ITEMS OF SPORT

New Zealand Tablet, 4 September 1913, Page 31

ITEMS OF SPORT

. GENERAL. , •The senior hockey championship was decided last week . (writes bur Greymouth correspondent). St. Columba' again just failed to land premiership honors by {half a point. The club's junior :" hockey team were also runners-up in the junior championship. /./ A; The annual combined invitation run given by the St.: Joseph's Harriers, Dunedin,. was held from St. Joseph's Hall, Rattray street. Messrs. Hill (Anglican), Beadle (Y.M;C.A.), Slater (Cargill Road), and Bryan (St. Joseph's) had charge of the paper, and laid an excellent trail. After the run the harriers were entertained to tea by Mrs. M. A. Jackson, assisted by lady friends. Mr. E. A. Rosevear, president of the Amateur Athletic Association : (Otago Centre), thanked Mrs. Jackson for her kind hospitality FOOTBALL. • • J, Flynn, P. Murphy, and M. McMahon, who are touring New Zealand with the Australian team, are members of the Christian Brothers' Old Boys' team, Brisbane, which has secured the club premiership for the last three years. \ The inter-club Rugby school matches (writes our Oamaru correspondent) were brought to a close a few Saturdays ago, with the result that the St. Patrick's School team are premiers for 1913. The following were the flag points:—St. Patrick's, 10;' North School, 8; South School, 6; Middle School, nil. In the schools' soccer competition, the boys of the Christian Brothers' School, Dunedin, have had a most successful season. They have won the A and B grade cups and are runners-up for the C grade banner. The senior grade boys won all their matches, scoring a total of 69 goals to 1. A. Tarleton, G. Thompson, C. Dawson, and E. Collins have been selected in the team to represent the Otago schools in Wellington next Saturday. Tarleton has been elected captain. On Saturday, August 23 (writes our Christchurch correspondent) the North Canterbury schools' representatives journeyed to Timaru to play* the pick of the South Canterbury schools.. The North won by 3 points to nil. Included in the North Canterbury team were J. McCormack (captain), J. Ellis, E. Thompson, E. Sloane, F. Bennett, of the Marist Brothers' School. Both representative teams were captained by Marist Brothers' boys. Ponsonby and the Marist Brothers' senior team (says our Auckland correspondent) played off to decide the championship of the season. From start to finish it was hard and willing going. Four twenty minute spells were played, and in the last quarter Ponsonby was 18 points to the Marists' 5. The latter, before the call of time, made their score up to 14. They missed two easy goals in front of the bar. It- was sterling football throughout, and the 6000 spectators who witnessed it were worked up to a high pitch of enthusiasm. Jack O'Brien was easily the best back on the ground,- and worthy at any time of representing the Dominion. After the match the Marist team .in a body entered the Ponsonby dressing room, and cheered the latter, thus showing a true sporting spirit. The seven-aside tournament of the Canterbury public schools was held on Saturday, August 30, in Lancaster Park. There was a big entry, 57. teams competing (writes our Christchurch correspondent). In the senior grade, the Marist Brothers defeated Rangiora by 6 to nil, St. Albans 8 to nil, West Lyttelton 9 to nil, and in the final beat Opawa by 11 to nil. The Marist boys played with excellent combination and judgment. The names of the winners are: — McCormack, J. Ellis, F. Bennet, F. Khouri, E. Thompson, T. Ritchie, T.Murfitt. In the under 14 years, the Marists beat St. Albans by 9 to 3, Elmwood 14 to nil, West Christchurch 5 to nil, and in the final, which was a great struggle, they beat Richmond by 6 points to 3. The names of the winners are :—J. Matthews, F. O'Brien, L. Gibbs, D. McLaren, F. Main, B. McManus and C. Batchelor.

On Saturday, August 16 (writes a Hamilton correspondent), the last match ' of j-the second round in the senior competition was played. The St. Mary's team has had very bad luck .this season, as several of their best men have been unable to play- through, accidents and other reasons.: Morrihsville, their opponents, were level with the City /'the championship, and they expected a very easy win; but to their surprise they were unable to score a point against St. Mary's, and the match ended in a draw. ' St. Mary's team consisted of a number of patched-up players, who,, however, played splendidly. Joe Roach and W. Clarkin, both of whom have but recently recovered from serious illnesses, played sterling games. The fact that a number of juniors were also playing strengthened the team considerably.' / /. At the Thames Hotel on Saturday, Mr. 'Downing, the Auckland rep. forward, who has' gained a place in the New Zealand team to tour in California, was entertained at a dinner by the members of the Marist Club team, of which fifteen Mr. Downing is a prominent member (writes our Auckland correspondent). The president of the club (Mr. T. Buxton) presided, and among those present were Messrs. M. J. Sheahan and V. Langsford (Auckland Rugby. Union), M. Robb (Hokianga), E. Mahoney, and Brothers Vergilius, George, and Phelan. The toast Our guest was proposed by Mr. T. Buxton, who took the opportunity of presenting. Mr. Downing with a travelling bag and rug. Speeches, eulogistic of Mr. Downing both, as a player and a citizen, were made by Messrs. Sheahan, Stichbury, Robb, Parata, Mahoney, McDevitt, and Brother Vergilius, and the ' toasts of The Ponsonby Club,' ' A.R.U.', and ' The president' were also honored. The following particulars of the Queensland players in the Australasian team, taken from the columns of a Brisbane weekly, may be . of interest to our readers: —The best player on the ground was certainly Jim Flynn. His taking was that of the dry-day order, while his tackling was something to be remembered. Flynn is. only 19 years of age, and is an expupil of the Christian Brothers' College, Gregory Terrace, which has turned out such brilliant footballers as Phil. Carmichael, Peter Flanagan, and others. His football knowledge has all come to him through the teaching of the late Rev. Brother Furlong. He played School Union at the Terrace for several years, and in 1911, on leaving school, played with the College Grade Christian Brothers' team. After having played a few matches in this grade, his form was warranted good enough for the senior C.B.C. team, which won the 1911 Hospital Cup and premiership. Last year he was selected to represent Queensland and Australia. He is probably the youngest player to have ever been selected to represent Australia. McMahon was the pick of the Queensland backs against New South Wales. He found the line with remarkable precision, some of his kicks gaining from 50 to 60 yards. He initiated many bright attacking movements, while his defence has greatly improved on that shown by him in club matches. Pat Murphy stood head and shoulders above any other forward on the ground. He used his weight and strength to advantage, while his dribbling was a treat to witness.