THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 161, 8 July 1895, Page 2

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP.

WON BY GRAFTON.

The somewhat short season in connection ; wibh the senior football championship was brought bo a conclusion on Saturday wibh the final and cup-deciding contesb between Parnell and Grafton.L On the previous Saturday these twp teams motto play off their usual cup fixture, and the .reeulb placing Parnell on equal terms wibhGrafbon, a deciding match was rendered necessary. The attendance ab their final meeting was much similar bo thab of bhe previous week, when the receipts abvtbe gates showed Bomebhirig like a record. The grand-Btand was densely packed. In consequence of Parnell defeating Grafton when they first met ib was expected that the maroons, who had won bhe cup ever since the district scheme was initiated, would again secure , bhecpvebed honours, bub the fates had evidently decided otherwise, for although they played a good- stubborn game, with mnch of the brilliancy shown by them in former seasons, they bad eventually to lower their colours below bhoso of Grafton, the '.latter securing a well-merited win by 11 points bo nil. Much of bhe success which Grafbon met with was due to their passing, which wad about bha finesb seen,pn No;lground this season; Arid this, again, was in a great measure to be' abbribubedL to the arrangement of the backs—rtherej.being'four three-quartersi one three-fifths (Stevenson), ■ and one half. Had this disposition of # the • beam been made for the other mabchjib is quite possible bhab Grafton would nob-have beep beaben. However, the experience gained evidently proved of some value, for, whilst Parnell played a miserable passing game, Grafton made their passing the prin.- ---> cipal feature of their play. The ; firsb two bries, iri fact, were the result of * two first rate exhibitions of good passing. With respect to the players, the besb game of all was played By Stevenson, who as; # hftlf in-, etead of forward, bis usual position, appeared to be the righb man in the right place. His running, kicking and collaring were alike admirable, arid tho three tries which his side obtained he had a big band in. ■He also showed himself to be possessed of bhe righb pace for a back, his speed several times gaining his side decided advantages. His * run - which ended in Gittos scoring, was, perhaps the longesb run made during bhe season in senior matches. All bhe other Grafton backs also played, good games, bub especially prominent were Young, Surman, and C. Hay. Surman, however, did not play up to his best, owing, ib seemed, to the facb bhab the same disregard was shown to him by the other backs in the mabter of paßaing, as was noticeable bhe previous Week. This was unfortunate, as his phenomenal speed aimosb ■ invariably gained ground for his side, whenever he gob the ball and ran. Ib is also worthy of remark in connection wibh this player, thab whenever the ball was safely passed to him, the spectators— or rather a good portion of them—appeared to think thab a score- was inevitable, and cheered as vociferously as if the score had been already made. The Grafton forwards again worked hard. Although they were numerically weaker than their opponents, they invariably held their own ia the serums and the line-outs, and all through showed good combination. ' Hewin, McMillan, Hancock, and Broberg were as usual, the moat conspicuous. Amongst bhe Parnell players, bhe game which shone oub before all others was that of. Edmonds, half-back. His agility 'and celerity behind the scrum ■ were excellent, and his quickness in snatching marks was capital. Elliott, though oub of his usual place, played a good game; as also-did Roriayne, Whitley, Geard, Evibb and Murray,... Hedges, as . full- back,^ was a. failure. On most occasions when" be grit bhe ball his play was smothered on account pf his attempting to run too far before kicking, and ptLiobbers .his. ;kicking was poor. The other full-back, Stnibb, made a few mistakes, bub his play, taken all borough, was characterised by coolness and precision. ■ ' /. ■"•THE PLAY. ■ An excellent bib of passing play followed the kick-off between C. Hay, Clayton, and Young, and bhe ball was taken to Parnell's 25, near the corner flag. In the ensuing scrum, Parnell gob a free kick, which senb the ball to Young, who mulled. From a line oub ab centre, Stevenson, by dint of an excellenb dashing run, eluded all of the Parnell backs except Hedges, bub passed too late, and play* ensued in Parnell territory, amidst some considerable enthusiasm. Grafton here obtained a free kick, and Hewitt essayed ab goal, bub failed. The kick off was again mulled by Young, who kicked oub straight. When the ball was thrown in Grafton were penalised for offside play, and Murray had an unsuccessful attempt ab goal. On Grafton kicking off Ronayne sent the bail out of touch. From, the line, out Ronayne marked a hand ball by Grafton, bub the essay ab the posts was again unsuccessful. The Grafbon forwards, headed by Gittos, started a rush from centre into Parnell's 25, bub Whitley immediately started a dribbling rush, which resulted in the play being transferred back again to Grafton's 25, where Ronayne bad a pot ab goal. Centre play again followed. Ronayne passed to .'Elliott, who ran round, but was soon collared by Surman, who had crossed over from the . other side of the ground. For some time play ensued in Grafton territory. After several line-oats arid scrums, D. Hay passed bo C. Hay, who kicked bo Hedges. The latter missing bis chance, the Grafton vanguard, who had followed up smartly, sent the ball pub of touch inParnell 25. A free kick for Parnell was frusbrabed by a Grafton player, and D. Hay marked. Broberg took the kick at goal, bub though the chance was an excellent one, .the :attcmpb was a failure. Roriayne neatly, secured after a .tb row -iri from touch ab centre, and kicked oub in Grafton 25. ' Anderson here marked a free kick for Grafton and bad a place ab goal, bub withoub success. By a smart run . Surman returned the ball to centre, From' the line out Surman kicked along the line to Parnell's 25 flag, where the ball went oub of touch. Fine passing'play between Surman, C. Hay and Clayton which then followed nearly resulted in a score. As ib was, bhe ball was taken to near the line, arid in bhe ensuing play in frorib of Parnell's posts, Gittos secured and made a fine pass oub to Sbevenson,«wbo, being apparently in the righb place, obtained an opening and scored. The essay ab the sticks was an easy one, but proved a failure, no doubt on account of the ball being wet; and greasy.' Grafbon .„ .« ... ... 3 Parnell .... ... ... ... 0 Desultory play followed the kick - off on the Grafbon side of, the half-distance. Eventually Parnell were forced on account of a bard kick by Grafton. Ab centre Parnell obtained a free kick, which Clayton should have counteracted, bub which he didn't. Delaying bis return kick he was 'brought down, and play commenced in Grafton 25. Edmonds returned a free kick by Grafton, and Surman, by a mis-kick, sent the ball out; of touch near his own goal line. During the ensuing line out, the excitement was considerable. Evenbually Grafton were forced. The bell for half-time was then rung. The second spell opened with a rush by the Grafbon forwards, which Ronayne pluckily stopped by laying on the ball in front of his posts. Shortly afterwards McGill secured, and although collared by Surman, managed to kick up the field along the line, thereby transferring play into Grafton's 25. Parnell here obtained a free kick and a mark, but play

ensued ab centre. Ultimately, ClaytoaS kicked down to Hedges, who did the leas't^ he could do by running out in bis own 25.1 By quick kicking behind the scru&jp Edmonds forced the black and whibevbackJ" to centre, bub by means of some'excelleiVf line work, the Grafton forwords gradjiiilg re-gained the 25 distance. A great m byf the maroons -vanguard, however, fp^Tf than equalised ■;■ matters, by tran«-, ferring operations into Grafton's 25^*1® save, Grafbon kicked oub of touch"; During the next two minutes Parnell hftttS tworfree kicks, which, however, resulted unsuccessfully. After the second, Surmar* returned to centre, and from there' tfe.' forwards carried the ball on to the 25, A/ free kick for Parnell relieved. Ab cenfa^ Grafton were also awarded a penalty kick^ bub Ronayne secured and passed to Elliott, Who made a nice run round to'the half distance, from which the Parnell forwards started a fine dribbling rash to the 25. Smith saved •by jkifoirip into touch. A free kick for Parnell -was here taken, bub the ball wag brought back, and a scrum ordered. In the ensuing play C. Hay found an opening.and made what was up to this time the dab* run of the day. He ultimately pagßsd Sto 5 McMillan, who in turn transferred to Gibtet^ and this player was only collared on the*' line, amidst tremendous cheering. GraftOß,^ however, were bhen forced back to bhe' 25. "Here the ball passed quickly through the hands of C. flay, Clayton, and Surman, bub the lasb-menbioned was collared by Hedges. A freo kick for Parnell neor tho line relieved. Fine passing play between C- Hayi? D. Hay, Stevenson, Clayton and Young, and a good run by the last-man-; tioned resulted in the gome being again contested in Parnell's 25. Shortly; after,t i) free kick having been taken by Parnelljw Hay oassed bo Stevenson, and the latter Young, who made a grand run from beyes-i the 25 flag, and dashed over near the cor.;:, gaining a well-earned try. The kick was' taken by-Hewibb, bub proved boo difficult | for conversion. Grafbon ... ►« ~. ... 6 Parnell 0 -; On resuming, several kicks were exchanged'by the "backs, Hedges ultimately 1 running oub of touch in his own 25... Grafton were bhen forced back to their own; territory by a rush headed by Whitley, ban J Stevenson secured, and dashing past nearly the whole of the maroon contingent in great style, closely followed by Gittos, passed everyone except Hedges, and then. passed to his companion, who, having^ajj clear run for the goal, scored near the posts. Brbberg converted the try iHto a goal Grafton .. - 11 Darnell \ ' 0 After the kick-off from centre, the game was contested, in the black and: whites' 25, end was chiefly distinguishable by,the maroons getting three free kicks in suacesBion, which- all resulted unsuccesafully. Play continued for another minute in (&i(> ton territory, and then time was ca11ed.,... NOTES. Grafton obtained four free kicke. hid Parnell fifteen. There were nineteea ehota at goal, arid only once did the ball go mrer. The win for Grafton was an extieiEfely popular one. Ever since the distrieb'scheime was initiated, Parnell have won the cjtsome say that is the reason. y \ Clayton, D. Hay, and Smith, all playW sterling games for Grafton, especially tlio' first-mentioned. ' ' There is some talk of Grafton going on*ai tour. i PONSONBY V. PARNELL. Ponsbnby won by 11 points to nil. TiSesfor the winners were, secured by Wilson^ Lendrum, and Driffin, and R. Masefisld ; converted one into a goal. CHURCH UNION MATCHES. ! ■-■ TT ■ - • ■ -. .■,;' ~;.v:ftv.;.' Pitt-stbkkc v. St. John's.-—Thia mauchjj resulted iv a win for Pitt-street by 3 poiij li to nil. . . >i , ~, „,,, ,; ONKnONOA r. St. James's.—Ooehnnjz* won by 3 points (a goal' from a, penality. kick) bo nil. ..." . .