Marist just miss out on last four

Ponsonby, Waitakere City, University and Otahuhu will play off in next Saturday's Gallaher Shield semifinals. Marist, the only other team with a chance of a top-four place chance going into yesterday's final series of second round matches, narrowly missed out.

Marist finished just one point behind Otahuhu on the second round points table after beating Pakuranga 7-3. But Otahuhu, despite losing 12-5 to University, gained the bonus point it needed to stay clear of Marist by finishing within seven points of their opponents.

So Ponsonby, a clear winner of the second round championship, will meet Otahuhu next Saturday with University playing Waitakere City in the other semifinal. Waitakere had one of their best wins of the season when they successfully defended the Fred Allen Challenge Cup, trouncing East Tamaki 49-5, scoring eight tries to one.

Ponsonby were also a class above Papatoetoe, running in nine tries in their 55-10 romp. Grammar Carlton proved too strong for Te Papapa Onehunga, winning 32-5 in a match that did not have an influence on the Gallaher Shield semifinalists. At the other end of the points table, Papatoetoe and Pakuranga will be the premier one sides to play off in the promotion-relegation series also starting next Saturday. They will meet the winner of the premier two second round competition.

Waitemata, the 2003 Gallaher Shield champion, will remain in premier two next season after finishing fourth in the premier two second round competition. Yesterday they lost 28-25 to Manukau

North Harbour

Massey and Takapuna will meet in the North Harbour championship final next weekend for the second consecutive season after each scored exciting wins in the semifinals.

Massey overcame the loss of flanker Francis Stowers to a broken minutes into the first spell to hang on grimly against Northcote 16-11. The difference proved to be the boot of Massey fullback Andrew Whiteman, with Northcote, led by No 8 Nick Williams, taking charge of the second spell and dominating possession.

Takapuna's first five-eighths, Jon Elrick, had a major influence on his side's 19-16 win over Marist. Late in the match he landed a 40m drop goal into the wind, which was critical as it came when Takapuna had been reduced to 14 men with lock Marty Veale in the sin bin.

Referee Steve King was not well placed to make the call on Elrick's pot which, if it did clear the bar, only did so by a slender margin. However, Marist stoically accepted the decision and, while they outscored Takapuna two tries to one, they would have been lucky to have won.

Takapuna, helped by Elrick's powerful left foot, controlled most of the second spell and Marist made far too many mistakes.

In the plate section, Mahurangi gained their second big win in a row with a 26-7 win over East Coast Bays and will meet North Shore, winners 20-17 over Helensville yesterday, in the final. Glenfield celebrated the veteran back Alan Linstrom's 200th club game with a 31-13 win over Navy and will play Silverdale in the bowl final. Silverdale yesterday won by default from Kumeu.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY