It was a scrappy game but pretty even, with a half time score of 5-3 in Garnocks favour. The main memory of the game however will probably be the number of times the ref blew his whistle for penalty offences (did anyone keep a count) and it was those penalties in kicking range that was the difference at the final whistle - Garnock kicking four of their second half penalties compared to Glens one, to give a final score of 17-6.
So the win for Garnock (but no bonus point) and no lose bonus point for Glens, compared to a win and four try bonus for Carrick following their 87-18 win against Oban, means Carrick stretch their lead to, a perhaps decisive, 12 points. Glens do still have a game in hand, but even if they win all their remaining games (including Carrick on 12th May), they still need Carrick to slip-up somewhere along the way. Glens will be looking at 21st April when Carrick travel to EK as a possibility, but they themselves go to EK the week later.Following a bonus point win away at Cambuslang (ref cam footage available here), East Kilbride are in third, 13 points behind, but having played a game more than Carrick. It’s not mathematically impossible, but they’re highly unlikely to catch Carrick (or who-ever the eventual winners are).
Despite their win, Garnock slip to fourth behind East Kilbride. Like Carrick and Glens, Garnock also have East Kilbride away to play (7th April), a win here, and they could realistically see the rest of the season out with wins, and then who knows what might transpire.Carrick are playing in the National Shield semi-final this weekend away at Alloa (3pm kick-off), so both Glens and Garnock have the chance to close the gap on the leaders.
The weekends results means Carrick become firm favourites for the Championship title but there’s still plenty to play for (incidentally in last weeks comments section, RugbyFan has gone for Carrick winning the league with Garnock in 2nd and Glens in 3rd, if you disagree, why not share your prediction in this weeks comments section).
At the foot of the table, despite their heavy defeat to East Kilbride, Cambuslang did pick up a four try bonus point, which moves them ahead of Irvine and a point further ahead of Oban. Oban are 11 behind Cambuslang, but they do have 3 games in hand on them, whilst they’re 10 behind Irvine, with 2 games in hand.
Helensburgh have seemed destined for relegation for several weeks, but it’s surely been sealed now with a further points deduction, they sit on - 4 points, 12 behind Oban and 22 behind Irvine.
So the final relegation spot is between Cambuslang, Irvine and Oban. They each have Helensburgh still to play, whilst both Cambuslang and Irvine have Oban to play (Cambuslangs visit to Oban has been moved to 19th May - the final Saturday of the season). There won’t be many opportunities for wins for these three contenders, so the games against each other will be crucial, with bonus points being vital.Oban are currently one Saturday short of being able to complete their season, so we don’t know what will happen should they be within a few points of either Cambuslang or Irvine come the season close, but still a game to play.
In the National 3 relegation battle, Dalziels defeat at the weekend means they slip back into the drop zone. Dalziel coming down to the West Regional leagues would mean two Clubs relegated from West 1.
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