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Daily Record
Daily Record
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Galloway News

Stewartry Sirens defeat Inverness Craig Durnan to secure SRU National Plate final place

Stewartry Sirens are on their way to Murrayfield.

The final of the SRU National Plate competition now beckons on April 27, when they will meet either Kelso or Glasgow University Women.

Sirens reached what will be their third final by overwhelming Inverness Craig Dunain at the Greenlaw.

The 70-0 victory was only the Stewartry ladies’ second outing since November.

Playing into a deceptively cold wind they showed they were in the mood from the kick off with some open running that pinned the visitors in their own 22. But a lot of ball was spilled and it took 10 minutes to breach the Inverness defence when a well-worked move from a scrum sent Chloe Johnstone through.

Ten minutes later, Ali Henderson crossed the line and should have had another soon after but she failed to hang on to a pass from Claire Manson for what would have been the simplest of tries.

Stewartry Sirens go down 34-21 at Hillhead/Jordanhill in Sarah Beaney Cup  

Craig Dunain put up a spirited defence, frustrating the Sirens but the game was being played almost entirely in their half.

Phaedra Snailham used her pace and power to cross for a third try before Lauren Gunn barged her way over and was denied a second when the referee could not see the grounding.

Captain Jenny Yates rounded off the first-half try haul by touching down under the posts allowing Lisa Ritchie to land her first conversion making the interval score 27-0.

Changes were made for the second period which saw more of the same with Sirens camped in the visitors’ half. Tamsin Tyeson got try number six ten minutes in, Ritchie converting.

Stewartry Sirens beat Annan Warriers to clinch top spot in Tennent's Women's Premier League B  

The backs opened up with some well-worked moves and Johnstone went over for her second, Ritchie again adding the extras. Not to be outdone, her centre partner Snailham crossed for her second also converted by Ritchie.

Gunn then got her second, bulldozing her way over the line with a number of defenders hanging on. Ritchie was on target once more.

Craig Dunain did manage a spell of pressure and looked about to touch down but the Sirens’ defence stood firm and Snailham grabbed a chance to run in the tenth try. Again Inverness went on the attack but Tyeson intercepted a pass to run half the length of the field for another score, converted by Ritchie.

The final try came when Henderson went over in the corner following a scrum.

In the end Sirens’ experience was just too much for Craig Dunain ladies who nevertheless stuck to their game plan and tried to play rugby.

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