Paddy Shea

Infobox afl player | firstname = Paddy
lastname = Shea




image size = 200
birthdate = 16 March 1886
birthplace =
originalteam = CBC Parade, East Melbourne
heightweight = 175 cm / 76 kg
dead =
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 2, 1904
debutteam = Fitzroy
debutopponent = St Kilda
debutstadium = Brunswick Street
playingteams = Fitzroy (1904)
* 13 games, 8 goals
Essendon (1908-15, 1918)
* 142 games, 156 goalsTotal - 155 Games, 164 Goals
coach =
coachingteams =
statsend = 1918
careerhighlights =

Patrick 'Paddy' Augustus Shea (16 March 1886 - 29 May 1954) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy and Essendon in the VFL. He was from a talented sporting family, with his brother Mark also having a career at Essendon and his uncle John played cricket for Western Australia. Shea himself was a first-class cricketer with Victoria.

Shea's VFL career began at Fitzroy in 1904 but after one season he opted to move to Western Australia where he joined Goldfields Football League club Boulder City. He spent three years with Boulder City before returning to Victoria and making his Essendon debut in 1908.

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. 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, Shea coached Essendon Association in the VFA for a period after retiring from the VFL. [cite web|url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/sh-sm.htm#Pat%20Shea%20(Fitzroy,%20Boulder%20City,%20Essendon,%20Essendon%20Association)|title=Biography: Pat Shea| publisher=Full Points Footy] He holds the record for most VFL goals kicked at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, with 85.

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 in 1912/13. Although Shea made little impact in the match, his Essendon premiership teammate Bill Sewart scored a century. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8929.html|title=Victoria v Tasmania 1912/13| publisher=CricketArchive] His second match wasn't until seven years later and was a Sheffield Shield encounter against New South Wales at the SCG. He took the wickets of Test players Charlie Macartney and Arthur Mailey. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/9/9736.html|title=New South Wales v Victoria 1919/20| publisher=CricketArchive] 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.

References

External links

*AflRleague|ref=P/Paddy_Shea.html
* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/7780.html Cricinfo profile of Paddy Shea]