FARRER Memorial Agricultural High School earned a shot at University Shield redemption with a landslide 68-6 win over Belmore Boys High School in yesterday’s University Shield semi-final at Farrer’s John Simpson Oval.
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A 12-try jaunt against the Sydney side might have cracked 70 points had stand-in skipper Brad Johnston not missed converting his own try after the fulltime bell.
The big prop laughed off his conversion attempt while praising his teammates.
“It was good fun,” he said of leading the side out onto Simpson Oval.
“The boys played well, full of enthusiasm.
“But we might have to work on our ball control.”
Yesterday’s win earned the Chris Oxford-coached side a University Shield final berth at Kogarah Oval on Wednesday, September 10.
“We lost in extra time last year,” the Farrer coach recalled.
He was delighted with the win but mindful of some handling errors throughout.
“We could have held the ball a bit more,” he said.
“We really couldn’t hold it to save our lives at times.”
“While we turned it over too much, I was happy with the intensity, the attitude and the commitment to contact.
“Brad (Johnston) was fantastic.
“He stepped up to the captaincy well and led the way.
“I thought Jack Ticehurst and Tye Barry did well coming off the bench too.”
Charlie Altus, James Fisk, Cory Manicaros, Josh Bermingham and Hayden Loughrey all stood out at various stages.
Manicaros’s early cut-out pass started Farrer on its way, finding tall winger Matt Thompson flying down the eastern sideline to score early on.
Thompson added a second try, the first of three for the day, not long after and also produced some sweet conversions, four from the sideline.
He kicked nine from 10 attempts to finish with 30 points while Ticehurst converted a try he helped set up for chunky winger Cameron Howard.
And Thompson might have the goalkicking duties from now on, with injured skipper Tom Say – who will be right to play in the Uni Shield Final – declaring “he can keep it”, after the game.
FARRER 68 (Matt Thompson 3, Trent Eather 2, Cameron Howard 2, Angus McTavish, Zac Faulkner, Matt Merrick, Cory Manicaros, Brad Johnston tries, Thompson 9, Jack Ticehurst gls) d BELMORE BOYS HIGH 6.