The Stewartry Men’s 1XV ran out at Greenlaw on Saturday for the final time in 2024 as they hosted local rivals Newton Stewart in the National League Cup.
After a tightly-contested game in front of the Ladies Day crowd, the National 2 side took the win 29-24 to round off the year with a win away from home.
It took close to 25 minutes for the first try of the game to come as some soft defence from
Stewartry allowed Newton Stewart the chance to draw first blood.
From there, the visitors took control of the first half and looked to be running away with it come the break.
Despite the two-league difference, however, Stewartry then began to play their game and were rewarded with a try after scrumhalf Archie Nicolson scooped the ball up from a few metres out to dot down and pull the home team back into the match.
Winger Alex Moffat brilliantly finished off a well-worked team move out wide before Nicolson grabbed another to really put the pressure on Newton and set up a grand-stand finish.
With only a few minutes to go, Stewartry were just one score behind after two successful
conversions and a penalty from fullback Andrew Picken. Some ill-discipline from NS put
Stewartry in a good position to snatch a late victory but the Bladnoch defence held strong to seal the Sandy Irvine Cup.
Both sides now enjoy a break over the Christmas period before returning to league action in January. Stewartry begins the New Year with two away games on the bounce, first to
Dunfermline and then to Linlithgow.
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