Patrick Augustus Shea (16 March 1886 – 29 May 1954) was an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who played for

Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...

and

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

(VFL), and also a

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officiall ...

er with

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Family

He was from a talented sporting family, with his brother Mark Francis Shea (1883–1939) also having a career at Fitzroy and Essendon. His nephew, John Shea (1913–1986), played cricket with the

Western Australia cricket team The Western Australian Men’s cricket team, formerly nicknamed the Western Warriors, represent the Australian state of Western Australia in Australian domestic cricket. The team is selected and supported by the Western Australian Cricket Asso ...

Football

He played mostly as a half forward flanker and was one of the first players to use the 'banana kick' as well as the 'checkside' punt ::"Paddy was an accomplished drop, punt and

place kick The place kick is a type of kicking play commonly used in American football, association football (soccer), Canadian football, rugby league, and rugby union. Gridiron football Place kicks are used in American football and Canadian football for ...

and he was the only forward I knew (and still know iz., in 1954 who could make a ball swerve in the air from his boot as a bowler can from his hand.
He could stand near a boundary post and swing it with certaintv between the goal posts.
That master football tactician

Jack Worrall John Worrall (20 June 1861 – 17 November 1937) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Fitzroy Football Club in the VFA, and a Test cricketer. He was also a prominent coach in both sports and a journalist. A small, nugge ...

, who coached Essendon after he left Carlton, had to see Paddy at practice before he was convinced of his ability.
Worrall had never before seen it in his many years association with the game as player and coach." – George Hale, in ''The Sporting Globe'', 5 June 1954.

Fitzroy VFL)

Shea's VFL career began at Fitzroy in 1904.

Boulder City (GFA)

After one season he joined Goldfields Football Association club Boulder City, in Western Australia. He spent three years with Boulder City before returning to Victoria and making his Essendon debut in 1908.

Essendon (VFL)

This goal sense saw him top Essendon's goalkicking in 1909 with 40 majors. Such was his consistency up forward that he kicked a goal in each of his 17 games in the 1911 season but finished the year with just 25 goals. He was a member of Essendon premiership sides in 1911 and 1912. A Victorian interstate representative He holds the record for most VFL goals kicked at the

East Melbourne Cricket Ground The East Melbourne Cricket Ground was a grass oval sports venue located at the corner of Wellington Parade and Jolimont Parade, in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Santo Caruso, Marc Fiddian and Jim Main, ''Football Grounds of Melbourne'' (Mel ...

, with 85.

Essendon Association (VFA)

Shea coached Essendon Association when it re-entered the post-war VFA competition in 1919.

Cricket

As a cricketer Shea was a left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler. He made three first-class appearances, his debut coming against Tasmania at the

Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...

in 1912–13. Although Shea made little impact in the match, his Essendon premiership teammate

Bill Sewart William Isaac Sewart (12 November 1881 – 13 December 1928) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was also a first-class cricketer, representing both Queensland and Victoria. F ...

scored a century. His second match wasn't until seven years later and was a

Sheffield Shield The Sheffield Shield (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Marsh Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Sheffield Shi ...

encounter against New South Wales at the SCG. He took the wickets of Test players

Charlie Macartney Charles George Macartney (27 June 1886 – 9 September 1958) was an Australian cricketer who played in 35 Test matches between 1907 and 1926. He was known as "The Governor-General" in reference to his authoritative batting style and his flamb ...

and

Arthur Mailey Alfred Arthur Mailey (3 January 188631 December 1967) was an Australian cricketer who played in 21 Test matches between 1920 and 1926. Mailey used leg-breaks and googly bowling, taking 99 Test wickets, including 36 in the 1920–21 Ashes ser ...

. His final match was against Queensland a week later and he finished his career with 84 runs at 14.00 and five wickets at 43.80. He later moved to Sydney, and played cricket for the

North Sydney Cricket Club UTS North Sydney Cricket Club, formerly known as North Sydney District Cricket Club, is a cricket club based in North Sydney, Australia. The Bears, as they are known, were founded in 1858 playing against Callen Park and other cricket clubs arou ...

Death

He died (suddenly) at his residence in the

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

suburb of Northbridge, on 29 May 1954.Paddy Shea dies in NSW, ''The Sporting Globe'', (Saturday, 29 May 1954), p.11.
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Footnotes

References

* Maplestone, M., ''Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996'', Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996.
C.Y.M. Society: Essendon, ''The Advocate'', (Saturday, 5 July 1919), p.27.

External links

* *
Pat Shea, at ''The VFA Project''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shea, Paddy 1886 births 1954 deaths People from Clunes, Victoria Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia) Australian Rules footballers: place kick exponents Cricketers from Victoria (Australia) Fitzroy Football Club players Essendon Football Club players Essendon Football Club Premiership players Boulder City Football Club players Essendon Association Football Club players Australian cricketers Victoria cricketers Two-time VFL/AFL Premiership players