Ramsey racked up a 74-point victory over Southern Nomads in the Manx Shield on Saturday afternoon.

The northerners won they away leg by only six points back in September and the Mooragh Park rematch promised another close encounter.

However, a ruthless Ramsey side put in a clinical first-half performance to lead 50-0 at the break and close the game out with a huge 79-5 win.

The action started in the fourth minute when Ramsey centre Conor Goodall ran a perfect line through the Nomads’ defence and raced in under the posts.

Tom Moffatt then kicked the first of his seven conversions.

With just over 10 minutes played Ramsey doubled the lead.

The forwards this time did the hard yards and skipper Matt Meechan crashed in from close range for the first of his hat-trick. Moffatt added the extras for a 14-0 lead.

As the 20-minute mark approached Ramsey went in again.

The Corteen brothers Josh and Jacob had got their side into good field position deep in the Nomads’ half.

Scrum-half Sam Corlett pulled the trigger on his backline with some quick ball and safe hands found Jake Richmond who bagged the first of his three.

By this stage Ramsey were throwing the ball around with abandon.

The moves were coming off, the passes were sticking and the pace was kept so high Nomads couldn’t cope. Tries swiftly followed.

Meechan made a big run in for his second. Jake Richmond broke down the right flank and Will Millsopp finished it off.

Brayden Roche hacked one downfield and won the footrace. Josh Corteen galloped in after breaking the line and Josh Leece finished off a set back move from the training ground.

All the time Moffatt was adding conversions and when it was all tallied up, Ramsey had a 50-0 half time lead.

When the second half got underway there was more of the same.

Jake Richmond bagged two quick ones in the opening five minutes to complete his hat-trick.

Ramsey then rang some changes. Off came Micheal Flynn, Jake Richmond and Roche and on went Ryan Wren, Dave Keenan and Connor Casey.

This slowed down the scoring rate a little as Ramsey adjusted to the new personnel. Once adjusted, Casey was in for a score wide on the right and Meechan completed his hat-trick to make it 74-0.

To Nomads credit, they kept plugging away.

Richard Seed worked tirelessly for little reward and George Callister sniped around the fringes like a terrier.

Eventually they were rewarded when with 10 to play, Tom Collister wriggled across the line for a well-deserved consolation try.

It was, however, Ramsey who had the final say when replacement Keenan slipped clear down the left wing to score the final try of the game.

Depleted Vagabonds struggle at Clitheroe

A combination of injury and unavailability meant Vagas were missing 20 players this week for their trip to sixth-place Clitheroe in Counties Three ADM Lancashire/Cheshire on Saturday.

The result predictably went Clitheroe’s way and they ran out 88-5 winners with Jon Ferguson picking up Vagas’ consolation try.

Vagas remain in 12th place in the standings but get no respite and face seventh-place Burnley at Ballafletcher this Saturday afternoon.

Results

Regional Two North West

Douglas 32-13 Northwich

Counties Three ADM Lancashire/Cheshire

Clitheroe 88-5 Vagabonds

Manx Shield

Ramsey 79-5 PDMS Southern Nomads

Look ahead to this weekend’s rugby in this week’s Manx Independent - on sale Thursday.

DAVE CHRISTIAN