Stewartry 35 Dunfermline 19, National Shield, semi-final

DUNFERMLINE saw their hopes of reaching the National Shield final come to an end after losing out to Stewartry on Saturday.

The men's first XV travelled south to play in the last four of the competition, aiming to cap a fantastic season that saw them win the Tennent's Men's Caledonia Region League, Division One, title, by reaching the final of a competition they won in 2012.

A bus load of supporters followed the team to Castle Douglas for the match with the Tennent's Men's West League, Division One, outfit, but two late tries saw the home side pull away and secure their place in the showpiece.

Whilst head coach, Gavin Emerson, said that their run in the National Shield had been a bonus, with the priority of winning their division, and promotion to the national leagues, having been achieved, he admitted that there were "a few tears" amongst his players.
"It is one of those things. I've not looked at the game tape yet," he reflected to Press Sport.
"They were a good side. We lost two or three of our back row players in the first 10 minutes due to head knocks and concussion, so we had to make substitutions earlier than we'd like.
"The boys played well, but Stewartry were a bit more physical and stronger than us."

We will have more on the match in this week's Press Sport.

Meanwhile, ahead of that game, Emerson revealed that a pre-match talk from the club's team manager inspired his side to title glory.

The men's first XV turned on the style the previous Saturday to break the 100-point barrier against Aberdeen Wanderers, and claim the win they needed to finish top of Tennent's Men's Caledonia Region League, Division One.

Their success means that National League rugby – Dunfermline are set to enter Division Four – will return to McKane Park for the first time since 2015 and Emerson, who took over last summer, revealed he had called on David Quarm to help with his pre-match preparations.

"I messaged him on Saturday morning because it was bugging my head all week; I don't know what to say to these guys," he explained.

"Those that know me know I'm a very emotional person. Before they went out for the warm-up, I was saying a few things, like sticking to the game plan, not getting overwhelmed by what's potentially at stake and I felt myself starting to well up – and I wasn't even taking to the park!

"I felt I can't be the one to say the last bits to the boys before they go out on the pitch – I'll lose concentration and totally go off-script, as I tend to do sometimes.

"Those that know DQ know he's a very quiet man. He said to me, I don't think I'd do it justice, but I said, DQ, just you speaking to the guys will be more than enough. Just tell them what this means to you, how long you've been in this journey, so I said we're going back in at ten to three, we'll get you in, say your bit, Matty (Wilson) the captain, he'll do the last bits, and then the boys will go out onto the pitch.

"At ten to I'm saying to him on the radio, DQ, where are you, come on in! He's not saying anything to me, so I go out and find him, and I said DQ, come on. He was like I can't do it, I can't do it.

"He's not someone that says much. What he does is by the actions and everything he does for the boys is unbelievable. That's how he puts his piece in.

"We talked him round, we got him, and just the stuff he said to the boys...the boys were ready for war. Me and the other coaches were tearing up and we were buzzing. It was amazing.

"The boys went out and, from the kick off, they performed and that's the sort of thing we needed."

Emerson added: "Whether you played for the club 10 years ago, or whether you've just always supported the club, it doesn't matter which part of your journey, or what you bring to the team – that was an occasion for everybody.

"I think everyone felt that and it was great. DQ, in part of his speech, said 10 years ago, the club got promoted but, in his words, they never deserved it because they finished second, and they got up in second place, whereas this time, we've got the opportunity to go up on our own accord, on our victory, and what we've achieved.

"It's a great thing. We deserved that, we've worked hard for that, and it gets us that better level of rugby next year."