Utiku, having to deal with injuries, were finally able to get traction off their set piece and ruck recycles, just missing out on a try but staying on attack for reserve prop Mark Coogan to barge his way over in the 27th minute.
Celtic, still cool customers, worked their way back into Utiku’s half for another penalty opportunity for Morgan with four minutes left in the half, taking an 11-5 advantage.
Both sides looked to put pressure on at scrum-time as the second half started, and that fell to Celtic’s advantage as Morgan slotted a third straight penalty.
Although Utiku had made a couple of fumbles at the back on kicks, they hung tough on defence and got the penalty to advance into Celtic’s 22-metre zone.
While inspirational captain Maikara McDonnell cut down Utiku’s key man in prop Gordon Coogan on his carry off the lineout drive, Celtic didn’t get a read on first five Te Hau Nuku, who threw the dummy and stepped back inside to run under the posts for a try he converted.
Game on at 14-12 in the 52nd minute, Celtic just lifted another gear, getting a penalty following the restart and kicking down into the corner, where the outside backs joined in the drive from the lineout, and then the maul twisted off to the inside for hooker Atriane Marino to be driven over the line, with Morgan slotting an excellent conversion for 21-12.
Asked to fill the big shoes of injured centre Jordan Davis, Ayzak Bennett made a strong attack from a scrum near halfway, being caught in a high tackle which let Morgan step forward and land another clutch kick for 24-12 with 10 minutes left.
Having given so much physically and emotionally, Utiku never quit trying, but on the last play of the match a loose pass was snatched by Celtic reserve Paul Webster, who dashed off to seal the title, with fellow reserve Jeremy Seal taking over the conversion from Morgan, although unable to land it.
Veteran Celtic prop Trevor Gunn was named player of the match for a superb effort, leading a lot of the attacks on the fringes, and putting his body on the line when Utiku threatened in their danger zone.
“We were preparing for this, two weeks ago we got everyone together and had a dinner at Marist,” said victorious coach Duane Brown.
“This was another step to take for us, we couldn’t let Utiku win the game - we had to win it - and we just let it all happen on the field.
“The boys were keen, hungry. Even with Jordan out, we still had Ayzak Bennett and he filled in that role pretty well at No 13.”
It concluded a pretty strong Whanganui Rugby Football Union club season for Whanganui Marist RFC, with Celtic winning back-to-back, the new Marist Women’s team claiming their inaugural title, the refreshed AGC Marist Knights finishing fifth in the Senior grade and the Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist Premier team getting back into the semifinals.
“Watch this space next year and bring on 2024,” said Brown.
Utiku player/coach James Maher echoed that sentiment, as the little Taihape club at last made it to finals day at Cooks Gardens, and although still waiting for that first championship since 1992, the current group will be better for experience.
“It is really unique [playing here]. Like the support - listen to it - and we heard it the whole way,” Maher said.
“It was just the way we started. We talked about it, our momentum, and just didn’t expect to have to concede so early, and I thought it just rocked us from there.
“I thought we scrapped back into it, definitely towards the end of the first half I thought we dominated large periods of that, and then started the second half fairly well.
“All in all, I didn’t think there was much in it, and it was just little moments. The youth of our team probably learnt a lot from that.
“They’re a really young team, the average age is 23-24. Learned a lot, progressed a lot during the season, lifted our standards - and that’s the biggest thing.
“Standards and culture, we’ve got that right off the field, and that puts us in good stead, hopefully.”
Marist Celtic 29 (T Heru Reu Koro, A Marino, P Webster tries; W Morgan 4 pen, con) bt Utiku Old Boys 12 (M Coogan, T Hau Nuku tries; Nuku con). HT: 11-5.
