DUBBO’S Caltex Park played host to some of the most talented schoolboy rugby league players in Country NSW yesterday as the finals of the Small Schools Knockout and High School Country Cup rolled into town.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Five matches were played over the course of the day and in the Country Cup final it was MacKillop Catholic College Warnervale which advanced to take on St Dominic’s in the state final after defeating Hallam Senior College 28-16.
It was an exciting match after Hillam got out to a 12-0 lead early but even that couldn’t match the thrilling nature of the under-13s small school final.
Nyngan High School took on Sacred Heart from Cootamundra and in a see-sawing match it was Sacred Heart who ran out winners, with the 22-18 win giving them back-to-back small school titles.
Nyngan opened the scoring when Caleb Cook scored out wide after just five minutes but Sacred Heart hit back five minutes later when five-eighth Sam Sheahan took the ball 40 metres from his own line, stepped two defenders and streaked away to score under the posts. He converted his own try to give his side a 6-4 lead.
It was a free-flowing match, the 11-a-side rules meaning plenty of action and the travelling supporters from both schools had plenty to cheer about as the match went from end to end.
Nyngan’s Cale Dunn scored shortly before the break to give his side an 8-6 lead.
Sacred Heart retook the lead in the second half after Sheahan laid on tries for Alex Wiggins and Dylan Stewart.
With 10 minutes to go Nyngan set up a grand finish by scoring through their own talented five-eighth, Harry Blake, and at 18-14 it was game on.
But Sheahan, who went on to claim man of the match, sealed the win with a brilliant individual effort with eight minutes to go, meaning Dunn’s second try on full-time was just a consolation for Nyngan.
“The first half was a little bit disappointing but the second half they really showed what they could do, Sacred Heart coach Mick Sheahan said.
“But Nyngan were a very good little side, they weren’t a big side but they were tenacious and very good in defence.
“The 11-a-side footy is a bit more attacking but it was good to see and come through with the win, it’s a big effort from the school.”
In the day’s other matches, Red Bend won the under-13s Country Cup after defeating Camden Haven High School 3-24. Wagga’s Kildare Catholic College took out the 15s Country Cup with a 22-12 win over St Pius X of Adamstown while the winners of the under-16s small school’s knockout final was Murrumburrah High School after they defeated Oberon High School 24-22 in golden point.
Sacred Heart coach Sheahan, the father of standout Sam, said the day was a great success and the chance to play on a ground like Caltex Park was a real highlight for the kids.
“It’s magnificent and also the ground, the facilities here, some kids might never get the chance to play on a ground this good again so it’s awesome for them,” he said.
