There was a dramatic start to the domestic rugby season at Port-e-Chee on Saturday with a tense contest between Douglas Celts and Ramsey in the Hartford Homes Manx Shield.

The contest was only clinched by four tries to three – in the hosts' favour - with three minutes remaining.

In tropical temperatures and a healthy breeze to Celts' advantage, Patrick McCord dived over in the 10th minute for the opening Douglas score, converted by Craig Martin.

It was a proper arm wrestle up front though where the home side were suffering in the scrum and struggling to clear their lines.

Scott Kneale took advantage at scrum-half to dart through and Dan Kelly converted to level 7-7 after Douglas failed to use the wind at their backs.

Carl Conroy rolled the years back with a charge-down Douglas try, Martin adding the extras, only for Garion Daniel to restore the try status-quo and Kelly convert for 14-14.

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 the northerners 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 visitors' 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 and seal a 24-21 victory.

The match referee was Kris Hattam.

Results: Saturday, September 12:

Hartford Homes Manx Shield

Douglas Celts 24-21 Ramsey

TONY WILSON-SPRATT