Rugby League: Ketteridge aims to boost medal haul

THE former Castleford forward Martin Ketteridge looks to add another medal to his already impressive collection when his Redhill side tackle Ideal ABI in today's BNFL National Cup final.

Ketteridge was in the Cas side that won the 1986 Challenge Cup and was a runner-up when the West Yorkshire outfit lost to Wigan in 1992. He was also man of the match when the Wheldon Road club shocked Wigan to win the 1994 Regal Trophy, and he is one of Redhill's key players for the final, which is being staged at Featherstone's Post Office Road ground.

Redhill, who have produced Great Britain's coach, Andy Goodway, Daryl Powell and Andy Hay in recent years, beat holders Ellenborough in the semi-final and are favourites to lift the Silver Jubilee National Cup.

However, Hull-based Ideal ABI have beaten four National Conference sides en route to the final and have the veteran half-back pair of Tracy Lazenby and Terry Smirk masterminding their challenge.

The replacement forward Tonie Carroll scored a last-minute try which Darren Lockyer converted after the final siren to give visiting Queensland a dramatic 24-23 win over New South Wales in the first Australian State of Origin match in Sydney yesterday.

Carroll scored near the posts with just 24 seconds left, then watched on as Lockyer, who kicked four goals from four attempts on the night, booted the winning conversion to give the Maroons a 1-0 lead in the best- of-three series.

Queensland had opened the scoring through Kevin Walters and had a Steve Renouf try disallowed for an off-the-ball infringement. But the Blues moved to a 13-6 interval lead after Rod Wishart, Tim Brasher and Laurie Daley scored tries and Andrew Johns kicked a long-range field goal.

Queensland stormed back into the lead with two tries early in the second half. Steven Price and the Maroons captain, Allan Langer, both scored after opposition fumbles to make it 18-13. The Blues regained the lead shortly afterwards when Brad Fittler crossed and Johns made his only conversion from five attempts. They looked to have sealed a win when Steve Menzies crossed in the 74th minute.

But Queensland, who also scored a last-minute try to win at Sydney in 1994, cleared the ball from their own line in their final set of six tackles before Carroll ran in for the winner.