Ironically, had Massey not kicked the drop goal, they would likely have won the premiership courtesy of the fact that they scored the first try of the game, to midfielder Rhema Sagote, a former Wanganui loan player, who scored a brace in the match.
That try, in the opening stanza, was a theme of the game - Massey scoring to get ahead, but Takapuna clawing their way back to stay in touch. The game was fast-paced and intense with tight defence restricting a free-flowing game on a good surface.
Massey turned at the half 17-10 up with Takapuna coming back at them and both sides trading penalty goals to Nalu Tuigamala and Jon Elrick as neither could seize the initiative.
Takapuna scored tries to loose forward Martin Brink and replacement, Blues rep Matt Duffie.
It was a tough day for Takapuna as their premier two side also went down to Silverdale in their plate final 25-10, with North Shore defeating Northcote in the premier two championship final.
The premier one plate final was won by East Coast Bays, 17-11 over Glenfield, in what is likely to be the final appearance for Bays' 43-year-old veteran hooker Slade McFarland after a 26-year senior rugby career.
Glenfield were not able to toast the 100th game for Shea Turner with a win, but they did have the distinction of fielding three Samoas and two Littles at the same time. Karatai Williams-Paul played his blazer (30th) game.
Auckland
(Gallaher Shield semifinals)
Suburbs 18 Ponsonby 7
Grammar TEC 27 College Rifles 19
(Jubilee Cup semifinals)
Marist 14 Papatoetoe 10
Waitemata 28 Pakuranga 25
(Portola Trophy semifinals)
University 36 East Tamaki 10
Eden 41 Mt Wellington 14
(Presidents Cup semifinals)
Manukau 25 Waitakere City 17
Otahuhu 24 Te Papapa-Onehunga 11
Suburbs are into their first Gallaher Shield since 1996 after a rugged, deserved 18-7 semifinal victory over an error-ridden Ponsonby.
In the other semifinal, defending champions Grammar TEC tipped over Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield winners College Rifles 27-19, denying Rifles their first appearance in a Gallaher Shield decider.
With an ascendant scrum and adopting wet weather tactics of one-off runners close to the ruck and working the blindside, allied with a long kicking game, Suburbs led 11-0 at the break at their Shadbolt Park base. Their big pack can take the plaudits, as can Blues fullback Lolagi Visinia, who was strong all day. He seemed to hone in on his opposite and Blues squad teammate Jordan Trainor, who was playing his last club game before heading back to Waikato for Ranfurly Shield duties next weekend.
Ponsonby, gunning for their first final since 2011, were loose and inaccurate, and could not set a decent platform for when Blake Gibson entered the fray in the second stanza. It did not help when No 10 William Talataina-Mu limped off, meaning wing and Manu Samoa rep Danny Tusitala slotted in at first receiver.
Some slick passing on the blindside by Suburbs led to the opening try to hooker Leif Schwencke. Ponies prop Marco Fepuleai was then binned, and later centre Pryor Collier was also yellow-carded, which saw them remove a man from the pack instead. Their brightest moment came from an 80m breakout, started by Trainor, which led to a try to Tusitala between the uprights after a centering kick by Morrison Siliko.
Replacement Suburbs halfback Rameka Paraki delivered the killer blow with a try after a Visinia thrust.
Grammar TEC, who have been inconsistent for much of 2016, showed their finals experience, and to the fore were their key rep players, lock Scott Scrafton, halfback Jono Hickey and No 10 Simon Hickey, who scored the opening try. Both sides scored three tries, but Grammar TEC mostly had full control of the contest, and are into their third consecutive final.
Marist and Waitemata will lock horns in the Jubilee Cup final, after respective wins over Papatoetoe (14-10) and Pakuranga (28-25). Wing Ed Fidow ran in a hat-trick for the westerners.
University, who beat East Tamaki 36-10, are into the final of the Portola Trophy, one of the few trophies they have never won, where they will face Eden, 41-14 winners over Mt Wellington.
In the Presidents Cup semifinals, Manukau Rovers beat Waitakere City 25-17, and long-suffering Otahuhu had their first victory of the season, 24-11 over Te Papapa-Onehunga. - Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(McNamara Cup final)
Bombay 24 Ardmore-Marist 21
(Sid Marshall Shield final)
Patumahoe 13 Onewhero 3
Bombay made it three in a row as they were crowned McNamara Cup premier champions at Pukekohe's ECOLight Stadium.
The defending champions defeated a spirited Ardmore-Marist outfit 24-21 - who actually outscored the victors three tries to two - in what was an entertaining and competitive Counties Manukau club rugby final on a wet winter's day.
Bombay got themselves on the scoresheet early, through a Ki Anufe penalty, but it was Ardmore-Marist who drew first tryscoring blood with Steelers hooker Suliasi Taufalele crossing the line. Ardmore-Marist held onto the lead for a time before Bombay winger Sepuloni Taufa scored down the left sideline. Bombay made an error from the next kickoff which Alex Samoa pounced on, scoring just before the break, at which Ardmore-Marist led 14-8.
First five Anufe went well with the boot for Bombay, kicking four penalties and one conversion. He successfully kicked two penalties early in the second half to level the scores at 14-all. It was a tense and exciting last 15 minutes with both sides giving it their all in front of a vocal crowd.
Prop Kalolo Tuiloma scored for Bombay with five minutes to go to give his side the lead. Taufalele scored his second for Ardmore-Marist right on full time, but it wasn't enough to secure the victory.
Bombay coach Jeff Marr said winning the McNamara Cup for a third straight year, a feat last achieved by Manurewa in the 1990s, is "unbelievable".
"It was always something we were trying to chase from the start of the year, but to actually get there, particularly after the last month with a few hiccups along the way, is tremendous. Our team never gives up and I said before the game that quitters never win and winners never quit and I think that showed out there that we always play for 80 minutes," Marr said.
Rain and wet conditions also played their part in the Sid Marshall Shield premier final between Patumahoe and Onewhero at ECOLight Stadium. Patumahoe went on to win the match 13-3 after leading 10-0 at halftime. It was a physical encounter, with Harley Jenkins scoring the only try of the match. Riley Hohepa kicked a conversion and two penalties for Patumahoe, with Luke Makris kicking Onewhero's three points.
Thames Valley
(McClinchy Cup semifinal)
Waihi Athletic 22 Mercury Bay 15
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide)
Tauranga Sports 58 Whakatane Marist 18
Te Puna 34 Te Puke Sports 28
Rangataua 33 v Greerton Marist 0
Rotoiti 27 v Mt Maunganui 21
Waikato
(Waikato Breweries final)
Melville 11 Hamilton Old Boys 6
(Promotion-relegation)
Southern United 10 Morrinsville Sports 3
Te Awamutu Sports 60 Suburbs 12
King Country
(Meads Shield final)
Taupo Sports A 28 Waitomo 22
Poverty Bay
(Lee Brothers Shield semifinals)
HSOB 36 Ngatapa 22
Old Boys-Marist 28 YMP 22
Hawke's Bay
(Maddison Trophy)
Napier Old Boys-Marist 34 Taradale 21
Havelock North 42 Clive 19
Hastings Rugby and Sports 52 Tamatea 17
MAC 56 Napier Technical 34
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 38 Central 17
Wanganui
(Final)
Border 17 Taihape 16
(Consolation final)
Kaierau 24 Pirates 13
Manawatu
(Hankins Shield final)
Varsity 18 Kia Toa 17
(Val Holland Memorial Trophy final)
Feilding 17 Te Kawau 15
Wairarapa-Bush
(Tui Cup semifinals)
Carterton 12 Gladstone 6
Greytown 20 Marist 13
(Hodder-Steffert Cup semifinals)
Eketahuna 17 Martinborough 10
East Coast 27 Pioneer 20
Horowhenua Kapiti
(Semifinals)
Levin College Old Boys 30 Foxton 22
Paraparaumu 18 Waikanae 0
Wellington
(Jubilee Cup)
Marist St Pat's 27 Wellington 7
Old Boys-University 25 Oriental-Rongotai 24
Wainuiomata 16 Poneke 14
Tawa 17 Upper Hutt Rams 15
(Hardham Cup)
Paremata-Plimmerton 16 Marist St Pat's 7
Avalon Wolves 41 Old Boys-University 15
Northern United 24 Petone 21
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 62 Johnsonville 3
Tasman
(Nelson Bays final)
Wanderers 19 Marist 17
(Marlborough final)
Central 36 Waitohi 24
West Coast
(Taylorville Wallsend Trophy final)
Kiwi 17 South Westland 9
Canterbury
(Metro semifinals)
(Cup)
New Brighton 24 Christchurch 20
Lincoln University 36 Sydenham 34
(Plate)
University 37 Sumner 15
Marist Albion 63 Linwood 38
(Bowl)
HSOB 52 Burnside 14
Shirley 27 Belfast 10
(Ellesmere)
Southbridge 17 Waihora 15
Darfield 60 West Melton 15
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 36 Hornby 24
Rolleston 25 Prebbleton 24
(North Canterbury)
Glenmark 32 Oxford 27
Saracens 40 Hurunui 17
Ashley 38 Kaiapoi 12
Mid Canterbury
(Watters Cup semifinal)
Rakaia 48 Celtic 12
South Canterbury
(Top four semifinal)
Pleasant Point 24 Waimate 23
(Bottom four final)
Mackenzie 28 Harlequins 18
North Otago
(Citizen Shield final)
Maheno 30 Old Boys 25 (extra time)
(Burns Shield final)
Valley 25 Kurow 10
Otago
(Metro banner final)
Kaikorai 29 Dunedin 22
(Wooden spoon playoff)
Zingari-Richmond 62 Pirates 12
Southland
(Galbraith Shield final)
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 21 Woodlands 15
