Birkmyre RFC 65 Shawlands 15

BIRKMYRE kept their title hopes well and truly on track with a convincing 62-15 victory over Shawlands at the weekend.

The Kilmacolm side ran in a total of nine tries from eight different scorers as they closed the gap at the top of the league.

The match nearly didn't go ahead due to the heavy rain that fell during the week. However, a last minute change of venue to the all-weather surface at Clydebank Rugby Club allowed the game to proceed.

It was the visitors who took the lead. From a well worked line out, their forwards broke away for a score in the corner after just five minutes.

Birkmyre responded quickly, and from open play, stand-off David Cruickshank chipped the defensive line at the halfway mark, ran on to collect his own kick and then popped a pass to Ali Peacock, who ran in from 40 metres out to score under the post. Cruickshank converted.

Next to score was Michael McGeoch. Running powerfully at 13, he weaved his way through the defence on ten minutes for another score close to the posts. Cruickshank added the conversion and then five minutes later he slotted over a penalty to take the score to 17-5.

Greenock Telegraph:

From then on, there was no looking back. Captain Ross Moglia and full-back Paul Carruth both scored excellent tries in the first half, and McGeoch also scored his second with an equally impressive run.

Shawlands were first on the board in the second half with another score near the corner flag. However, just as in the first half, Birkmyre replied almost immediately when Ross McDonnell touched down. McGeoch broke a few tackles as he closed in on the try line and popped a pass to McDonnell. He was tackled high on the line but manged to get the ball down for the score.

Robbie Espie was next up on 58 minutes. Shawlands had won a scrum on their own five-metre line. The ball, however, slipped out the back and Espie was quick to capitalise on the error to score from short distance.

Quinn Murphy extended the lead on 62 minutes with a characteristically powerful run from 30 metres out and then the Birkmyre scoring was complete two minutes later.

Greenock Telegraph:

This time an aggressive run from Peacock saw him finally tacked ten metres out. He slipped a passed to Jamie Haran who was running in support. Haran was himself tackled a couple of metres short of the line but had the strength to scramble over for the score.

Shawlands scored a consolation try in the final ten minutes but not before being reduced to 14 men, with one of their centres seeing red for an off the ball incident.

As a result of the win, Birkmyre remain in contention for the league title. They do, however, need to win all five remaining matches and pick up some bonus points along the way, assuming the teams above them do not slip up.

Scorers:- Tries – M McGeoch (2), R Moglia, R Espie, J Haran, P Carruth, R McDonnell, Q Murphy, A Peacock. Penalties – D Cruickshank. Conversions – D Cruickshank (7)