LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15998, 28 May 1924, Page 10

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

WiN FOR MARISTS. SUCCESS BY 25 to 3. GAME AT STEELE PARK. After the several days of heavy rain. Hie weather cleared vp yesterday afternoon when the Mansts' League team from Ghristchurch met the JSamilton representatives al Steele Park before ;m attendance of 700 spectators. Marists are the latest recruits to the code. Under the Rugby rule:; they were a prominent factor in Canterbury football, having- won the competition for I'.'ve years in succession and provided <jevoral men fo: Provincial. Island and Dominion learns The teams were :

Maris-ls: E. Brosnahan fCapt.), If Mullins. K. Fitzgerald, T. Gilruy. C Batchelor, C. l-'itz.m raid. I!. Kirwan J. E. Ellis, A. Baloiuan, 11. Blazey, \y Devine. G. Rutherford, L. Peterson. Hamiltcn: .Jacques. Appleby, Buff I! Warnmn. Dufly, Bezar, Prckh •n 'Captain;. Noill.Wcmall, Stevenson J'Uhnston, Lund, Payne.

The ~ime was played in spells of thirty-five minutes. Prom the kirkoff Marists went to the attack, Dufly, Bczar and Warman handling and turning them off Inside their half, Mansts got off but Dully'* shot dropped short. Almost immediately the visitors again offended and Dufty mad. a good but unavailing effort to realise on the opportunity. .Maris! forward* look charge and Devine very nearisucceeded in dribbling- over at I Iksou th western corner. from a murk G. Fitzgciald had an unavailing sho; for Marists. The play changed quickly and Marists were defending in sheet, order. Buffet marked in favourable situation and a cood off or I dropped a shade short. Midfioid play occurred, following which a free kick was awarded the home side. Marists pressed and prom loose play near the .coal front the attack opened and C. Fitzgerald, Batchelor and E. Fitzgerald handled, the latter scoring,-. I. Fitzgerald missed the coal. Maris!* .'i, Hamilton 0. Marists kept up the attack and from a penalty C. Fitzgerald coaled nicely. Marists 5, Hamilton 0. Hamilton then cot. a nhc try. Appleby dashed down ever Ihe eastern half and cross-kicked towards the coal front. The defending back, K. Fitzgerald, was pressed and Bczar gathered and sent oul to Payne, whe. ran over unopposed. Buffet missed the goal. Hamilton 3, Marists 5.

Play was only in motion a few minutes v.hen Hamilton were penalised at their twenty-five goal front and (.:. Fitzgerald added the two points with a fine luck. Marists 7, Hamilton 3.

Dufty broke away and the attack reached Ihe visitors' territory where a mark by Brosnahan held the advance up. The best movement of the game so far eventuated, Kirwan, Devine, Ellis, Batchelor and E. Fitzgerald handling from their own twenty-five to the home one where the pass out to Mullins -was dropped. Marists kept up the attack, Rutherford gathering from the loose arid sending on lo Devine, who scored and C. Fitzgerald goaled, bringing Ihe totals to Marists 12, Hamilton 3. A little later Devine was again prominent but was grassed when the movemen! looked dangerous. Hamilton infringed but G. Fitzgerald's shol pitched wide. Kirwan broke round a scrum at half-way with the ball in possession but got pinched for room. The home team suffered from a subsequent infringement, but Pockbam cleared the danger with a nice run and Hamilton worked over the halfway mark. A fine try now came Marists' way. From a luck by Bezar, Gilroy gathered and fed E. Fitzgerald below the eastern half. The centre ran hard along- the touch and beating three men scored. G. Fitzgerald's goal effort failed. Marists 15, Hamilton 3.

Hamilton pressed for a term but a touch in goal resulted. Dufty toed the ball towards the line in a subsequent advance, but Mullins stayed progress. Marists '-were penalised for illegal handling in the scrum but Dufty's shot was unsuccessful as the bell rang for the interval. The Second Half.

Hamilton went to the attack on resuming, but Dufty spoilt a pond opportunity by infringing under the visitors' goal Marists infringed a couple of times in play at mridfleld. Bovine threw out to his backs on one occasion and the ensuing passing saw play enter the homo 2r>, but Peckham relieved the siituation with a kick from a scrum heel. Marists passing in ihelr twenty-five was ruled against, but Buffet's shot pitched well wide. Peckham and Buffet were all but across, from individual play, following Ibis and a free to the defenders came shortly. Again Hamilton lost their advantage through infringement. Peckham broke away belcw his half and beat several of the opposition to send on to Stevenson but the pass out to Buffet was lost. Penalties continued, Ddtli sides offending. A forward attack sorely tried the visitors' defence. It culminated in a penalty from which Jacques' shot hit the bar and dropped in tfeld. Hamilton passing broke down and Marists got to the half-way. A score came shortly. From a scrum the visiting forwards smoopefl down. Jacques went to defend, but lost possession and the ball was carried to the north-w-.st corner where Ellis scored, Q. Fitzgerald's sjiot missed though a good one. Marists 18, Hamilton 3. Dcvine. Mullius and Bateman handled to the east from the kick-out, the latter scoring and Fitzgerald adding the extra points. Marists 23 .Hamilton 3.

Dufty had now gone to half b;vk for the home, team and Peckham took up first five-eighths duly. Marists' forwards and backs took a band in affairs, E. Fitzgerald being tackled close to the mark. Jacques, Bezir and Warman figured in a ground gaining passing movement which took play I back above the eastern half. Faulty handling lost the attackers their position, but Appleby came to their rescue with a good dash at the western half. Peckham cut through niceiy and fed Bezar, but E. Fitzgerald cut off the latter's pass at the twenty-five and saved the situation. Divine led his side on a ground gaining dribble from the half to the twenty-five west. Off-side play held up a Marist passing bout at this stage. Hamilton continued superior at scrum keeling. Play assumed a fw-Ji Lurn, Hamilton gainincr the attack with a nice breakaway, but off-side play lost them the advantage. Peckham showed up a little later with a tine, dodgy, run from his twenty live well into the opposing territory. Marists returned quickly and al'te ■ several threatening movements, (.;. Fitzgerald goaled from a penally at the eastern '-lit. Marists 25, Hamilton,3. E. Fitzgerald cut off an alack and! dashed along west, the ball being handled infield by three men but Payne finally cleared the danger. Kirwan sent C. Fitzgerald away from a successful scrum heel, hut the pass out was knooked-on after a nice cut in by Fitzgerald, Weill got in front

to a visiting passing bout across the twcnty-fhe but G. Fitzgerald's shot failed. HairJltan were attacking as time was called with the score Marists 25, Hamilton 3. Mf J. Merrick controlled the game. Comments on the Play.

The surprising feature was the dry condition of the ground after the heavy rain. The better team won, and when it is allowed -that they have been in the code for the first season only, their performance earns increased value. Their forwards were the heavier set, and combined with their backs well. As would be expected, they at times erred in the "finer" points of play. Hamilton were beaten in every department except the scrum heeling. Peckham was their outstanding man, and Appleby was also very reliable. The home thirteen infringed more frequently than was expected, and their form, generally, was below their real worth. Teams Entertained.

In the evening the teams dined at the Commercial Hotel, when several speeches appropriate to the occasion were made. The visitors left for the South by last night's express.