Ayr Rugby Club beat Boroughmuir to set up cup final repeat

Apr 15 2011 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

THREE down, three (definitely!) to go.

But only just, with Ayr making their supporters sweat in the Edinburgh sunshine at Meggetland as they staggered to a narrow and not very convincing win over Boroughmuir (writes RON EVANS).

Never mind, dig out the pink hats, the pink and black tee-shirts and get the face paint on.

Ayr are off to Murrayfield for the second year running in what will be a repeat of last season’s final against high flying Melrose.

Mind you, coach Kenny Murray was in no doubt about how much his squad would have to lift their performance.

"If we play like that in the final, we will get humped," was his succinct summing up. "We looked jaded and tired, made a poor start and when they closed us down, particularly Skippy and Mark Stewart, we didn't react."

It would be all too easy to criticise Ayr for poor decision making, sloppy passing, badly placed kicks and lack of dominance at the breakdown but these were errors they were often forced into committing by a ferocious onslaught from a 'Muir outfit who were in some ways playing their final.

An astute observer remarked 'this was Boroughmuir's big game but for Ayr it was another big game among many' and in the end it was indeed Ayr's greater big time experience which saw them through a very tricky match.

They gave themselves a mountain to climb after only five minutes, a wayward kick finding wing Jordan Webster who sliced inside, made space and Malcolm Clapperton's pass put Steven Ruddick in to touch down.

Ally Warnock slotted the difficult conversion, banged over a penalty two minutes later and with the 'Muir pack fighting for every inch of territory, Ayr were on the back foot big time.

Ross Curle and Warnock exchanged penalties around the turn of the first quarter then Ayr pushed the power play button, Andy Dunlop's feed from the back of the scrum put Steven Manning over. Ayr breathed more easily but only until Warnock landed his third penalty to take 'Muir in 16-8 ahead.

Ayr upped the pressure into the second half and ten minutes in, Mark Stewart got the crucial try set up by relentless pounding on the line but they were unable to penetrate a solid 'Muir defence again until the turning point came after 67 minutes.

Mark Bennett, who had looked the most dangerous of the Ayr backs, cut inside Ruddick, the centre stuck out an arm, caught the Ayr youngster high and earned a yellow card which along with his sin-binning in the first half, became an automatic red.

Ayr turned the screw and with eight minutes left, a move straight from the training paddock saw a beautifully weighted pass from Stewart put Bennett through the gap where arguably the now absent Ruddick would have been.

Curle converted and when Dougie Steele went over in the corner for try number four, it should, at 25-16, have been all over.

Into injury time, 'Muir replacement hooker Greg Jones took advantage of a complacent defence to cross and although Warnock missed the kick, it was an extremely nervous couple of minutes for Ayr as they played out time and almost let 'Muir through again with the final play of the game.

Ayr failed to convince for long spells but when they were good, they were superb and it took some magnificent defending by Boroughmuir to stop Bennett, Stewart and Manning from adding to their try count.

AJ MacFarlane was an extra forward and will have been a sore laddie on Sunday but considering he was doubtful up to the warm up, his contribution was nothing short of heroic.

The pack played in fits and starts, Scott Sutherland imperious at the line out when it mattered, Kelly, policed as he was, still taking three men out when he charged and the front row quartet of Gordon Sykes, Stephen Adair, Gordon Reid and Andy Kelly were solid in the tight but strangely subdued in the loose and while the contribution from Andy Dunlop, Paul Burke and Rob Colhoun was substantial it still fell short of their own high standards.

"It was a classic cup tie," admitted Ayr assistant coach Peter Laverie "but it was our ability to see the game out after coming from behind which mattered."

"The cup final will be tight," remarked Murray "and it doesn't matter if we win by 20 points or one point, we want to retain the cup and the team know what they have to do for that to happen."

So on Saturday, we have a repeat of that memorable day last season when the Murrayfield stand became a sea of pink.

This time, as Ayr attempt to retain the trophy against a Melrose who are on a roll, it will be tougher than last season and if that was not enough, the two clash again at the Greenyards the following week in what could be a title decider.

It can only be decided in Melrose's favour on that day though because if Ayr do win there, they will still have to beat Currie at Millbrae the following week to regain the accolade of Scotland's top club side.

What a finish!

For those needing information about travel and tickets for the cup final, contact W.G McHarg and Co between 9am and 5pm on 01292 283005 or after 5pm, Ayr Rugby Club at Millbrae on 01292 441944.

Highlights on www.scottishrugbytv.com