FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 129, 18 October 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

DAN O'BRIEN SHIELD. STAR ELEVEN, TUKAPA THREE. Owing to the lateness in the season, very little interest iwas taken in the final for the Dan O'Brien Shield Which was fought out on the Recreation Ground yesterday afternoon between Star and Tukapa. Both teams were sadly out of training. Stars were in better condition than oheir oponents, and this fact largely acco lated for their win. On the day's play undoubtedly the better team won. Tukapa could make very little headway against the redoubtable Star pack. The game was mostly a long, uninteresting, forward scramble, and, as was natural, in view of the poor condition of t'he players but a very mediocre display of Rugby. Knock-outs were frequent. Early in the game A. McGivcn had to leave the field with ail injury to 1m leg, at first it was thought to be a | break, but upon examination at the Hospital proving to be a bad bruise. In the second spell two other Tukapa players (J .Stolir and Bullot) retired hurt. Stohr's mishap was an injured collarbone. Star, who were without the services of Bertrand, ihad the advantage of the sun—there was no wind—in the first half, and attacked freely from the start, Page bcoring within a few minutes. Hawkins converted, and thus the first spell ended—Star 5, Tukapa 0. Upon resumption Stajr were hard-pressed for a time, but their superior forwards and their better stamina told, and Hawkins, by means of a try which he failed to convert, increased their lead to ei"ht points. Then for Tukapa landed a penalty goal—Star 8, Tukapa 3. The final score of the day was an unconverted irv by Dewar, who easily played the best game on the field.Durmg the game Stolir had two unsuccessful shots at goal. TT'iwkins also failed on two occasions. There was onlv one n- 00 d passing run, and that was from Whitaker to Stolir to Loveridge, back to Whitaker and thence to Stolir. Mr. W. Rock was referee.