FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 308, 18 June 1896, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY UNIONS CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR. NORTH ISLAND. AUCKLAND. First and Second Fifteens. June 20 —Parnell v. Suburbs, Grafton v. North Shore, City v. Newton. THAMES. June 20—Thames 11. v. Rovers H.; Nelson 11. v. Britannia. June 27—Britannia v. Whitemata; Nelson H. v. Thames n. TARANAKI. Senior. Juue 19—Star v. Normanby, at Normanby. June 20 —Waimate v. Hawera, at Hawera; Tukapa a bye. SOUTH ISLAND. DUNEDIN. June 20—Kaikorai v. Zingari-Richmond, on ground to be arranged. \ Dunedin v. jCaversham, at St. Clair j Alhambra v. University, at Tahuna Park; Union v. Pirates, at Carisbrook. June 27 -Kaikorai v. Alhambra, at Carisbrook ; Dunedin v. Union, on the Caledonian Ground; ZinganRichmond v. Pirates, at Montecillo; Caversham v. University, at St. Clair. CHRISTCHURCH. June 20.—Linwood v. Albion, Canterbury College v. N’tu Ahuriri, Merivale v. Sydenham, Kaiapoi v. East Christchurch, Christchurch a bye. QUEENSLAND FOOTBALL TOUR. Saturday, August B—Auckland. Tuesday, August 11—Taranaki. Thursday, August 13—Wellington. Saturday, August 15—New Zealand match, at Wellington. Thursday, August 20—Canterbury, at Christchurch Saturday, August 22—Otago match, at Dunedin. Tuesday, August 25—Southland, at Bluff.

Continuation of the Championship Fixtures. The Cup matches were continued on Saturday last, at Epsom and North Shore, under favourable circumstances so far as the weather was concerned, though the attendance was by no means as large as usual. Newton defeated Grafton at Epsom, on No. 1 ground, by 11 points to 7, the whole of the winning score being put up in the second half; and Ponsonby proved too strong for the opposition offered by Suburbs, whom they defeated by 11 points to 4; while, at the North Shore, Parnell gave the home team a drubbing by 21 points to nil. The following are the particulars: — NEWTON v. GRAFTON. Gittos kicked off for Grafton, and after several minutes of loose play a neat passing run, initiated by Fielder, saw the balls in the hands of C. Hay, Clayton, and Moncur, the last-named crossing the line, and scored first blood for last year’s champions. Clayton made a good kick, but did not add the major points, and the game stood —Grafton 3, Newton nil. The Newton forwards, with a strong rush in which P. Murray was prominent, carried play to centre shortly after the kick out, where Feilder, picking up, came right through the opposing backs, and was only just grassed by the Newton fullback, Webber, in the nick of time. From a long throw-in C. Hay passed the ball to D. Clayton, who landed an unmistakeable goal from the field. —Grafton 7, Newton nil. In the second spell, from a scrum C. Freeman made a splendid opening, and passing to Roberts, the latter ran in and scored a try directly behind the posts for Newton. Roberts failed to add _ the major points to what seemed a certainty. From near midfield A. Freeman, by a fine dodgy run, evaded the Grafton halves and three-quarters, and just before he reached the full-back kicked hard, and a race ensued for the ball, Wilson securing it, scored a try for Newton. Roberts increased the score. —Newton 8, Grafton 7. Grafton returned to the battle with renewed vigour, and their backs got on one or two slashing runs, one of which looked a moral score, but the Newtonites managed to push D. Hay into touch just on the verge of the line. From the thrown-in Brady crossed the line, but he was unable to touch the ball down, and a scrum followed five yards from Newton’s line. This scrum was carried by the Newton pack, and a hard kick by Roberts sent the ball out at centre. From the throw in, the Grafton forwards made another fine attack, but Siddle stopped them and made a long pass to Roberts, who made the best run of the day by dodging all the Grafton backs and scoring directly behind the goal posts. He took the kick himself, but the ball struck one of the uprights and no goal ensued. A few minutes after this the bell sounded to cease play without further score being added.

PONSONBY v. SUBURBS. This match occupied No. 2 Grounds and as seems to be usual with all matches played on that spot, was by no means so interesting as might have been wished. Ponsonby got in the first score from a, penalty for off-side play on the part of the Suburban forwards, Cooke landing an unmistakeable goal. Ponsonby 3, Suburbs nil. Early in the second half a very determined struggle ensued near the line, the Suburbs forwards several times nearly making their way across. From a throwin one of the Suburbs forwards secured and passed to McPike, and the latter potted a very nice goal. Suburbs 4, Ponsonby 3. The Ponsonby team put more dash in their play from this out, and keeping up passing rushes among the backs, kept Suburbs on the defensive till the end of the game. Twice they scored, R. Masefield getting across on one occasion, and A. Braund crossing the line between the posts shortly before the end of the game. Both scores were due to smart passing between Cooke, Braund, Gallagher, and Masefield. The latter try was converted by Cooke, and the game ended —Ponsonby 11, Suburbs 4. PARNELL v. NORTH SHORE. This contest was fought out on the Devonport ground. In the first ten minutes Taylor recorded a try for Parnell, but Murray did not convert, the angle being most difficult—Parnell 3, North Shore 0. Play centred for some time, when Grattan kicked and Purdy, following up, got into the enemy’s 25. Jervis and Cardno exchanged kicks and Elliott getting possession made a clean run for a good distance, when he passed to Jervis, who transferred to Tait, the last man carrying the ball out almost on the Shore line. Parnell forced the game from the throw in, and Gordon got across some ten yards from the corner flag. Broberg was entrusted with the kick, and he made a good but unsuccessful attempt —Parnell 6, North Shore 0. Shortly after the kick-off in the second half, Murray got across the Shore line and scored behind the posts, and (himself) successfully piloted the ball over the bar —Parnell 11, North Shore 0. North Shore had a shot at gaol from a free-kick, but were unsuccessful. Parnell swept down the field again, and Elliott scored an easy try, which Murray converted — Parnell 16, North Shore 0. A tricky run by Roynane took play into their opponents’ 25, and Clarke relieved the Shore from an awkward position by a kick out. On two or three occasions A. Campbell had hard luck in not scoring for the town team. Taylor took a pass from Elliott very neatly, and got over the Shore line close alongside the corner flag. The angle was the most difficult of the day, and Murray kicked a magnificent goal. When time was called the game stood— Parnell 21, North Shore 0. ,

Death of an Otahuhu Footballer. On Saturday last teams from Newmarket and Panmure met to have a friendly game, when a sad accident occurred. A young man named Sykes, who has been in the employ of Mr Todd, of Otahuhu, for some time, was, as far as I can learn, running along the field when he came into collision with one of the opposing team. It seems Sykes ran against the knee of this player, which struck him violently in the abdomen, and during the evening paralysis of the bowels set in, and we regret to say the poor fellow died early on Tuesday morning.

The passing of the Grafton back's was as good as anything seen at Potter’s this season, especially in the first spell, the two Hays, Clayton, and Moncur shining in this particular line. Scarboro, who last season played for Hawera, assisted Suburbs against Ponsonby. He is a big, strong forward, and grafted hard throughout the game. Harry Cooke, Braund, and Reg. Masefield played up well behind the scrum for Ponsonby, and Albie scored a very clever try just before time was called. Ronayne played his usual dashing game, being all over the field. This player takes a pass well whilst going at top„and unlike some of our backs (who simply run out tovvards the boundary) he always makes headway. McPike (Suburbs) still keeps up his reputation, and he and E. Sutherland worked hard against Ponsonby on Satur-

day. McPike kicked a smart left-foot goal from the field; he performed the same feat a few Saturdays ago. Hubert Dacre, the ex-Suburbanite, is now playing for the Invercargill Football Club. Dacre has not let the grass grow under his.feet, as besides being an active member hie is one of the Match Committee of his club, and is also on the committee of the Southland Rugby Union. He Has only been in Invercargill some four months, but in that time he has won two swimming races, and stroked a winning crew in a trial fours. The New Zealand Rugby Union has resolved to communicate with the various affiliated unions as to the men available to take part in the Queensland and New Zealand match; also, that with a view of accumulating a fund to cover the expenses of sending a team to Australia next season, such unions will defray the cost of their representatives to Wellington to play against Queensland. The match between Rovers I. and Nelson I. was decided at Parawai (Thames), the former winning by seven points to nil. On Saturdav last Poneke beat Melrose at Wellington by 12 points to 3. This match completes the first round of the championships. Melrose, Poneke, and Athletics are now even, with six points each. The disputed match between Paeroa and Karangahake was played over again on Saturday, the teams meeting at Mt. Clayton. The former team won by 5 points to 3. Paeroa claimed a try which was not allowed them in the previous match, and they appealed, as this try would have given them the game. No less than five football players have been admitted to the Dunedin Hospital * during the present season —four of them „ with broken collarbones, the fifth with a dislocated shoulder. Mr M. Ryan, proprietor of the Criterion Hotel, Napier, has donated a fiveguinea cup to the Hawkes Bay Rugby Union. In the Paeroa v. Karangahake match last Saturday P. Moore, one of the Paeroa team, received a nasty kick, which fractured the small bone of the ankle. At Waiuku on Saturday, Wairoa South played the local team, but the W aiukus were too good for the visitors, the game resulting in their favour by 16 points to 8. The Otago Rugby Union on Monday night, decided definitely to send a team North, appointed a sub-committee to frame an alternative programme, one providing for a Northern trip before meeting Queensland, and the other for a trip after the visit of the Queenslanders to Dunedin. Considering that the Queensland team does not play in Dunedin until August 22nd, it will be little use sending a team North after that date. For instance, in the Auckland province we are well on to the hot weather, and football in early Spring is not pleasant to the players.