The usual suspects shine as St Pat's edge out Cowboys

Coming into Sunday afternoon's Maas Group Western 18s Youth League elimination final against the Wellington Cowboys, Bathurst St Pat's were expected to put together a relatively comprehensive win in their march to the competition's decider.

And while you wouldn't call the 34-24 triumph comprehensive, the blue and whites were led by a handful of dazzling individual performances as the usual suspects - Ash Cosgrove and Tyler Colley - had their fingerprints all over the game.

But what the scoreline doesn't tell you is that the Cowboys - who were phenomenally brave from start to finish - were trailing 28-24 with 60 seconds to go after scoring a try under the sticks.

Pat's were preparing to hold off the Cowboys who were set to launch a last-ditch attacking set but when the kick-off began to spiral towards the sideline, Wellington winger Michael Daley tried inadvertently took it over the sideline as the touch judge ruled he didn't get his foot onto the stripe in time.

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From then on, Ash Congrove put the nail in the coffin with a powerful, short-range try, booking his side a spot in the next round and sending an emotional Cowboys family back home.

In Wellington's post-match huddle, an extremely proud Graham Blackhall gave his troops a heartfelt message and he was emotional when speaking about the effort.

"The Wellington club has created a lot of history and family," he said.

"We're not just a footy team, we're a family."

"These are all like my little brothers who just support and are always positive."

In the Pat's camp, co-coach Dane Fisher was delighted to see his forward pack set the tone.

"Our forwards really laid the platform and that freed up a lot of space," Fisher said.

"We started really well today and ran in a couple of good tries but probably allowed them back into it a bit too much... we handed the ball over to them a lot."

While 34 points is nice, Fisher was just as proud of the side's defence - especially in the dying stages as they held off several late onslaughts from the visitors.

"We've been working a lot on our goal line defence and just putting in for the bloke next to you," he said.

"That as well as kick chase."