An encouraging start to the domestic season at Port-e-Chee with a tense contest between Douglas Celts and Ramsey.
The Manx Shield match on Saturday (September 12) was only clinched by four tries to three with three minutes remaining.
In tropical temperatures and a healthy breeze to Celts advantage, Patrick McCord dived over for the opening Douglas score, converted by Craig Martin, but it was a proper arm wrestle up front where Douglas were suffering in the scrummage.
Scott Kneale took advantage at scrum-half to dart through, and Dan Kelly converted to level 7-7 after Douglas failed to clear with the wind at their backs.
Carl Conroy rolled the years back with a charge-down Douglas try, Martin adding the extra’s, only for Garion Daniel to restore the try status-quo and Kelly convert for 19-14.
Echoed First Half
The second half echoed the first, where Ramsey’s wind advantage was sometimes ignored in favour of running from defence, and Wilf Kermode was the beneficiary with a Douglas try that topped a Man of the Match display.
Ramsey came again with Kneale crossing for his second, and Kelly’s 70th minute conversion put Ramsey 19-21 ahead.
Sam Clarke broke strongly but couldn’t find supporting Douglas players, and the home side then ignored a kickable penalty to keep possession deep in Ramsey territory.
Three more phases close to the Ramsey line then paid dividends, as veteran scrum-half Mark Shortland made the most of the smallest gap around the fringes to plunge over between despairing defenders.
The final score was Douglas Celts 24 – 21 Ramsey.