The underdog turned around and bit a huge chunk out of the favourite in the Borton Cup final at Centennial Park on Saturday.
Anybody who dared declare that St Kevin's would beat Union after they set them the mere target of 115 runs for victory, would have been hard pressed to gather support from even the most die hard of the school's supporters.
The college teams 16-run win, their first since the Borton's Cup inception in 1921, was packed with drama and tension.
Bowlers Josh Munro, Craig Smith and Keith Gardner were the key. Fast bowler Munro opened with a hostile spell, hitting Richard Sidon on the hip with a full-toss in his first over and in the second snapped his middle stump when the score was three.
Along with the departure of Sidon, with the score on 21, went Union's biggest partnership
Fellow opener Glynn Cameron, the only Union batsman to reach double figures, went on to make 29 as he watched three more batsmen return to the pavilion.
Smith's medium paced swing bowling accounted for Duncan Drew (7), who skied a catch to Daniel Gard at deep point, and Ali Fanene, caught at first slip by Gardner for four, leaving Union 49 for three.
Mark Wilson (1) soon followed after his middle stump was uprooted by Munro at the end of his second spell of bowling.
Off-spinner Gardner paid immediate dividends when he had Cameron caught by Munro in the first ball of the 19th over.
With five wickets gone for 65 runs in 19 overs, Union lost John Crombie without further addition after he looked to drive Smith through mid wicket and miscued to Matthew Saunders at mid on.
Paul Johnston (4) was next, bowled by Gardner. Union were reeling at seven for 70.
A gritty partnership of 20 runs between Rob Coates and Peter Cameron fuelled hopes of the Union supporters, but they were extinguished when Coates was trapped lbw by Munro for eight and Cameron (9) was bowled by Gardner.
The remaining wicket followed three runs later, when Tony Moore was well caught by Matthew Saunders at mid wicket for five runs of the bowling of Smith with 12 overs to spare.
For St Kevin's, which had lost the toss and batted for 44.2 overs, Eamon Moynihan's innings of 34 runs not out proved to be paramount.
Moynihan, apart from fellow opener Gardner (29) and first-drop captain Matthew George (22), was the only batsmen to fire on a good batting wicket.
The middle-order right-hander's quick running between the stumps, proved crucial as he batting partners faltered.
Opener Daniel Gard was dismissed for a duck, Richard Cooney for four and Munro departed the wicket after facing one delivery.
Tail-ender Simon Nolan broke a string of ducks for the St Kevin's batsmen, picking up three runs.
Medium pace bowler Nev Donaldson was the most economical of the Union attack, giving away only 18 runs of 13 overs for two wickets. John Crombie was also mean, taking four wickets for 18 runs of 11.2 overs
Richard Sidon coerced some good bounce from the pitch, hitting Matthew George in the neck in his first over, finishing with an analysis of two for 15 off seven overs.
Short Scorecard(s)
Senior - Borton Cup - Final
St Kevins 1st XI vs Union Senior at Centennial Park Oval, Oamaru
St Kevins 1st XI 114 ( E. Moynihan 34no, K. Gardiner 29, M. George 22, J.B. Crombie 4-18, R. Sidon 2-15, N. Donaldson 2-18 )
Union Senior 98 ( G. R. Cameron 29, C.M. Smith 4-40, K. Gardiner 3-8, J. Munro 3-23 )
St Kevins by 16 runs
Full scorecard for the match