International Junior Rugby League

St Peters of Wigan victorious in Steven Mullaney

by
englandrugbyleague
10/06/2024

St Peters of Wigan victorious in Steven Mullaney Memorial Game (Photo - England Rugby League)

St Peters of Wigan victorious in Steven Mullaney

Author : England Rugby League

St Peters of Wigan victorious in Steven Mullaney Memorial Game

Match Report from the inspiresports Year 7 Boys Champion Schools Final

The Steven Mullanay Memorial Trophy is on its way to Wigan, after a kicking masterclass from Leo McMullen and an outstanding display from his half-back partner Harry Brown gave Orrell’s St Peter’s HS a 26-6 victory over Cardiff’s Ysgol Glantaf.

The opening exchanges were tense, with both sides showing signs of early nerves.

St Peter’s were the first to settle, Harry Brown’s dart into the heart of the Welsh side’s defence creating field position for McMullen to put boot to ball, his pin-point chip to the corner pounced on by Joseph Dewsnip.

On nine minutes, another precision kick from McMullen created a try for winger Max Dowthwaite to make the score 8-0 , before Jake Porter’s long-range effort and McMullen’s conversion gave St Peter’s a 14-0 lead.

A strong William Evans burst finally earned Glantaf some field position, but the St Peter’s defence held firm when Trystan Nicholls managed to get over the line without grounding the ball.

St Peter’s turned around 14-0 to the good at the break and any hoped of a Glantaf comeback were immediately extinguished as Harry Brown delivered the try of the match.

Dummying his way through the line on half way and racing clear of the cover to extend his side’s lead.

Minutes later, the hard-working Nicholls showed that Glantaf weren’t about to thrown in the towel, his solo effort and Jack Witchell’s conversion reducing the deficit to 20-6.

Nicholl’s try sparked a more competitive period for Glantaf, but St Peter’s had the final say when Jake Roberts found himself on the end of a delightful team move and McMullen converted to make the final score 26-6.

Ysgol Glantaf

Dai Wicks, Wil Harrison, Sam Fordham, Harry Davies, Jack Witchell, Harri Rees , Rhys Howard, Rhys Meyers, Griff Roberts, Archie Shackle, Jacob Knox, William Evans , Trystan Nichols

Interchanges: Seth Robbins, Ralph Jones, Jacob Gill, Deiniol James, Khaleel Hassan

Tries: Nicholls (23)

Goals: Witchell

St Peter’s HS

Jack Lancaster, Oliver Anderson, Max Amor, James Johnson, Max Dowthwaite, Leo McMullen, Harry Brown, Jake Porter, Theo Molyneux, Jacob Blakemore, Sam Hurst, Joseph Dewsnip, George Hindle

Interchanges: Tyler Cooper, George Ainsworth, Evan Marsh, Jake Roberts, Issac Shaw

Tries: Dewsnip (5), Douthwaite (9), Porter (12), Brown (21), Roberts (36)

Goals: McMullen (3)

The Steven Mullaney Memorial Game

Steven Mullaney, a schoolboy Rugby League player, thrilled television viewers across the country by scoring a superb solo try as Wakefield Schools defeated St Helens 17-0 in the traditional Year 7 Boys curtain-raiser at Wembley, before the 1986 Challenge Cup Final.

Tragically, Steven died in a road traffic accident the following year. As a tribute to him, the English Schools’ Year Seven Boys (under 12s) game, was renamed the ‘The Steven Mullaney Memorial Game.’

Since then, generations of young players have carried on his joy of playing Rugby League by taking part in what has become an integral part of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Final day.

And some of those young players have gone on to make their mark on both the professional and international stage.

Famous Year 7 Boys Finalists include:

Joe Lydon (Widnes, Wigan & Great Britain); David Hulme (Widnes & Great Britain); Mike Ford (Wigan, Castleford & Great Britain); David Plange (Castleford, Warrington & Great Britain); Denis Betts (Wigan, Auckland Warriors & Great Britain); Bobbie Goulding (Wigan, Leeds, Widnes, St Helens, Rochdale Hornets & Great Britain); Terry O’Connor (Wigan, Oldham, Wigan, Widnes Vikings & Great Britain); Phil Clarke (Wigan, Sydney Roosters & Great Britain); Chev Walker (Leeds Rhinos & Great Britain); Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos & Great Britain).

The showcase fixture gives Year 7 players the opportunity to perform in front of tens of thousands of fans, alongside the possibility of appearing in front of millions of television viewers across the nation.