Birkmyre 31 – 49 Carrick
Arnold Clark West Division 2
Saturday 19th April 2025 – KO 2.45pm
Birkmyre ended up on the losing end of a high scoring match against Carrick on Saturday. Despite running in five tries, they lost out by 31 points to 49 to the promotion contenders from Ayrshire.
It was Birkmyre who drew first blood in the 5th minute. After a period of pressure near the opposition line, the ball when wide to stand off, David Cruickshank. He went into contact however kept the ball free and looped a pass behind the opposition bodies to Michael McGeoch who scored from five meters out.
Carrick then gained a foothold in the match and scored two converted tries in the next 5 minutes of play. Birkmyre then responded when McGeogh went over for his second score of the day. Jamie Muir charged down a clearance kick on the halfway line, regathered it and fed in McGeoch to score from 30m.
The match was being fairly evenly contested however Carrick managed to score a third try in the 20th minute and another on the 33rd. Then from a five-meter penalty, Birkmyre applied pressure on the Carrick defence again and again. Moving left and right, they probed for gaps in the dogged defence. Eventually, the pressure paid off when Jamie Haran spotted a gap having received a pop pass and dived over the line whilst being tackled. The conversion by Cruickshank brought an end to the half.
The second half started with each team scoring in the first 10 minutes. First was for the home side when Full Back, Lewis Higgins, collected a clearance kick in his own half. He strode forward meaningfully 25m bouncing a defender along the way. He then fed in winger Adam Hannah, who when 40m down the line fending off a couple of defenders to score in the corner. However, following the pattern of play, Carrick replied with another score of their own.
There was then a break in play for about 20 minutes as one of the Carrick players required medical assistance on the pitch. When play resumed, Carrick extended their lead further just before the midpoint in the half, assisted by some soft defending.
The deficit was 18 points however Birkmyre still felt in the match. This confidence was not unfounded, when Hannah nearly scored his second. He touched the ball down however was adjudged to have stepped out of bounds in the lead up. He made amends minutes later, when he picked up a lose ball just inside his own half and went 55m for the score. Birkmyre also missed another opportunity when they knocked on only a few meters out from the try line.
Carrick put the game to bed on the 70th minute with their final score of the day with the final 10 minutes being played out evenly.
Carrick are now in pole position for the second promotion spot in the league. Birkmyre finish their campaign this Saturday at home to Lomond Helensburgh who have already been relegated.
Irrespective of this or any other results, Birkmyre will finish 5th.
Scorers:- Tries: M McGeogh (2), A Hannah (2), J Haran; Conversions:- D Cruickshank (3)
Thank you to Fiona Wallace for photographs from today’s match
Results for Saturday 19th April 2025 in Division Two:
- Birkmyre 31 – 49 Carrick
- Strathendrick 103 – 0 Loch Lomond / Helensburgh
Fixtures: Division Two – Saturday 26th April 2025:
- Birkmyre vs Loch Lomond / Helensburgh (Ko 2.45pm)
- Wigtownshire vs Strathendrick (Ko 3pm)
Division Two league table:
*Up to date as at 21/04/25
