FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 310, 2 July 1896, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY UNIONS CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR. NORTH ISLAND. AUCKLAND. First and Second Fifteens, July 4—Ponsonby v. Grafton, City v. Suburbs, Newton v. North Shore July 11—Ponsonby v. Gity, Parnell v. Grafton, Newton v. Suburbs July 18— Ponsonby v. Newton—Parnell v. City. North Shore v. Suburbs , July 25—Ponsonby v. North Shore, Parnell v. Newton, Grafton v. City August I—Ponsonby v. Suburbs, Parnell v. North Shore, Grafton v. Newton August B—Parnell v. Suburbs, Grafton v. North Shore, City v. Newton. OTAGO FOOTBALL TOUR. August 26 —Oamaru August 29—Canterbury September I—Taranaki (at Hawera) September s—Auckland5 —Auckland September 9 —Hawke’s Bay September 12 —Wellington QUEENSLAND FOOTBALL TOUR. Saturday, August B—Auckland.8 —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. A glorious day greeted the opening of the second round in the senior football championships on Saturday last, and as a consequence the attendance at Potter’s Paddock to witness the second meeting between Parnell and Ponsonby was a decidedly large one. From a football point of" view, the spectators were sadly out of it, as the big fixture was undoubtedly one of the most uninteresting games we "have seen at Potter’s Paddock since the opening of the season, the play being of a most “ rubbishy ” nature in every respect. The passing was weak, and even it looked as though this necessary adjunct to good Rugby was going to be indulgedin,but the passing was eithererratic or ill-timed. Certainly, Parnell left the field victors by 15 points to nil, but this does not gauge the respective play, as taking the game throughout, the Western suburb showed equally as good form as the maroons, and indeed, in the second spell may be said to have had the best of the deal. City won from North Shore by 20 points to nil, and Grafton gained the day by default, Suburbs not placing a team in the field. The following are the particulars : — PAKNELL v. PONSONBY. Loose scrambling play followed the kick-off, the Ponsonby backs eventually carrying the oval to Parnell’s 25, Flynn, Ramsay, and Cole being prominent, but the former failing to take a pass, Whitley dribbled back to midfield, and Murray carried it out at Ponsonby’s 25. The Ponsonby forwards were, however, not to be denied, and in a few minutes had worked their opponents back to neutral territory. Two or three exchanges followed, and a weak kick by Masefield allowed Parnell to reach Ponsonby’s 25, where Tait marked, and Murray made an unsuccessful shot at goal. The maroons followed the kick-off by driving Parnell back again, and Ramsay, in attempting to kick up the field, sent the ball in the opposite direction, and Whitley, who was handy, scored first blood for Parnell. Murray took the shot at goal, but though an easy chance he failed. —Parnell 3, Ponsonby 0. Parnell continued the aggressive, and Murray had another shot or two at goal, but no score eventuated. Elliott made a fine run to within a few yards of the line, passing several of his opponents, and Jervis had an unsuccessfur pot, after which fumbling on the part of Elliott and Hedges enabled Ponsonby to get into the Parnell 25. Passing play between Ramsay and Flynn, and an excellent run by the latter, looked dangerous, but Jervis, by several judicious kicks, returned play beyond the half-distance. No further score was added in the first half, and on the whole the play was even. The second spell saw Ponsonby in Parnell’s territory nearly the whole time, although Parnell occasionally broke away and scored. A pass from Conolly to Elliotc, and from the latter to Tait, saw the Parne’l threequarter reach within a few yards from the line. From the ensuing scrum a pass was made to Elliott, who transferred to Jervis, and the latter ran round and scored. Murray’s shot at goal was again

unsuccessful. — Parnell 6, Ponsenby 0. A smart kick by Elliott, followed up by Conolly, who succeeded in preventing Cole’s return, enabled Parnell to drive their opponents back to their 25, where a free kick was awarded to Ponsonby. Injudicious kicking by Braund gave Jervis an opportunity to pot, and the latter sent the ball over the bar. —Parnell 10, Ponsonby 0. Ponsonby still continued to be aggressive, but just before the call of time Parnell managed to get, back to their opponent’s 25, and Conolly getting an opening by an excellent pass from Jervis, scored about 10 yards from the post. Murray converted, leaving Parnell victors by 15 points to nil. CITY v. NORTH SHORE. There was a very fair attendance of spectators at this match, which was played on the Devonport ground. It was fairly fast and interesting, but somewhat onesided, the City passing proving too much for the home representatives. Just before the end of the first spell Surman scored a try, but Stone failed to convert. In the second spell Oliphant and Absolum each scored two tries, and Surman one try, one of which Stone converted. Francis was warned off the field by the referee, so that in the second spell North Shore played with only fourteen men. Lindsay was also lame. The game ended — City 20, North Shore nil. GRAFTON v. SUBURBS. Suburbs not placing a team' in the field, the game went to Grafton by default.

W. Clark played about the best game amongst the North Shore backs. This young player is very fast and kicks well, and although on the light side he promises to develop into a good three-quarter back. O. Creagh, in his new position of fullback, did not have a great amount to do, but what work came down his way was creditably performed. With practice he should make a good place kick, judging from the one attempt he had last Saturday. That Parnell player who gave an un-called-for exhibition of temper on Saturday may think himself lucky he was not ordered off the field by the referee. The North Shore boys made things very sultry for City in the first spell, but fell all to pieces at the finish. They had bad luck in losing Lindsay (a Gisborne forward) early in the game, and Francis in the second spell. The majority of the spectators at Potter’s voted Saturday’s match the tamest they had witnessed this season. Parnell evidently felt tne loss of Ronayne and Edmonds, as their play was by no means up to previous performances, although Jervis fairly excelled himself and played one of his best games. Surman did too men’s work at the Shore, and was all over the field. Oliphant, playing at three-quarter, made some big dashes, and did all that was asked of him. That good little team, Ponsonby 11., added another win to their already long list, beating Parnell by some 25 points. In the championship matches at Wellington on Saturday last, Petone beat Poneke by 7 points to nil, and Melrose beat Athletics by 11 points to 3 The usual admission charges, per tram and to the ground, will be made on Saturday next at Potter’s Paddock, when the Ponsonby v. Grafton and City v. Suburbs matches will be played. The Arapohue team beat Dargaville 11. last Saturday by 6 points to nil. Aratapu 11. had an easy win over the Kopuru 11. team last Saturday, winning by 27 points to nil. “ Cork” Davidson, one of the most popular of the Wellington footballers, and who has acted as full-back for the Poneke Club in nearly all their matches, has received a good appointment with the United Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Feilding.. “Cork” will be much missed when the Rugby Union comes to select a full-back for the Wellington rep. team. My opinion is that there is not a better full-back in New Zerland. The f ourth match of the present season between the Kihikihi and Te Awamutu clubs was played at Kihikihi on Saturday last, and a closely contested game end ed in a draw, both sides scoring 8 points. As the Pukekohe team did not turn up last Saturday their match will go by default to the Waiuku team.