Two-in-row for Carrick

CARRICK won the BT Shield for the second year in a row at BT Murrayfield after fighting back from 21-10 down against Murrayfield Wanderers to win 41-28.

Wanderes took the lead when Liam Hanlin ran a good line to go over for the try. It was converted by skipper Murray Hastie.

After penalty from Kyle Johnson and then a converted try by Greg Montgomery, Carrick led 10-7, but a try from Callum Johnston, converted by Hastie made it 14-10 to Wanderers in the 23rd minute. Eight minutes later they added a third score, outside centre Hanlin gliding over for his second.

Carrick had Iain Speirs in the sin-bin at that point, but a try just before the break kept them in the game. It came from Lewis Clark and was converted by John Fulton to keep them close at 21-17.

Four minutes into the second half, Carrick, now with their tails up, went ahead after a well-worked try which was finished by winger Ross McCulloch. Fulton nailed the conversion from the touchline. He then scored a try of his own and they were 29-21 to the good.

With 10 minutes to go Clark grabbed his second try and at 34-21 Carrick knew they just had to see this one out. Montgomery’s second try put the icing on the cake before a Wanderers consolation.

Earlier, Portobello had lifted the BT Bowl, with Ali Bain running in a hat-trick of tries in a 33-23 victory over Blairgowrie.

A converted try by Bain, who has had an impressive season, put the Edinburgh men 7-0 up.

Euan Constable got Blairgowrie on the scoresheet with an unconverted effort before Portobello and Bain’s second put them 12-5 in front. That lead was stretched to 17-5 when Donald Burn bagged their third try before a penalty by Stephen Souter for Blairgowrie made it 17-8 at the interval.

Finlay Ormiston’s converted try moved Blairgowrie within two points, but then their skipper Andrew McOuat was yellowcarded and Portobello took advantage with further tries added by Graham Culbertson and Bain.