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News Article |
| MORAY U18 V DUNFERMLINE CALLY BOWL SEMI-FINAL |
| Mon 22nd Apr 2013 |
 Moray u18’s played host to Dunfermline for their decisive Cally Bowl Semi-final on Sunday.
The last time these two teams met was in the Cally plate final 3 seasons ago and the game then was a cracker. This time it was the Moray lads who dominated and turned in a convincing 34-5 victory to earn their place in next week’s final.
Dunfermline kicked off and enjoyed the early pressure pinning the home team back in their own 22 but they were unable to use their possession to secure points and Moray broke form deep on a couple of occasions to get themselves into the game.
From a lineout after 12 minutes they were awarded a penalty for a high tackle and quick thinking by scrum half Matty Smith saw him tap and drive over from 22 m to open the score. Lewis McDonald converted to make it 7-0.
The game continued to be evenly balanced with both teams trying to break solid defences.
Dunfermline were using their powerful centre to try and break the home team’s defence but their tackling was sound.
Moray forwards were proving powerful in the lose and regularly turned over ball in the rucks and drove Dunfermline’s mauls back.
After 27 min scrum half Smith extended the lead to 12-0 with another quickly taken tap penalty from 10 m out which saw him drive through the defence and touch down out wide.
 The conversion was missed but Moray finished the half on top with converted penalty by Matty Smith after Lewis MacDonald on the wing was tackled high as he broke into the visitors 22.
The second half saw Moray continue to apply the pressure. Alex Dale stole the ball at the back of a Dunfermline lineout on halfway before offloading to Raoul Sutcliffe who broke up field and then offloaded to Lewis Scott in support. Scott still had work to do but broke a couple of tackles in the Dunfermline 22 to go in under the posts. McDonald converted to extend the lead to 22-0 five minutes into the half.
Moray now were playing with great enthusiasm and running all their possession at Dunfermline. A clearance kick by Dunfermline to half way was gathered by full back Kieran Young who attacked out wide and offloaded to winger McDonald who then sprinted wide of the defence to score making it 27-0 after 10 min off the second half.
The home team kept attacking but Dunfermline were still fighting to remain in the game and it took another 13 minutes of the half before Moray could extend their lead further. A clearance kick by the full back was gathered by no 8 Joe Vickery who wove his way through the defence from 22 m out to score under the posts. McDonald converted to make it 34-0
 Dunfermline to their credit fought their way up into the Moray 22 and got a well deserved try with the last play of the game when they sucked in the Moray defence with several phases near the right touchline before moving the ball along their backline to get a try on the left hand side to make the final score 34-5
Moray played their best game of the season to secure this well deserved victory and will need to repeat the performance against Aberdeen Grammar in next Sunday’s final at Canal Park Inverness. They will be joined there by the Moray u16 team who play in the Shield final against Perthshire. It will be a cracking day out for rugby fans with 10 finals matches being played.
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Caledonia 2 North |
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| Aberdeenshire |
12 |
46 |
| Highland 2nd XV |
11 |
46 |
| Moray |
12 |
40 |
| Ross Sutherland |
10 |
22 |
| Banff |
12 |
19 |
| Mackie |
10 |
10 |
| Aberdeen Grammar 2nd XV |
9 |
1 |
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Last 1st XV Game |
| 1st XV Season (2021/22) |
| Banff 33 - 39 Moray |
| 5th Mar 22 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Duff House |
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