Lismore Ladies survived an early scare to score nine unanswered tries to set up a Bowl Final clash against Aberdeenshire Quines on Sunday 10th May at Murrayfield.

With a host of players unavailable through injury & travel commitments, Lismore travelled to the City of Discovery to take on a Morgan side for the fourth time this season, twice in the league and the same in cup competition.

The sun was shining and the Lismore support was in fine fettle, with a picnic on the sidelines and the coolbox complete with Scotland’s finest – Tennents!

Morgan set out to with intent and it was the home side who took a 2nd minute lead.  The referee missed the knock-on in back play and whilst the Lismore forwards looked for the Referee to intervene, the Morgan centre drew in Callaghan and passed the winger to run in for the try.  5-0.

Fraser was unlucky to settle the score shortly after with some silky football skills that may have seen her in Mixu’s squad at her beloved Easter Road, but the prop was caught just short from the line and Heard knocked-on as she tried to go over the line.

Nyvang, making her starting debut for Lismore, looked to have opened her try account but the Danish dynamo misjudged the end of the dead ball line and ran out of play.

However it didn’t take long before Lismore turned their superiority into points.  Morgan couldn’t get out of their 22 and were forced into a squint line-out and from the steal, the somewhat confusingly named (for the match report anyway!) Morgan drove over for a try.  5-5.

Heard was on fire minutes later after Smith took ball from a rolling maul and set up the Selkirk speedster who pinned back her ears and ran in from just inside her own half for a breathtaking try.  5-10.

Neary got in on the act with her own break from midway after being released by the quick thinking Kinghorn who had just recovered from a nasty knock to the coccyx.  ‘Pup’ took off and never looked back, offering Patrick the opportunity to slot the extras.  5-17.

Lismore’s Morgan got her second score of the day, again from close range after a 30th minute maul saw the ball recycled by Foley to Heard before putting in Morgan for one of the easiest tries she will ever score.  5-22.

Neary’s second try of the game in the 37th minute was a carbon copy of her earlier effort, outrunning and outfoxing her opponents with pace and strength that will see the lass from Biggar make the big stage in years to come.  As Patrick stepped up and converted from bang in front, the Road to Murrayfield looked to be Lismore’s destination in three weeks time. 5-29.

The second half didn’t come to life until the 48th minute when a Lyth break saw the Scotland capped Lismore Captain get to within a sniff of the whitewash before she unselfishly popped the ball up to Forsyth who rampaged in from all of at least a yard!  Patrick slotted the conversion with a little help from the post to take the score to 5-36.

After setting up the try, Lyth decided to get in on the try scoring action herself.  Roche showed tremendous skills in back play collecting the ball in one hand and scooping the ball out to the backs.  The forwards took over to apply the proper dirty work and from the maul, Lyth popped up and duly obliged by touching down for a try.  5-41.

As hard as Morgan tried to break down the resolute Lismore defence, the visitors stood their ground and the top tackle of the day came from The Tag Team of Foley and Smith!  The colossal Morgan prop tried to eye up the gap to set off on a mission to gain much needed yardage, however she didn’t bank on the deadly duo double tackling her and she was brought down to earth faster than a Scotland football player after a night out on the sauce!

Nyvang not only made her first start for Lismore, but she also scored her first try in a Lismore jersey!  Patrick broke through the middle of the field before releasing a hungry Heard, who put in a tremendous shift in demanding underfoot conditions and as the try line begged, Heard put in Nyvang to slip her defender and dive in for a try.  5-46.

With the match over as a contest and with the game fizzling out, Smith found herself at the unusual position of acting scrum half and her textbook pass from the base of the ruck set Heard into space she took it to within a few metres of the line before allowing her Captain Lyth to jog in for her second try of the afternoon to round off the scoring with 10 minutes still left on the clock.  5-51.

All eyes now turn to the Winner Takes All clash at Cartha next week when the victors will seal their position in the Premier League and the losers face a play-off against Aberdeenshire Quines for that elusive final place in the top division next season.

Final Score – Morgan WRFC 5 – 51 Lismore WRFC