Hillhead win cup in Scotland

Photo and report: Scottish Rugby

Hillhead Jordanhill overcame Murrayfield Wanderers 26-23 in a nail-biting Sarah Beaney Cup final at BT Murrayfield to deny their club rivals the double.

Back in October Murrayfield's 38-24 win at Hillhead was the decisive result in the league campaign, and Wandies’ got first blood in the final yesterday too when Helen Nelson made an early break in the opening minutes of the match which eventually led to an early penalty opportunity for the defending champions. Scotland captain Lisa Martin then kicked the opening points to send Wandies into a three-point lead as the Edinburgh club gained momentum in the opposition 22.

They went further ahead when a line-out fed by hooker Sarah Quick provided the platform for Wandies to move the ball wide and through the hands, with the ball finding the line courtesy of blindside Jennifer Cram, before Helen Nelson added the conversion.

Hills finally got on the board with their first try of the match scored in stylish fashion, when Hannah Smith found space down the middle to sprint under the posts before Ally Cook converted. After the 20-minute mark, Hills increased the pressure and managed to add two more scores within minutes of one another, Abi Evans securing a brace after fellow centre Hannah Smith provided quick ball after breaking on both occasions.Evans showed pace and power, turning the Wandies defence inside out, to send her team into the lead with Ally Cook adding one of two conversions.

Martin then added a penalty from in front of the sticks to edge closer to leaders, but Hillhead went in 19-13 head after an injury to Hills’ winger Hannah Smith stunted play at the end of the first-half.

After the interval, both sides looked to assert authority with several positive passages of play leading to a swings of momentum. A kick through from Wandies’ Chloe Rollie threatened before Wandies found themselves in a good position in the 22 but a spilled ball gave possession back to Hills.

Minutes later, a line-out for Wandies moved the ball to the right with Helen Nelson providing the winning pass to wing Eilidh Sinclair who raced over to score right of the posts before before Helen Nelson converted to take the scores within one point of one another.

A penalty from Wandies’ Martin was then added and with the scores on a knife edge, Hillhead found themselves deep inside the 22. Smith then scored her second of the match to take Hillhead back into the lead as Ally Cook added the extras, with the team from the west now three points ahead - which was how the game ended - Hillhead 26, Murrayfield 23.

Hillhead Jordanhill captain, Louise McMillan, said: “Before we always talked about how we deserved the victory but today I think we earned it. In the second half we took the opportunities when they were there.”

Murrayfield Wanderers: Chloe Rollie; Eva Rojas Bonet, Sula Callender, Helen Nelson, Eilidh Sinclair; Lisa Martin, Jenny Taylor; Beth Dickens, Sarah Quick CAPTAIN, Lisa Robertson, Emma Wassell, Sarah McCormack, Jennifer Cram, Lucy Park, Rachel Cook. Replacements: Alison Wilson, Kirsty Fisher, Ciara O’Driscoll, Jilly Alford, Kirsty Auckland, Ellie Wilson, Christina Newton.

Hillhead Jordanhill: Aimee Watson; Sarah Smith, Abi Evans, Hannah Smith, Lizzie Willi; Ally Cook, Mairi McDonald; Heather Lockhart, Stella Kyalikunda, Lindsey Smith, Siobhan McMillan, Kirsty Reid, Hannah Telling, Louise McMillan CAPTAIN, Jade Konkel. Replacements: Kirsty Daly, Debbie Falconer, Jenny Johnston, Kirsty Openshaw, Andrea Gaffney, Fiona Dorman.

Referee: Alexandra Gordon Smith

Player of the Match: Hannah Smith (Hillhead Jordanhill)

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A reminder how the Premier League ended:

Pos

Team

P

W

L

D

F:A

Diff.

TB

LB

Points

1

Murrayfield Wanderers

6

6

0

0

344:34

310

6

0

30

2

Hillhead Jordanhill

6

5

1

0

359:75

284

6

0

26

3

RHC Cougars

6

4

2

0

287:89

198

4

0

20

4

Stewartry

6

3

3

0

114:214

-100

2

0

14

5

Stirling County

6

1

5

0

43:193

-150

1

1

6

6

Ayr

6

1

5

0

75:322

-247

1

0

5

7

Cartha Queens Park

6

1

5

0

49:344

-295

0

0

4