ITEMS OF SPORT

New Zealand Tablet, 5 September 1912, Page 31

ITEMS OF SPORT

FOOTBALL. The match Vincent v. Otago was played at Cromwell on Saturday, and' resulted in a win for Otago by 8 points to nil. Auckland defeated Bay of Plenty at Rotorua on Saturday by 20 points to 3 in a scrambling game, which was played in a sea of water. The match between Wellington and Wairarapa resulted in a win for the former by 17 points to 8. The ground was in bad order, but the game was interesting and fast. In the Association game at Dunedin on Saturday Kaitangata beat Mornington by 4 goals to 2; Christian Brothers defeated Ravensbourne by 4 goals to 2; whilst in the match Northern v. Roslyn-Wakari, neither side scored.

The climatic conditions on Saturday were anything but favorable for the junior representative football match between Otago and Canterbury, which took place on the Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, in the presence of a limited number of football enthusiasts. This was the first meeting of junior representatives of Canterbury and Otago for ten years. The visitors won by 8 points to 3.

The match between Wanganui and Wellington was played at Wanganui on Saturday. Heavy rain fell, but it cleared a couple of hours before the game commenced, and the ground was in perfect order. The game was very strenuous. Three players—Tilyard (a bad knee) and Bishop (a broken rib), for Wanganui, and Murray (an injured leg), for Wellington—had to leave the field. The game resulted in a win for Wellington by 26 points to 9.

A scheme is mooted in Sydney to send a £ Soccer ’. football team on a tour of America, Canada, and Britain. Mr. Alexander Knox, on a recent visit to America, communicated with President Taft on the subject, and the President replied that he would welcome the visit, provided it was an amateur team. There is a consensus of opinion here that New South Wales is strong enough to undertake the tour, but that it would be better to send an Australian team.

I am ‘ pleased to record the success of the Marist Brothers’ (Tasman street) team in their final Association match against the Te Aro public school on last Saturday, and whom they defeated by 5 goals to nil (writes our Wellington correspondent). This gives the Brothers boys the distinction of having won the championship and the Thistle Challenge Cup for the second year in succession. The chief scorers throughout the year were Ryan (captain), Davies, Paton, and O’Callaghan. The match Canterbury v. Otago, played at Christchurch on Saturday, resulted in a win for Canterbury by 11 points to 3. Canterbury won the toss, and,played against the wind in the first spell. The standard of play was poor, and the game lacked character. Any brilliancy that might have been shown was prevented by the condition of the ground, which, owing to the fine rain that had fallen early in the morning, was as treacherous as an icepond, and the ball as elusive as a shadow. Otago took the field confident that the conditions would suit them, but they were , badly beaten. Out of 34 matches played between the two provinces !9 have been won by Otago and seven by Canterbury while eight have been drawn. ’

On Wednesday of last week (writes our Invercargill correspondent) the Rugby championship was decided between the two leading teams—the Athletics and the Invercargill. Great interest was taken in the match and a record f gate’ for club matches in Southland was the result. The game was ably and strenuously contested from start to finish, the Invercargill team evenly winning by 3 points to nil. Without wishing to discount the Invercargill team’s victory, it may be fairly said they were lucky to defeat the Athletics, who on the day s play, proved themselves, if anything, thb superior team. Their forwards played a really great game, especially m the second spell, when they kept

their opponents on the defence nearly all the time, and were unfortunate on many, occasions that they did not score. The game was played in the best of spirit, and was impartially controlled by Dr. Ritchie Crawford. V-.;' .

On Saturday (writes our Invercargill correspondent), the Marist Brothers’ school team, accompanied by a number of supporters, journeyed to Otautau to try conclusions with the public school boys, who are the champion primary school team for the Western Districts; On reaching their destination the boys were conducted to the Otautau Hotels where an excellent lunch was provided for them by Mrs. Coakley. Early in the afternoon the game was started, and a steady downpour set in, lasting practically during the whole of the game. Under these conditions spectacular play was out of the question, and the game resolved itself into a struggle between the forwards. The visitors had a little the advantage of weight in this department, but not till near the end were they able to score.", A free kick was awarded them in their opponents’ twenty-five, and Duthie cross-kicked cleverly to Coakley, who dribbled across and touched down amidst applause. Their success stimulated the boys in green, who were now keeping the wet sodden ball to the toe, and frorn a good rush Duthie dribbled across and touched down. Shortly after the whistle sounded. Duthie and Coakley played well for the winners. The last mentioned lias made somewhat of a record in that he has scored for his team in every match played this season. To Mrs. Coakley the thanks of the team are due for her hospitality. The boys, on leaving Otautau, were accorded a hearty send-off, from their opponents. ■/' '* 'i. The schools of South Canterbury (writes ourcorrespondent) held their annual seven-a-sideVogtßall tournament on Saturday, August 23, and the the Marist Brothers’ School, Timaru, succeeded >ih carrying off the championship medals in grade, the players being J. Kane (captain), A. Clinch, S. c Clinch, R. Virtue, W. Hay, J. ; Mulcahy, >and : ;4P. Courtney. The boys gave a very good exhibition,. and comfortably defeated the Timaru Main, Waihiataitai, and Temuka Schools. All seven boys were immediately chosen for the South Canterbury, schools’ representatives, and J. Kane was appointed captain. As there are at the Marist- Brothers’ School only 100 boys out of the 1600 boys attending the schools taking part in the competition, the Marist boys have at least done their share in providing seven players, and one emergency of the sixteen chosen to represent :the province. South Canterbury schools beat Canterbury by 9 points to 3. The boys have had perhaps the most successful season in the history of the school, as they have won both senior and junior grades, and have gone through the season without having a single point scored against them. Their record reads:——Matches played 8, won 8, drawn 0, lost 0, points for 137, points against 0. Junior Matches played 6, won 6, drawn 0, lost 0, points for 37, points against 0. Every school played against contained at least twice as many pupils. The final match of the senior championship between the Celtic and Zingari clubs is creating’great interest, and Celtic should win if they can put their full team in the field. The South Canterbury representatives have won five out of the six matches played; The team contained nine Catholics Spillane (captain), J. O’Brien captain, and captain against the West Coast), G. Niall, W. Dalton, M. Horgan, M. Houlihan, T. Horgbn, M. Darcy, and T. Lynch. The last named potted a splendid goal, against the wind, and from the side line one minute after starting the match against Otago.

The fourth annual match between ladies’ hockey teams representing the provinces of Otago and Southland was played at Carisbrook on Saturday afternoon, and resulted in a win for Otago by 4 goals to 1. The St. Joseph’s Harrier Club held its weekly run on Saturday from the Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Anderson’s Bay. Paper was dispensed with, arid the pack followed the High road to Highcliff, coming back the same way. After removing all traces of the run the members were most hospitably entertained' to tea by the Little Sisters of the Poor,