RAINFORD North End claimed their place in the St Helens Combination's Garswood Trophies Hospital Cup Final with a 1-0 success over Shoe.

They now meet Child at St Helens Town's Hoghton Road ground on Good Friday (11.15am).

The all-important goal came on 68 minutes when John Quirk stooped low to nod home a low hard corner, driven in by Chris Mackay.

In a thrilling Liverpool CFA Intermediate Cup semi-final at Maghull, holders the Anchor reached the final when a great goal from mid-fielder Mark Kelly secured a 1-0 win over REMYCA Reserves.

The Anchor, it seems, now face Tapes for Industry FC, whom The Anchor beat last term on the way to glory, and have received a 'walk over' to the final this time.

In league games on Saturday, Dave Brewer hit the lone Rainford North End goal in a 1-1 home draw with Beeches Reserves. Also in the St Helens Star Premiership Child scraped home by 2-1 at Gerards Arms while Hill (2) and Jones scored as East Sutton Labour just edged out the Shoe FC 3-2. Division One leaders Penlake Juniors, were humbled at home by Sidac Social, Andy Eaton and Alan Crooks goals giving them a 2-1 away win. College Street thumped Haresfinch Social 4-1 at Bobbies Lane but Junction, after a great recent spell, stumbled badly with a 1-7 home defeat by Clock Face Miners Welfare. Gary Farrell and Stanley found the net for Billinge but they went down 2-3 at home to Carborundum.

In Division Two, Earlestown (Griffin), having a fine spell lately, let themselves down by losing 1-2 at home to Glassblowers, while Clock Face Miners Welfare Reserves also fared badly, losing 1-2 to Bull and Dog at Clock Face. Alan Tyghe and Rob Hatton scored for West Bank, only to see, Paul Styles, plus Gary and Ian Hughes goals give Eccleston United the points in a 3-2 away win. Pilkingtons A followed up last week's thumping of Glassblowers to force a goalless draw at title aspirants Hall Street Union.

Sportsmans Athletic, hot on the title trail, had a handsome 6-0 away win at Agrevo.

In the Northern Cup, Child Reserves game against Frodsham United was put off once more but Chestnut Lodge, at last, were able to get under way in Stafford against Florence Social and came home with a 5-1 win under their belts.

It looks like a full programme got under way in the Sunday League Premier and Division one competitions. At Premiership level, East Sutton Labour overcame Owens Corning Ravenhead 4-1 but Toll Bar were humbled 4-0 at Ex Services (Rainhill). Oddfellows were the best side in beating Rose and Crown 4-2.

In Division one, Racing Rovers got away with a 1-0 win at Athletico Nelson, but, Hammer got no quarter at Bispham Celtic, losing 0-6. Penlake won the battle of the top sides, winning 4-2 at Brown Edge. RESULTS

Garswood Trophies Hospital Cup semi-final: Rainford North End 1 Shoe FC 0.

St Helens Star Premier Division: Rainford North End 1 Beeches Reserves 1, Gerard Arms 1 Child FC 2, East Sutton Labour 3 Shoe FC 2.

Division One: Penlake Juniors 1 Sidac Social 2, College Street 4 Haresfinch Social 1, Junction FC 1 Clock Face Miners 7, Billinge FC 2 Carborundum 3.

Division Two: Earlestown (Griffin) 1 Glassblowers 2, Clock Face Miners Reserves 1 Bull and Dog 2, West Bank 2 Eccleston United 3, Hall Street Union 0 Pilkington A 0, Agrevo 0 Sportsmans Athletic 6.

Division Three: Broad Oak 6 Red Star Rainford 0, Prescot BICC A 1 Leach Lane 3, Bewsey FC 2 Grosvenor Park 1, Cowley Hill Park 10 East Sutton Labour Reserves 3, Gerard Arms Reserves 2 Rainford North End Reserves 0, Ritherhill 2 Billinge Reserves 1.

LCFA Intermediate cup semi-final: REMYCA Reserves 0 The Anchor FC 1.

Northern Cup Round three: Florence Social (Staffs) 1 Chestnut Lodge 5.

Sunday League Premier Division: East Sutton Labour 4 Owens Corning Ravenhead 1, Ex Services Rainhill 4 Toll Bar 0, Rose and Crown 2 Oddfellows 4.

Division One: Athletico Nelson 0 Racing Rovers 1, Bispham Celtic 6 Hammer 0, Brown Edge 2 Penlake 4. FIXTURES

St Helens Star Premier Division: Child FC v Pilkington Reserves (G R Mallett), Rifle FC v East Sutton Labour (H Ireland), Beeches Reserves v Rainford North End (A Burrows), Prescot BICC Reserves v Anchor FC (R McClintock).

Division One: Sidac Social v Old Congs (R Murray), Haresfinch Social v Clock Face Miners Welfare, Junction FC v College Street (D Forber), Carborundum v Penlake Juniors (T Swift).

Division Two: Agrevo FC v Clock Face Reserves (M Graham), Hall Street Union v Nutgrove (S Shaw), Pilkington A v Earlestown (K Shields), Sportsmans v Glassblowers (C Tunstall), West Bank v Bull and Dog (E Baines).

Division Three: Red Star Rainford v Billinge Reserves (K Sarsfield), Prescot BICC A v Rainford North End Reserves (E Eccles) at Rainford, Bewsey FC v East Sutton Labour Reserves (M Cammack), Grosvenor Park v Broad Oak (G O'Brien), Leach Lane v Gerard Arms Reserves (R Deakin).

Northern Cup Round Three: Child Reserves v Frodsham United.

Round Four: Chestnut Lodge v Cestrian Alexander.

Sunday Premier Division: East Sutton Labour v Ex Services (Rainhill), Rose and Crown v Owens Corning Ravenhead.

Division One: Brown Edge v Hammer, Penlake v Athletico Nelson, Sutton Heath Panthers v Bispham Celtic.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.