Marist's Cameron Crowley had the final say with a good try on fulltime in the win over Kaierau on Saturday.
The Wanganui Marist Rugby Football Club's centennial celebrations translated to major success on the field as for the first time in recent memory all three club teams had victories on the same Saturday.
Being walked onto the field by bagpipes, the Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist squad became the inaugural holders of the Carmody Cup with their scrappy 35-14 win over Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau in Tasman Tanning Premier.
Earlier in the day, Marist Celtic rose to the occasion when they defeated Kelso Hunterville 34-13 in the Senior Championship grade.
The win avenged the 27-24 loss on May 6 in Hunterville and gets Celtic off to a great beginning in the Top 6 Championship group, as the points will start afresh in this round.
Celtic had qualified fourth for the Top 6, while Hunterville were second, so the win gives Celtic some confidence for the upcoming big match with the undefeated Speirs Food Marton.
If the Celtic victory as a pleasant surprise, then the Marist Buffalo's beating Kaierau 38-17 in the morning game was a real shock.
Dead bottom amongst the four teams that will make up the Senior Consolation grade, before Saturday the Buffalo's only success this season had been the automatic five points for the default by Utiku Old Boys, whereas Kaierau were coming off an away victory over Counties, who made the Top 6.
With the three other teams in Premier's current Top 4 all doing the business with comfortable wins on Saturday, the spotlight was on Memorial Park as PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape snatched the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield in their do-or-die clash with Black Bull Liquor Pirates.
In a saw-see matchup, the home side worked out to a 20-0 lead before Pirates scored twice to close the gap coming into halftime.
It was neck-and-neck as Taihape were holding on 30-24 coming into the last 12 minutes, but then put the match away with two more tries as tempers boiled over near fulltime with a fight.
Dylan Gallien scored a scored a double for the home side, while Dane Whale had a profitable day with 20 points.
The Shield victory keeps Taihape locked into a share of fourth spot with McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu, while Pirates drop back to third behind Marist.
Ruapehu rebounded from the loss to Waverley Harvesting Border to hammer Harvey Round Motors Ratana 60-19 in Ohakune.
While a handful of the veterans had travelled north to watch their team mate Peter Rowe in the biggest game of his life against the British & Irish Lions in Whangarei, the younger players stepped up under the on-field guidance of Fraser Hammond and Chris Winter.
Hammond scored two of his team's ten tries, while as the side still waits for the return of Craig Clare, three players took the opportunity to make a successful goal kick.
Ratana had a chance to earn a rare bonus point, but had to settle for three tries.
Table leaders Border now have a priceless six point lead on the competition after Pirates were beaten, while they disposed of Utiku Old Boys 55-12 in Waverley.
It took a little while to get going as Border held a 12-5 lead, but they eventually got on a role to score none tries, with speedsters Isaiah Graham-Hooper and Harry Symes both scoring hat tricks, while Tom Symes made it a good day for the family with a double.
The top clubs will now face the tough prospect of juggling their players as the mid-season representative games get underway, starting this afternoon when Steelform Wanganui meet Hurricanes Development XV at Cooks Gardens.
Results, June 3.
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 12.
Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 35 (Taione Ratu 2, Mitchell Millar, Simon Dibben, Richard Campbell, Cameron Crowley tries; Millar pen, con) bt Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 14 (Fiatau Fa'alili try, penalty try; Shandon Scott con). HT: 20-7.
Waverley Harvesting Border 55 (Isaiah Hooper 3, Harry Symes 3, Tom Symes 2, Grayson Tihema tries; Simon Badger 4 con, Harry Symes con) bt Utiku OB 12 (Dylan Ratana, Saia Teumohenga tries; Max Navas con). HT: 24-5.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape 40 (Dylan Gallien 2, Te Rangi Tapu McLeod, Matt Brown, Dane Whale tries; Whale 3 pen, 3 con) bt Black Bull Liquor Pirates 24 (Raymond Epati, Fa'amanu Manutulila, Lasa Ulukuta, Clive Stowers tries; Junior Ainea 2 con). HT: 20-12.
McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu 60 (Fraser Hammond 2, Te Utu Hakaraia, Troy Brown, Jackson Campbell, Robert Hughes, Chris Winter, Cruz Pene, Kahl Elers-Green, Shaquille Waara tries; Pene 3 con, Winter con, Brown con) bt Harvey Round Motors Ratana 19 (Keanu Puki-Kaa, Western Hemi, Paddy Ririnui tries; Aaron Paranihi 2 con). HT: 31-5.
Bye: Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri.
Senior Championship, Week 1.
At Spriggens Park: Celtic bt Kelso Hunterville 34-13. HT: 19-8.
Senior Consolation, Week 1.
At Spiggens Park: Buffalo's bt Kaierau 38-17. HT: 16-5.