In the other semifinal, Massey scored two tries to none but six penalty goals and a drop goal from Bryn Gatland carried them to a 21-18 win and into their second straight final. Front-rower Adrian Smith and halfback Salyn Tonu'u scored Massey's tries and they led 11-9 at the break.
Shea Turner's hat-trick helped Glenfield to a 66-24 win over Mahurangi to claim the Bowl.
In the Plate semifinals, North Shore overcame Kumeu 28-13 and they will face Marist in the decider at Vauxhall Road after they upset Silverdale 19-10.
Marist's spirit was to the fore. Teenaged midfielder Cam Hey scored a fine try. He was, however, upstaged by a man of the match display from another talented youngster, wing Amhiel Botes, who scored a solo try. Halfback Raymond Daniels scored from an 8-9 scrum move. Marist were reduced to 14 men fort the final 10 minutes, but hung tough.
Auckland
(Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield)
Eden 23 Suburbs 21
College Rifles 39 Pakuranga 12
Ponsonby 36 Grammar TEC 26
University 40 Manukau 8
(Portola Trophy)
Mt Wellington 38 Papatoetoe 36
Marist 30 Otahuhu 18
Waitemata 53 Waitakere City 8
The sun shone at Shadbolt Park, but the rugby gods were not smiling on Eden.
On a day of high drama, Eden defeated Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield winners Suburbs 23-21. It was a courageous and gritty victory as they were reduced to 14 men after just 10 minutes when prop Franck Friconnet was sent off for what was said to be an eye gouge on Suburbs captain Carl Perry. Eden boxed on but could not secure the requisite bonus point, while other results did not fall their way. The upshot is that no less than five teams finished with 5-2 records in the second round, but Eden just miss out on the Gallaher Shield semifinals due to one less bonus point than Ponsonby. They were desperately close to their first top four appearance in their 95-year history as a club.
On a puggy field, the wings still made an impact. Eden's Brody Lam scored his second hat-trick in a fortnight, the last try a 67th minute intercept which gave Eden's many fans hope of not only a rare win over Suburbs, but a ticket to the semis.
There was not a lot of kicking but plenty of niggle. Suburbs awakened after the red card, though they did concede a yellow card on flanker Jamason Fa'anana-Schultz, who scored a try in the final act of the game. Some of the home defence was bruising, but Eden, despite the numerical disadvantage, had the better of the field position and possession.
Suburbs fullback Jona Sawailau was dangerous, scoring a try, but the injection of NZ Under 20s wing Caleb Clarke in the second half, for just his second game at premier level, changed the nature of Suburbs' attack. He was hard to handle, though only touched the ball 3-4 times.
In the final minutes, errors started to creep into the tiring Eden pack, but they can reflect on a fine season.
Suburbs will host College Rifles in this weekend's semifinal after Rifles, still searching for an historic first final appearance, dispatched Pakuranga 39-12.
University, after a loose start, defeated Manukau 40-8, Luke Graham scoring a double.
The students, having bounced back from the disappointments of 2016, will host Ponsonby in what is sure to be a tight semifinal, the ledger squared at 1-1 in 2017. A strong first half, and doubles to Tili Puloka and Keenan Masina, saw Ponies beat Grammar TEC 36-26.
In the Portola Trophy, Latiume Fosita returned from Tongan test duty to score 18 points and help Mt Wellington to a 38-36 upset of Papatoetoe, Marist beat Otahuhu 30-18 and Waitemata defeated neighbours Waitakere City 53-8. - Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(McNamara Cup semifinals)
Bombay 32 Ardmore-Marist 10
Karaka 20 Patumahoe 15
The McNamara Cup decider will be a Bombay and Karaka showdown, for the third time in four seasons.
Three-time defending champions Bombay accounted for Ardmore-Marist 32-10, while Karaka edged Patumahoe 20-15 in semifinal action.
Jordan Goldsmith scored a double for Bombay, while fellow tryscorers Tulolo Tulolo and Coree Te Whata-Colley were standouts as the home side carried out the game plan to a tee, after leading 12-0 at the break. They ran in six tries in all.
Ardmore-Marist's two tries went to Conall Bromwich and Travino Amerika.
Karaka turned the tables on Patumahoe, whom they edged out of a home semifinal, after losing twice to Jeff Maka's charges during the regular season. There was little between the two sides with a final spot on the line but Karaka took their chances better than Patumahoe and they advanced with a 20-15 win.
Karaka jumped out to an early lead on the back of Scott Allison's boot but the visitors struck back with two superb tries to impressive centre Sam Furniss. Patumahoe defended stoutly in the second half and turned the home side away after a long attacking period but just as the pressure eased, Seluini Molia's rampaging second half try from nowhere thrust Karaka into the lead. New Zealand Under 20 midfielder Orbyn Leger scored Karaka's other try. Patumahoe couldn't find the match-winner at the death and Karaka held on for the win and will attempt to claim the club's elusive maiden title on Saturday at ECOLight Stadium against the defending champs and favourites.
Thames Valley
(Tom Jordan Cup)
Waihi Athletic 29 Cobras 10
Hauraki North 20 Mercury Bay 15
(Tom Perry Cup)
Thames 67 Paeroa West 31
Waihou 64 Coromandel 12
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide premier)
Rotoiti 31 Whakarewarewa 12
Tauranga Sports 48 Rangataua 44
Greerton Marist 33 Te Puke Sports 22
Mt Maunganui 32 Te Puna 29
Waikato
Hamilton Marist 73 University 7
Hamilton Old Boys 28 Melville 18
Otorohanga 52 Fraser Tech 24
Hautapu 79 United Matamata Sports 7
King Country
Piopio 28 Taupo United 0
Taupo Sports 26 Waitomo 20
Waitete 29 Taumarunui R & S 17
East Coast
Hikurangi 27 Waiapu 7
Ruatoria City 20 Uawa 10
TVC beat Tawhiti by default
Poverty Bay
(Lee Brothers Shield semifinals)
Waikohu 20 Pirates 17
HSOB 23 Ngatapa 3
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Maddison Trophy)
Hastings Rugby and Sports 29 Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 24
MAC 40 Tamatea 17
Havelock North 40 Taradale 29
Napier Old Boys-Marist 54 Clive 5
Napier Tech 41 Central 24
Taranaki
(Final)
Tukapa 17 Coastal 14
Wanganui
Border 20 Marist 12 (Challenge Shield)
Kaierau 31 Ratana 27
Pirates v Utiku OB not played due to adverse weather
Ruapehu v Ngamatapouri not played due to adverse weather
Manawatu
(Hankins Shield semifinals)
Kia Toa 27 Varsity 22
Old Boys-Marist 22 College Old Boys 21
(Val Holland Cup semifinals)
Te Kawau 10 Feilding 5
Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 48 Linton 10
The senior one club semifinals saw history repeat itself.
For the second year in a row, the third-placed team will play the fourth-placed team in the final after both Varsity and College Old Boys took a tumble in their respective semifinal match-ups.
Varsity looked off the pace. With Sam Malcolm exiting the game early to the emergency doctor and Mickey Woolliams missing from their team, it was only made worse when Te Rangatira Waitokia was binned in the first half. The match was locked at 10-8 at halftime. In the second half, a perfectly placed Jade Te Rure grubber kick for Jordan Bunce led to a try and shortly after Te Rure stripped the ball with ease from Nick Birchfield on his own 22m and went the length of the field to dot down. Leading 27-10 with 20 to go was always going to be enough, especially after Scott Davidson missed a penalty from in front. A late surge by Varsity kept it close at 27-22, however it was too little, too late. Kia Toa would move through to the Hankins Shield final again as the No 4 ranked team.
At Central Energy Trust Arena, COB flew out of the blocks to a 14-0 lead after Old Boys-Marist had to endure 10 minutes with 14 men on the field. At halftime the match was close at 14-7. However COB struck first, pushing ahead to 21-7 in the second half. OBM held their ground and clawed their way back to 21-17 with only minutes left. OBM stretched COB too far and dotted down in the corner for the match-winner to confirm their first spot in the Hankins Shield final since the merger of the two clubs.
Te Kawau held off Feilding 10-5 in what was a very soft Rongotea track to give themselves a chance of reclaiming the Val Holland Cup next weekend. They will front up against FOB- Oroua, who took it to a depleted Linton side, coming away winners 48-10 to set up a rural showdown for the Val Holland Cup.
Horowhenua Kapiti
(Semifinals)
Waikanae 30 College Old Boys 14
Paraparaumu 21 Shannon 20
Wairarapa-Bush
(Tui Cup)
Gladstone 20 Pioneer 17
Carterton 67 Marist 12
Martinborough 54 Eketahuna 7
Greytown 66 East Coast 10
Wellington
(Jubilee Cup)
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 36 Petone 17
Marist St Pat's 43 Northern United 32
Old Boys-University 56 Wainuiomata 22
Tawa 29 Oriental-Rongotai 27
(Hardham Cup)
Johnsonville 22 Avalon Wolves 19
Upper Hutt Rams 57 Paremata-Plimmerton 16
Poneke 35 Wellington 14
Tasman
(Marlborough semifinals)
Renwick 29 Waitohi 20
Moutere 47 Central 14
(Nelson Bays semifinals)
Nelson 21 Marist 16
Wanderers 30 Waimea Old Boys 26
Buller
(Semifinal)
White Star 57 Ngakawau-Karamea 23
West Coast
(Muir Trophy semifinals)
Kiwi 76 Marist 14
Blaketown 39 Wests 0
(McLean Shield)
South Westland 70 Grey Valley 12
Canterbury
(Metro)
New Brighton 27 Burnside 10
Sydenham 21 Christchurch 10
University 29 Lincoln University 27
Belfast 14 Shirley 8
Sumner 52 Linwood 24
HSOB 10 Marist Albion 3
(Ellesmere)
Rep match: Ellesmere 35 North Canterbury 20
Mid Canterbury
Southern 26 Celtic 24
Rakaia 37 Methven 32
South Canterbury
(Hamersley Cup)
Celtic 22 Harlequins 18
MacKenzie 33 Temuka 23
Pleasant Point 69 Old Boys 5
Geraldine 22 Waimate 17
North Otago
Old Boys 26 Excelsior 12
Valley 36 Kurow 34
Athletic Marist 24 Maheno 12
Otago
(Dunedin Metro)
Kaikorai 27 Green Island 17
Zingari-Richmond 31 Alhambra-Union 18
Dunedin 18 Southern 18
Harbour 31 University 6
(Central Otago)
Upper Clutha 48 Alexandra 5
Cromwell 29 Clyde-Earnscleugh 18
Maniototo 22 Wakatipu 11
(South Otago)
Southland
(Galbraith Shield final)
Marist 26 Star 15
