Date: Saturday, 5th May 2007
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Edinburgh Accies
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Away
Competition: Cup-Shield-Bowl-Plate
Final score: 24 - 13 (won)

Hawks keep Glasgow rugby soaring NEIL DRYSDALE May 07 2007 Edinburgh Accies 13 Glasgow Hawks 24 Neil Drysdale at Murrayfield These are exciting times for Glasgow rugby. At the highest level, Sean Lineen's professionals have recently enjoyed an impressive surge in the Magners League, serving notice of their potential for next season, and the city's amateur clubs duly dominated the proceedings during National Finals Day at Murrayfield. GHK edged home in a wonderfully entertaining denouement to the Plate competition, emerging victorious over Crieff & Strathearn by 34-29, and that was the prelude to Glasgow Hawks sweeping to their third Scottish Cup triumph with a clinical demolition of Edinburgh Accies. In the circumstances, it was hardly surprising that Rory Kerr, one of the stalwart performers in the Hawks ranks, should radiate with positivity afterwards, as he spoke of the seedbed of precocious talent which seems ready to sprout forth from the west of Scotland. "It's been a terrific day for Glasgow and you can't help but be thrilled at the number of youngsters who are coming through the system," said the winger. "These kids love rugby, they are ambitious and they want success, and there is serious competition for places at every age group, so there is no reason why the future shouldn't be bright. advertisement His words were justified, given the convincing manner in which David Wilson's troops secured another piece of silverware to add to a decade's haul of prime achievement, though it was difficult to muster similar optimism about the match itself or the whole occasion. A paltry attendance of 4667 testified to how support at the grassroots has plummeted since more than 22,000 fans attended the inaugural Cup final between Hawick and Watsonians in 1996, and the plain fact is that the SRU badly needs to wake up to the realities of their member organisations, who have effectively been handed a shovel by the union and told to dig themselves out of the mire. Cup final victory emulates Warriors’ success On Saturday, for instance, there was no sponsor, no prize money for the combatants, and precious little indication of the sport being promoted beyond the die-hards, whose number, sadly, is shrinking. Granted, the noise generated by the crowd was the sound of raucous, full-blooded passion and, mercifully, we were spared any asinine Mexican Waves or booing at penalty kicks, frequently witnessed at the ground, come the autumn internationals. But whilst the Shield match between Falkirk and Garnock, (eventually won by the former), was a visceral, compelling battle of wills which defied even neutrals to look away, the main event, when it arrived, was a bit of a disappointment and the atmosphere by the death was shrouded in anti-climax. Partially, that was due to Accies' failure to replicate the intensity of their displays in eliminating Hawick, Currie and Boroughmuir. Instead of seeking a solid forward platform, Ian Barnes' men too often strove for expansiveness and gradually, inexorably, surrendered the initiative, hardly assisted by under-par showings from the normally reliable Ross Browne and Gavin Douglas. Even when their pack produced glimmerings of cranking into top gear, such as establishing the maul which allowed Ed Stuart to open the scoring with a try in the 21st minute, they were forced to exist on scraps of possession and Hawks constantly looked dangerous when the likes of Murray Strang, Ricky Munday, Stevie Gordon and Kerr had the ball. Nor were the Glaswegians flustered at falling 8-3 behind as Douglas' drop-goal cancelled out Mike Adamson's penalty. On the contrary, they simply launched a controlled offensive which squeezed the life out of their opponents and the die was cast shortly before the interval when the behemoth, Stuart, was yellow-carded for killing the ball in his own 22. Adamson narrowed the gap with a penalty, and Hawks subsequently displayed their ruthlessness by seizing a brace of tries on either side of half time, amassing a lead they never threatened to relinquish. Their first touchdown was gift-wrapped, courtesy of the hapless Browne, who passed straight to rival flanker, John Fitzpatrick, who sprinted 50 metres to his goal without resistance. Then, as Stuart watched forlornly from the bin, the Accies full-back spilled an up-and-under, whereupon Hawks sparked wave upon wave of attacks, Strang off-loaded to Ally Maclay and the potent No.8 was calmness personified in his execution. To their credit, the Edinburghers responded with a terrific surge, which briefly drove their adversaries into reverse, and the Accies captain, Dan Teague, ultimately emerged from the morass with a try. Yet, despite a flurry of substitutions in the last 20 minutes, the Glaswegians had already struck the decisive blows and it only remained for Adamson to deliver the coup de grace with two penalties, before the celebrations commenced. "We knew they had players who could trouble us, but we knuckled down and got what we deserved," said the coach who was understandably proud of the manner in which his warriors shrugged off the loss, through injury, of captain, Steven Duffy and Nick Cox. "It's a big confidence boost for next season, because it has been a transitional year for us, and we had to rebuild at the start of the campaign, but we have definitely made progress. We still have work to do, but it feels great to have lifted the Cup again." HAWKS COMPLETE CUP HAT-TRICK Posted: 05/May/07 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Glasgow Hawks lifted their third National Cup title at Murrayfield today having managed to fend off the threat from Edinburgh Accies who were looking to add the top prize to their trophy cabinet alongside their previous triumphs in the Shield and Bowl competitions. Speaking about the victory, man of the match, Hawks’ Mike Adamson, said: “I thought our forwards really stuck in today. Overall it was a good team effort.” Edinburgh Accies coach, Ian Barnes added: “There’s no question the better team won on the day. We were second best.” The opening exchanges were a nervy affair for both sides as they took part in a kicking contest for territory. But it was Accies who were first to have an opportunity to get points on the board only for stand-off Gavin Douglas to slice his tenth minute penalty attempt wide. Hawks replied moments later with a break in midfield which saw them enter the Accies’ 22 metre area. Winger Stevie Gordon found himself on the end of the move, but he was brought to a grinding halt by David Rattray who put in a big hit, bringing his portion of the 4,667 crowd to their feet. As the game approached the 20 minute mark, Accies advanced into the Hawks’ danger zone after a sublime chip over the top from Douglas. Hawks cleared the threat momentarily, but it wasn’t long before Accies were back causing them problems. A lineout and controlled drive saw Accies inch towards the line. As the pile of bodies crossed the whitewash, lock Ed Stuart appeared from underneath with the ball on the ground. Douglas failed to slot the conversion. Hawks rallied straight away and put the pressure right back on Accies as Scotland 7s cap Mike Adamson showed his pace and agility to burn up the left flank. A kick-to-touch from fullback Murray Strang saw Hawks look like crossing as they mounted a big drive from the lineout. As the maul collapsed, prop Nick Cox went down injured and left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Gordon McFadyen. The 32nd minute brought points Hawks’ way when Adamson neatly slotted a penalty from 25 metres out to narrow the gap to only two points. Accies pulled away two minutes later as Douglas quickly fired a drop goal over the heads of the Hawks defenders bringing the game to 8-3. Hawks enjoyed a period of possession before the break, continually threatening to cross the Accies’ line with imaginative running and great passing out of the tackle. At the final breakdown, Edinburgh lock Ed Stuart was found lying on the ball, slowing play deliberately, and was duly sent to the sin bin. The points eventually came, and once Adamson had cleared his line, flanker John Fitzpatrick intercepted a pass and beat the trailing defenders to the line from half-way showing the pace that has earned him Scotland 7s honours in the past. Adamson missed the conversion. Half-time score: Edinburgh Accies 8, Glasgow Hawks 11 Hawks started the second half in fine form, crossing the line after only five minutes. A burst from fullback Murray Strang, and a neat offload to Ally Maclay, saw the no.8 cross under the posts. Adamson added the conversion. Then, just as the game looked to be slipping out of Accies’ grasp, they threw a spanner in the works when captain Dan Teague carried the ball over the line in a driving maul. Douglas couldn’t find the target with his conversion attempt from out wide. A break up the left wing from Accies breathed life back into the second half, which seemed to go down a gear as the players battled with the fatigue of such a big occasion, but a failed drop goal attempt from Douglas was an anti-climax to a great opportunity to draw level on the hour mark. It was Adamson, however, who sealed the victory for the West coasters as his impressive performance with the boot saw him notch two further penalties. Adamson was congratulated after the game by Scotland head coach Frank Hadden who presented him with his man of the match award before Hawks captain Steven Duffy lifted the title in front of the rapturous crowd who had gathered at the national stadium. Attendance: 4,667 Man of the Match: Mike Adamson (Glasgow Hawks) Edinburgh Accies: Ross Browne; John-Michael Howison, Luke McCann, Paul Loudon, David Rattray; Gavin Douglas, Mike Campbell; Peter Burns, Joe Edwards, Alistair Marsh, Ed Stuart, Nathan Pike, Dan Teague CAPTAIN, Jamie Parker, Greg Campbell Substitutes: Stewart Walker, Duncan MacLeod, Ed Stott, Stuart Paterson, Chris Kinloch, Ruairidh Bonner, Lewis Niven Glasgow Hawks: Murray Strang; Stevie Gordon, Ricky Munday, Steven Duffy CAPTAIN, Rory Kerr; Mike Adamson, Kenny Sinclair; Nick Cox, Donald Malcolm, Gavin Mories, Ally Dale, Sandy Warnock, Niall Caddell, John Fitzpatrick, Ally Maclay Substitutes: Gordon McFadyen, John Maclay, Greg Francis, Stuart Low, Richard McKnight, Stewart Smith, Stephen Kidd Referee: Peter Allan (Watsonians) No team list has been added yet.

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