Irvine Rugby Club celebrate as they stay up

Apr 17 2009 by John Woods, Irvine Herald

THERE was double joy for Irvine on Saturday as they beat Garnock at Lochshore for the first time in six years and guaranteed Premier 3 status for another year in the process.

The Marress Men travelled to the home of their near neighbours on the back of a win over league champions Kirkcaldy, but got off to their customary sluggish start by gifting their opponents easy tries.

With just five minutes gone Gavin McCrorie picked up the ball in his own half and ghosted through most of the Irvine team to notch his first try which was converted by White.

But although Robbie Stewart quickly reduced the deficit with a well-taken penalty, Irvine once again allowed McCrorie to run at them and he scored another solo try which this time went unconverted.

Stewart again cut the margin with another penalty and, as The Maroons finally began to assume command, a sweeping move from the backs in 25 minutes ended with Kevin Lang outstripping the home defence before scoring under the posts to leave Stewart an easy conversion.

Irvine once more revealed their tendency to self destruct when they allowed the ball to pop out the back of a scrum and bobble over the line where wing forward Thomson reached it first to restore Garnock's lead, with White again kicking the extra points.

However Garnock's lead only lasted five minutes with Kevin Lang again bursting through a despairing home defence to score under the posts and give Stewart the chance to put the Marress Men 20-19 ahead.

But a hectic first half was still not over because and Garnock's Paul McCrorie slotted an injury time penalty to give the home team a 22-20 interval lead.

The free-scoring continued after the break and Alastair Spice restored Irvine's lead with a well-taken try in 45 minutes then, midway through the half, Stewart moved the visitors even further ahead with his third penalty of the afternoon.

The try fest continued with Paul McRorie scoring Garnock's fourth of the match to give the home side a bonus point but Irvine were not to be denied and when Kevin Lang finished off a terrific backs move which saw Stewart and Adams slicing through the Garnock defence, it gave them an unassailable advantage.

Victory – and Premier 3 survival – was assured when Tony Wright drove over from two yards after a sustained spell of Irvine forward pressure to make the final score 38-27.

Irvine round off their season on Wednesday, April 22 when they visit doomed Livingston and they go here hoping to not just to finish off the season in style but also – if results elsewhere go in their favour – to book a top six spot.

Meanwhile Irvine 2nds finished their season with a flourish by defeating Annan 57-0 at Marress.

Other results. Perthshire 2, Cartha QP 10; Falkirk 21, Dunfermline 22; Morgan Acad 38, Livingston 12.