JUNIORS,

Shannon News, 26 May 1925, Page 3

JUNIORS,

SHANNON 12 v. TOKOMARU 3. Tiio meeting of these two teams always arouses a great deal of .interest among their supporters and therefore quite a number of Shannon supporters made the journey to Tokomaru t-o witness the game, but any chance of seeing a good game was marred by the sloppy state of the ground, it being quite impossible for either team to give of their best, the ball being toO' greasy to handle, necessitating forward play throughout. Tn _ t,li e heavy going both teams strove hard for supremacy, but the visitors' forwards were the superior, Hendncksen proving a tower of strength to them he scoring three .out of the four tries ’ scoring the other. 'Die game opened with Tokoma.ru being favoured With a strong breeze and early in the game they had Shannon

iorced on three occasions. The visitors retaliated by compelling Xokomaru to force twice, the latter eventually returning the play to Shan* noil’s territory, and during the. remainder of tiie spell Shannon were hard pressed to keepvthem from crossing th.e line, but the deience of the forwards proved equal to. the occasion, It was during this pressure that Tokomaru were awarded a free kick, K. Whyte, landing a beautiful goal wlhich gave them their .only score in the game. Favoured with the wind in the second half, Shannon opened by attacking, but, kicking too nard when near the line, were forced. They still kept up the attack and from a scramble near the line Hendricksen evened the score. The .visitors still kept up the pressure, - Beatson, tiie full back, relieving by finding the fine well up the field. From an exchange of kicks Aim centred and tilie Shannon forwards, by fast following up, (enabled Hendricksen fro. score. Buckman failed to add the extra points. Soon after, as the outcome of a passing rush ’among the Shannon backs, the ball was carried near Tokonraru’s line where Hendricksen snapped it up and dived across and registered his third try. Shannon kept! up the pressure and from a scramble W. Gray scored. Owing to the greasy state of the ball the attempts at goal were poor. For the winners both the backs and forwards Played well and if the team can he kept together it should have a big say in the final issue of the championship. The Tokomaru backs played well and are a good lot, but they received little assistance fro-m the forwards, who let them down on several '.occasions, owing to loafing on the part of some in following up. Probably it was the heavy going which affected them. It is certain if it had not been for the good defensive game put up by K. Whyte and Green in the backs the score would have been much higher against them. Mr Sands controlled the game.