FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 263, 21 February 1889, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

“ Dublin Sport ” thus refers to the match against All Ireland: —No man admires or would encourage courtesy and consideration towards visitors more than I, but it is carrying the kindness a little too far for umpires and referees to allow palpably illegitimate scores against their own side. But for miscarriage of this sort, Dublin University would have beaten New Zealand by a goal and a try to ml, and the International (?) match might have been a more pleasant subject to write about than it is just now. Messrs Joseph Warbrick and Scott, respectively captain and manager of the Maori team, told me in the pretence of witnesses at Jury’s Hotel that they never received such consideration from a i judicial department as they did in Dublin, and I am painfully certain of the fact that the compliment was no flattery. They thought, however, that a try claimed by Anderson in the first half of the International match was correct, although disallowed, and I admit that I saw nothing wrong with it; but, then, W Keogh’s first try, which was allowed, was so flagrantly invalid that not only the Irishmen, but the Maoris themselves, stopped playing when he got possession from a crooked throw, and subsequently handball. I know that both referees determined that their failings should “lean to virtue's side,” Thia is what the Yankees would call all darned fine, but when there was any chance of ur not being made the laughing stock of Scotland, Wales, and England it should be beyond the control of a referee’s munificence or misplaced magnanimity. It is anything but a congenial duty to write in this strain when our late visitors the New Zealanders, are mixed up in the subject. Any of them I met are fine, frank fellows, with all the native nobility of big men. Mr Warbrick organised the team in the face of almost overwhelming opposition at home. He was sneered at in the native Press, and laughed at by moneyed public men. Even when they beat a strong team in London a Pressman was found to cable to New Zealand that they only defeated the cripples and invalids of St. Thomas’s, Guy’s and other hospitals. They were umpired out of more than one match in England, and the fact was not recorded. Therefore in the spirit of a sportsman and fairplay, I feel strongly reluctant tn run the risk of being bracketed with such scurvy scribes. But there is another aspect in the matter, and it belongs to the future, which, as Patrick Henry said, can be only judged by the past, Ireland has to play Scotland, Wales, and possibly England yet, and I do trust that my Maori friends will excuse me for reciting the leesona and furnishing the fair facta nf their visit here, These Manries are not a good team a* far as football eruditiou goes • and, consequently, it is somewhat of a disgrace tn be beaten by them. But they are the makings of the beat lot that ever was seen, being of tremendous Strength and weight, good wind, splendid heart, thorough determination, and quick intelligence. Their strongest point is their soor. ing powers. They are the best scorers I ever saw and I have seen every team, international or otherwise, that was worth looking at since 1868. Being so strong and muscular if any one of them got the ball he war a good five yards’ in advance through sheer “ boring,” and this is mainly the way they scored in Dublin.

As an instance of their intelligence, I might note some tricks of theirs that they never learned at home, and they have had very little teaching in Europe. Perhaps the most effective was for the thrower from touch to bound the ball off one of the opposing forwards* foreheads, from which it hopped to bis own quarter, who was ready on the run for it. Keogh has a very clever feint pass which beat Warren several times, and there were several other dodges to which I may be able to allude hereafter.

Keogh was a long way their best back. He wore a flaming emerald snsh, and frequently flaunted a green Irish committee badge which he had attached to his waist. He runs like Hay-Masters, and does the heel twist perfectly. W. Warbrick in Saturday’s match, although hurt early, showed splendid stopping powers; and I can quite believe what the Englishmen say, that when at his best he has no superior as a full back. M’Causland was safe, clever, and artistic, but I think he would rather be given a chance bt make one