St Pat’s Mackay, Padua College in Confraternity grand final

A 20-year drought will be broken when St Pat’s Mackay and Padua College do battle for the Confraternity Shield on Friday. Read how the teams booked their grand finals berths.

St Pat's Mackay and Padua College will battle it out for the 2025 Confraternity Shield in Rockhampton.

A hat-trick of tries and a clutch penalty conversion determined the teams that will battle for the coveted Confraternity Shield on Friday.

St Patrick’s Mackay and Padua College will face off at Rockhampton’s Kettle Park at 12.30pm and regardless of the outcome, a 20-year drought will be broken when the final hooter sounds.

St Patrick’s became a “Confro” force when it won eight titles in 16 years but it has not won the shield since 2003.

Padua College, which played in the first Confraternity in 1980, last won in 2005.

Padua players celebrate their semi-final win over St Brendan's College. Photo: QISSRL/Luke Fletcher

The teams advanced to the decider after winning Thursday’s semi-finals in contrasting circumstances.

St Pat’s piled on the points against The Cathedral College, which was looking to claim the double after its girls took out an enthralling grand final on Thursday.

But the Mackay outfit, led by Dolphins-contracted halfback Adam McSherry, blasted out of the blocks and never looked back in the 34-12 victory.

McSherry scored the first of the team’s six tries in just the second minute of the game and athletic winger Calvin Ramos rounded out the scoring with a three-try second half blitz.

St Pat's Mackay will be looking to claim their first Confraternity Shield since 2003. Photo: QISSRL/Luke Fletcher

The win was hailed as a team effort by first-year head coach Shane Mau, who said he had been impressed with the players’ development over the past few months.

“We got through pretty good today,” he said.

“We were missing one of our second-rowers but, other than that, we have pretty much been unscathed so far.”

Meanwhile, the Padua boys held their nerve against powerhouse St Brendan’s, with five-eighth Damon Humphrys slotting a penalty goal as the siren sounded for a 16-14 win.

Padua's Damon Humphrys steps up to convert the winning penalty goal in the semi-final against St Brendan's. Photo: QISSRL/Luke Fletcher

Co-coach Dennis Tomarchio said his players just kept turning up for each other.

“It’s a real brotherhood with this team and they play for each other and for the school,” he said.

In the second-tier of the Division 1 play-offs, Rockhampton Grammar School will take on Marymount College, Burleigh Waters in Friday’s Bob Lindner Trophy Final.

St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane qualified for the final of the Division 2 Neil Bloxsidge Plate with a last-second field goal, setting up a meeting with AIC rivals Villanova College, Coorparoo in the decider.

The main prize in Division 3 will be contested between Ryan Catholic College, Townsville and McAuley College, Beaudesert.

The inaugural Division 4 final will feature Emmaus College, Jimboomba and Trinity College, Beenleigh.

Originally published as St Pat’s Mackay, Padua College in Confraternity grand final