleigh Waters 4
St Mary’s College, Toowoomba 16 d St Augustine’s College, Cairns 8
St Patricks’ College, Mackay 18 d St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe 16
St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon 18 d Iona College, Wynnum 6
Division 2 – Round 3
Blackheath and Thornburgh College 6 d St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba 0
St Thomas More College, Sunnybank 24 d St Michael’s College 0
St Laurence’s College 16 d Assumption College, Warwick 0
All Souls St Gabriel’s, Charters Towers 32 d Ryan Catholic College, Townsville 6
Clairvaux MacKillop College 20 d Faith Lutheran College, Plainland 0
Trinity College, Beenleigh 14 d St Columban’s College, Caboolture 8
Marist College, Emerald 12 d St Edmund’s College, Ipswich 0
Columba Catholic College 12 d Shalom College, Bundaberg 4
Division 3 – Round 3
St Mary’s Woree 18 drew St John’s School Roma 18
Xavier Catholic College 24 d Emmaus College, Jimboomba 0
Chanel College, Gladstone 20 d Gilroy Santa Maria College, Ingham 4
St James / Chisholm 26 d Our Lady Of The Southern Cross 6
St Mary’s / St Patrick’s 14 d Ambrose Treacy 10
Unity College 18 d St Anthony’s 0
St Augustine’s (Augustine Heights) 30 d Mt Maria College 6
St James’ College, Spring Hill / Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia 26 d Ambrose Treacy College,
Indooroopilly 10
Good Shepherd Catholic College, Mount Isa 14 d Holy Spirit College, Mackay 12
Confraternity Shield quarter-finals
Padua College, Kedron 18 drew St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon 18 (Padua College advance on more tries)
The Cathedral College, Rockhampton 16 d St Mary’s College, Toowoomba 00 D
Ignatius Park College, Townsville 20 d The Rockhampton Grammar School 0
Marymount College, Burleigh Waters 16 d Marist College, Ashgrove 14
Bob Lindner Trophy quarter-finals
St Patrick’s College, Mackay 22 d Emmaus College, Rockhampton 4
St Augustine’s College, Cairns 16 d Aquinas College, Southport 14
St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe 32 d St Peter Claver College, Riverview 6
Iona College, Wynnum 14 d St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie 10
Neil Bloxsidge Plate quarter-finals
Marist College, Emerald 26 d All Souls Gabriel’s School, Charters Towers 18
Columba Catholic College, Charters Towers 22 d St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane 18
Clairvaux Mackillop College, Upper Mt Gravatt 26 d Blackheath & Thornburgh College, Mount Isa 0
St Thomas More College, Sunnybank 36 d Faith Lutheran College, Plainland 6
Confraternity Bowl quarter-finals
St Columban’s College, Caboolture 12 d St Michaels College, Marrimac 0
Shalom College, Bundaberg 32 d Ryan Catholic College, Townsville 4
Assumption College, Warwick 18 d St Edmunds College, Ipswich 10
Trinity College, Beenleigh 16 St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba 14
Confraternity Cup quarter-finals
Chanel College, Gladstone 20 d Our Lady Of The Southern Cross, Gympie 4
St James College / Chisholm Catholic College 22 d Gilroy Santa Maria, Ingham 14
Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay 16 d St Augustine, Augustine Heights 4
Holy Spirit College, Mackay 16 d St John’s, Roma 0
Men of League Challenge quarter-finals
Unity College, Caloundra 12 d Ambrose Treacy College, Indooroopilly 18
St Mary’s College, Maryborough / St Patricks College, Gympie 24 d St Anthony’s Catholic College,
Townsville 0
Emmaus College, Jimboomba 20 d Mt Maria College, Mitchelton 8
Good Shepherd 19 d St Mary’s Woree 0
