LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19134, 28 September 1925, Page 12

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

STORMONT SHIELD MATCH. PONSONBY'S CLOSE CALL. MARGIN OF ONE POINT. The first game for the Stormont Memorial Shield was played at Carlaw Park on Saturday, when Ponsonby beat Marist Old Boys in a hard and exciting struggles by 23 points to 22. Tho feature of tho game was Marist's great fight in the second spell against a strong wind. They scored ten points to their opponents' five. Just before the end it looked a3 if Ponsonby would win easily, but the Marist forwards in a great rush swept down and scored a try that was converted. The bell sounded in time to save Ponsonby from a possible defeat. . The Opening Stages. Marist won tho loss arid haa tho advantago of a strong wind blowing down the fiom. Alanst wore quick to attack, and Kirwan was unlucky in losing the ball just on tho goal-lino, fonsonby cleared and their forwards swept down the field, but Gregory proved safo, and sent play back to midfield. Ponsonby kept up tho attack, and from the loose Cole ran strongly, to pass to Riloy, who gained useful ground belore sending on to Gardiner. Gardiner dashed down tho side line, and outpaced the opposition, to score a good try. Delgroasoo easily aaded the goal points, and Ponsonby had a five-point lead. The greasy ground considerably hampered the players, but Kirwan opened up the game with a fine dash. However, his pass to Kirkland was nullified by Littlewood. O'Brien and Johnston were prominent in a good dash, and Kirwan raced on to tako a low pass, which he sent on to Malloy, who was well taken by Dolgrosso. Hutt and Payne were responsible for changing the sccno of operations to Marist's twenty-five, where Cole beat the opnosition badly and whipped the ball on to Riley, to Gardiner, who burst through to score between the posts. Delgrosso added the goal-points. Ponsonby 10 Marist 0 Marist Open Their Score. Tho game was fast and open, and both sides throw the ball about in great style. Ghent made a good opening and passed to Cooke, to Kirwan, who gained ground with a clever run down the centre, but lack of support lost a possible try. For not playing tho ball correctly Ponsonby were penalised and Gregory opened Marist's scoro with a good goal. Brilliant play by Dolgrosso improved Ponsonby's position, with the aid of Gardiner they were busy on Marist's line. Ponsonby were penalised for offside play and Gregory added another two points with a fine goal, making: tho score 10-4 in Ponsonby's favour. Almost, immediately' afterwards Stormont and Singe broke away with tho ball at toe. but. just as they appeared to have the opposition beaten, Delgrosso whipped the ball up and raced down the ground. Near the half-way line Lineen partly stopped his progress, but Delgrosso lator broke olear and raced on, to score a great try bonetilh the posts. Delgrosso was successful with the shot at goal. Concerted Work by Backs. Ponsonby were showing fine combination and their passing was excellent. From a scrum McNeill kicked ha r d, and Gregory gathered the ball up well and kicked over the lino, to follow up fast. Cole, instead of touching down, essayed a pass to Moore, who missed the ball and Gregory dived on it to scoro. He failed to convert. Ponsonby 18 Marist Old Boys 7 Marist were now playing better football, and a brilliant movement was witnessed aB Ghent passed to O'Brien, to Singe, and the last-named changed the run of play and passed cleverly to Kirwan. who had raced up, to take the pass. Kirwan beat several opponents before passing to O'Brien, whose pass Kirkland missed. Such a fine movement deserved a better fate. Better luck followed the play that resulted from a Rcrum near_ Ponsonby's line, and Ghent boat the opposition, to score a fino try. Gregory added the goal points iust before halftime. Exciting Slay in Second Spell. Marist opened the . attack after the ittwith a nice passing bout, in which Kirwan figured prominently. His pass was taken by Lineen, who cro3s-kicked and tho greens just missed a try, Littlewood saving. There was plenty of vim iff the Marist at'tack and Gregory, now playing five-eighth, ably assisted Kirwan. They were associated in some clever passing. Good play by Peckham gave Ponsonby much-needed relief, but not for long, and O'Brien and Stormont with the ball at toe, carried play back to Ponsonby's territory, where a scrum followed. Ghent whipped the ball to Kirwan, who made a brilliant opening to run on and score a nice try, Gregory kicked a great goal. Ponsonby s lead was now reduced to one point. Play was fast and exciting. A nice run by Riley put Ponsonby in a good position and Cole received the pass in turn to send it on to Hutt, to Payne, who raced over to score. Delgrosso missed with the kick. The Marist forwards wore putting plenty of dash into their play and Singe led tho front division as they swept down the field. Peckham sent on to Cole and Riley and Ponsonby's backs attacked strongly, but Riley's kick was returned by Malloy to midfield. Both sets of forwards were battling hard under trying conditions and many exciting moments mad" the game interesting. From a dropped pass Cole wmpped up the •ball and with six supports, raced toward Malloy. but the pass was sent the wrong way, and a certain try missed. Good play by Moore put Ponsonby on Marist's line, and Kirwan. with a well-judged kick, gave his side muchneeded relief. In a tussle in front of Marist's goal the line umpire detected some illegal tactics and Ponsonby were awarded a penalty kick, Gardiner making no mistake. Ponsonby .. .. .. ..23 Marist 17 The Marist forwards, headed by Hannan, rushed play to Ponßonby's quarter, where Singe carried it on, and from a scramble O'Brien dived over to score. Gregory added the goal points just before the bell sounded with the final score:— Ponßonby .. rra rra r.. 23 Marist .. ..- bv . 22 JUNIOR GRADE RESULTS. Results of junior matches are as follows: THIRD GRADE. Northcote, 8, beat Point Chevalier, 3. FOURTH GRADE. Richmond, 5, beat Ponsonby, 2. FIFTH GRADE. City, 24. beat Marist 5. Pamell beat Devonport by default. Parnell, 9, beat Northcote, 3. HOUSE MATCH. N.Z. Farmers' Fertiliser Company, 22, boat Booth, Macdonald Co., Ltd., 0. QUEENSLAND V. CANTERBURY. VISITORS FINE EXHIBITION. [BY lELEGItAFH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] '* CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. There was an attendance of about 5000 to watch the Queensland and Canterbury teams piay at Monioa Park. The visitors were at their best and simply ran over the home team, winning by 67 points to 15. J.heir clean passing and almost marvellous combination dazzled Canterbury and allowed them to score from all sorts of tight corners. Queensland started off with passing, and strong running among Edwards, Moore and Steinohxt let the last named over. Craig converted. Then Craig ran brilliantly and sent Potter over. Craig converted. In a b-autiful rush Edwards sent to Gorman, to Aynsley, who scored. Craig failed with the kick. In a Canterbury forward rush the ball came to Fitzgerald, who crossed. Parkes failed to convert. Armbruster broke away from a scrum, dribbled on and sent Stemohrt over. Craig converted. At racing speed Edwards let the leather out and it flashed to Meores, to Gorman, to Craig, who ran for position and gave Paten a clear sprint m down the line. Craig missed with the kick. Immediately Henderson, Frauenfelder, Gorman and Moore were off again for the last named to score. Craig converted. The half-time score was: Queensland 26 points. Canterbury 3. Mackie broke away for Canterbury on the resumption but there was no support and Edwards came back and ..-sent to Moore, to Aynsley. who side-stepped the defenders for a clever try. Craig converted. Aynßley was given possession from a home forward kioklng and he flashed past three defenders to scoro in the corner. Craig failed to convert. The Canterbury forwards now took a hand and Ellis scored from a loose rush, and then Burns rushed across after taking a hard pass. Fitzgerald missed both kicks, which promised easy goals. Peterson and Green headed a forward rush from which Parkes scored a hard try in tho corner but failed to convert. The maroons came away in excellent order, the ball going from Edwards to Moore, to Gorman, to Craig, to Paton, who used remarkable speed to score behind the posts. Craig converted. Canterbury secured their last trv when the ball bounced against Craig and Ellis scored as the result of fast following. He missed the kick from under the posts. A bad miss by the Canterbury five-eighth

let Gorman in to send Craig on for Edwards" to goal. Queonsland had all tho play toward tho end, Aynsley, Bennett and Purcell adding tries, two of which were converted by Craig. Mackie saved well by throwing Paten over the dead line and in a breakaway Polnscheck was almost in for Canterbury. When tho whistle went after tho most spectacular game seen hero for a time, the score read:—Queensland 57 points, Canterbury 15. In a curtain-raiser played by a Canterbury B teffm and the newly-formed South Canterbury centre the latter fielded a strong team which has still a bit to learn but played hard enough, especially in the forwards, to enable them to win by 13 points to 11. Devine scored three tries, two of which were converted by Blazey, for the winners and Sheehan, Collins, O'Malley for Canterbury. Sheehan converted one.