Football: Charity Cup tops off season

NEIGHBOURS: Athletic first (red) beat Team Taranaki both home and away on the road to the Central Region Federation title.

Senior football finishes the Wanganui season with this weekend's traditional Charity Cup finals day when clubs do battle for a place in history.

The Charity Cup has a long and rich history dating back to 1913. In the inaugural final played at Cooks Gardens on a splendid September day, St Johns defeated Eastbrook 7-2. The 1913 event raised 12 for an orphanage while this year's event will raise about $1000 for charity.

This year's tournament is divided into divisions with teams competing for each division and an overall points trophy.

The premier division this season has been contested by Athletic 1st, City 1st and Marist Celtic and the two former teams meet in the Charity Cup final at 2.40pm at Wembley Park on Saturday. Marist Celtic ended the season in third.

Athletic won the Central Region Federation title beating the strongest sides in the process, inlcuding Team Taranaki both home and away. Team Taranaki is basically the province's representative side. In the meantime, City completed an undefeated season to take out the Manawatu-based Western Premiership.

Both teams have enjoyed successful winning seasons and will be looking to put the icing on the cake this weekend.

The Charity Plate competition features the clash between City Hammers - the Wanganui Men's League champions - and the young and mobile Castlecliff St Anthonys. This curtain-raiser to the main game promises to be a spirited encounter.

The women's final sees Athletic take on City, while the men's bowl final is a battle of youth versus experience with the young Renovators team taking on Cosmos.

There has not been much to separate Marist Casuals and Athletic Weekenders all year, so the social division final will no doubt go to the wire.

With City and Athletic clubs each involved in four finals and all divisions carrying equal weight for points, every result will count.