PAT’S found another gear in the second half of yesterday’s match against Orange CYMS to race out to a 32-10 win and, with it, take the Group 10 premier league minor premiership.
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An initially vocal crowd at the Sportsground was quiet when the score was 6-all at half-time.
But after an error-riddled opening half, Pat’s regained their focus to secure top spot and, at the same time, deny the defending champions a spot in the finals.
CYMS watched their top five spot disappear as the home side ran in five tries to one in the final 40 minutes, Pat’s lifting their own offensive game while capitalising on some untimely Orange errors.
“We started well,” Pat’s coach Kurt Hancock said.
“We completed our first five sets, then after that we dug ourselves into a bit of a hole and turned over too much ball. We let CYMS get back at us. At half-time we spoke about tidying it up ... then the boys’ class showed.
“The boys are outstanding at playing ad-lib, but we’ve got to get a bit of control in the game before we can do that. I think they’re starting to get an understanding of it. I think that’s where we’ve got to get
better if we want to go deep in the finals.”
Things couldn’t have started much worse for the visitors.
Dan Stuart put the first Pat’s kick of the game to ground and Garry Reilly found the opening try after just over a minute of play to go 4-0 up.
After both sides had potentially try scoring chances denied through forward passes, it was CYMS who dominated possession.
With seven minutes remaining in the first half, after Pat’s had handed Orange a string of back-to-back sets through errors, the home side’s defence finally cracked and Zac Rohen put CYMS ahead by two.
A Garry Reilly penalty goal brought a slow and frustrating first half for both sides to a close.
Eight minutes into the second half, Adam Gibson crashed over to get CYMS 10-6 up, but from there the Orange side of the scoreboard never moved.
The Saints’ run started 13 minutes into the half with an acrobatic effort from Dave Howard off a Benjamin John bomb, knocking the ball forward mid-air before regathering it for a try.
A CYMS knock-on handed Pat’s a fresh set close to the Orange line and Mick Armstrong soon found an overlap on the left to score.
Stuart once again couldn’t contain a high ball and his drop was Brent Dennis’ gain in the form of a four-pointer.
Armstrong soon bagged a second try with 15 minutes left and Reilly also got a double when he ran 70 metres to score off an intercept in the final minutes.
The result means Bathurst Panthers will be taking their place in the finals instead of CYMS, the men in black now facing a rematch with the side they beat on Saturday, Orange Hawks.
“We’ve gone back the last two or three weeks to work really hard on our defence and it showed today. They had about 16 minutes there at one stage where we never got into their half, so to only come away with 10 points scored upon you, they’re doing something right,” Hancock said.
“We’re going to enjoy the week off, but we’re going to be doing some hard work. It’s going to be a heavy load this week, but we know nothing comes easy now and that’s what we’re planning on.”
Watching the finals from the sidelines is unfamiliar territory for CYMS.
“A couple of little errors from us there and they capitalised,” captain-coach Michael Sullivan said. “They’re a quality side and good luck to them going on in the semi-finals.
“We started not too bad this year, but inconsistency came into the back half. It could go to anyone now in that top five. I still think Panthers are a massive shot ... and Pat’s are the benchmark after playing them today.”
ST PAT’S 32 (Mick Armstrong 2, Garry Reilly 2, Dave Howard, Brent Dennis tries; Reilly 3 conversions; Reilly penalty goal) defeated ORANGE CYMS 10 (Zac Rohen, Adam Gibson tries; Ben McAlpine conversion)
