Scotland Club XV 23
Ireland Club XV 18
A spectacular 70 metre try by the Heriot's flanker Jason Hill nine minutes before full-time gave Scotland victory over Ireland in the Club International at Netherdale last night and, with it, custody of the Dalriada Cup.
In a match that went to the wire, Scotland struggled at times against a more physical side, but their intention to move the ball freely was never in doubt. "We were there to be ambitious," declared Scotland head coach Phil Smith. "To come back into the game after giving away eight soft points before the break showed great character.
"We had little time to work on defence and perhaps that showed."
Impressive for Scotland were the Boroughmuir lock Iain Moody, replacement prop Ewan McQuillin, who steadied the Scots' scrum and scrum half Graham Wilson, who not for the first time in his career finished with a perfect record from the kicking tee.
Scotland trailed 10-15 at the break, Graham Wilson having opened the scoring with a penalty goal and contributing further with the conversion of a short-range try by Ross Weston. Ireland, showing good movement of the ball, countered with a try by Jonathan Slattery from a tap penalty. Darragh Lyons converted and then added a penalty goal to level the scored but on the stroke of half time a break by flanker Paul Pritchard resulted in a try by centre Mark Roche
Scotland ate into the Irish lead with two Wilson penalties answered by one from Lyons. Then, with Scotland desperate to overtake the Irish, Hill collected a kick deep inside his own half before setting off at pace and then carving his way through the Irish defence to show why he is in demand on the summer sevens circuit, Wilson's conversion killing off Irish hopes of victory.
Scorers Scotland Tries Weston, Hill Cons Wilson (2)Pens Wilson (3) Ireland Tries Slattery, Roche Cons Lyons Pens Lyons(2)
Scotland : F Thomson; C Gossman, L Steele, R Curle, S McLeod; S Edwards, G Wilson; N Beavon, R Anderson, S Cessford, R Nimmo, I Moody, J Hill, W Bordill, R Weston Subs F Scott Anderson 56, E McQuillin for Fagerson 50, P Eccles for Hill 75, T Spinks for Weston 64, G Graham for Wilson79
Ireland : D Riordan; S O'Neill, M Roche, M D'Arcy, E O'Keefe; D Lyons, N Cronin ; I Prendiville, A O'Driscoll, D Lavery, S Gardner, F Walsh, S Mulholland, P Pritchard, J Slattery Subs E Rossiter for O'Driscoll 59, G Sweeney for Lavery 15, P O'Shea for Prediville 68, S Walsh for Gardner 75, K O'Gorman for Mulholland 71, A Lloyd for Cronin 64, S Murphy, for Roche 74, K McGrath for O'Keefe 64
Referee R Thomas (Wales)
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