CHATHAM CUP

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31407, 28 June 1967, Page 19

CHATHAM CUP

12 Clubs In Last Stages

From the original entry of 94 clubs, the 1967 Chatham Cup competition, the supreme trophy In New Zealand soccer, is now down to the last 12 teams.

The original entry was divided so that each island would find two finalists and the winners of these would play in the national final. The South Island finalists will come from five clubs now remaining.

The Canterbury champion, Christchurch City, will meet the winner of next Saturday’s match between Nelson Suburbs and Grosvenor Rovers (Marlborough), to find one, and Northern (Dunedin) will play Invercargill Thistle to produce the other. Seven clubs are survivors from the North Island qualifying rounds —North Shore (Auckland), Rotorua City (Bay of Plenty), Eastern Union (Poverty Bay), and Otangarei (Northland) in the northern section: Miramar Rangers (Wellington), Manawatu Thistle and Western Suburbs (Wanganui) in the southern group. Miramar, the present holder, which beat the Canterbury champion, Western, in last year’s final, will play the winner of Thistle and Western Suburbs to produce one finalist. The semi-final draw in the northern section, to be played on July 8, is: Eastern Union v. Otangarei: North Shore v. Rotorua City.

Shield Squad.— Two new players have been brought into the Hawke’s Bay Ranfurly Shield squad. They are G. Martin (Dannevirke) and B. Furlong (Napier).

Pask Retiring.—A. Pask. the former captain of Wales and the British Lions, plans to retire. Capped for Wales 27 times, he twice toured with the Lions —to South Africa in 1962 and to Australia and New Zealand last year.