RBS Shield final: Livingston 15-30 Marr

Marr completed their entire season unbeaten when they clinched the RBS Shield with a clinical display that showcased their well-balanced blend of youth and experience.

Scorers: Livingston: Tries: Bolan, King. Cons: Bolan. Pens: Bolan. Marr: Tries: S Bickerstaff 2, Burke, Adair. Cons: McGee 2. Pens: McGee 2.

For Livingston, the defeat may have been difficult to digest but their appearance on the Murrayfield turf marked the culmination of a remarkable resurgence for the club.

Marr made a blistering start and the searing pace of Scott Bickerstaff delivered the opening score after two minutes – the winger outstripping the Livingston defence before diving over in the corner.

Rory McGee booted the conversion, then did so again to double the lead after Paul Burke had barged over following a close-range lineout.

Although shell-shocked by the ferocity of the opening, Livingston rallied and clawed back three points when Craig Bolan stroked over a penalty.

However, any notion that they might build on that breakthrough evaporated a minute later when Bickerstaff again turned on the afterburners to race over for an unconverted score.

While Marr had been clinical in their finishing, their opponents spurned a try scoring opportunity before Bolan skewed a penalty attempt wide of the target with what was to prove the final chance of the half. However, after surviving a five-minute spell on the back foot, Livingston hauled their way back into contention when Bolan crashed over for a self-converted try.

And the lead dwindled to four points when Jonny Bruton fired out a pass to Jamie King after a close-range scrum and the winger dotted down.

While the youthful legs in the Marr line-up posed the greatest threat to the tiring Livingston defence, it was the guile of experienced campaigner Stephen Adair that delivered the killer blow when he scuttled over for the Ayrshire side’s fourth and conclusive try.

McGee missed the conversion but landed two late penalties to complete the scoring.

Livingston: D Edwards; K Buchan, R Neil, A MacMahon, J King; C Bolan, J Bruton; M Tamosaitis, L Barrett, N Scobie, S Hay, J Millar, J Watt, A Johnston, S Logan. Subs: D Stone, A Scobie, G Caldwell, A Laird, B Middlemass, S Mushet, G Wilson.

Marr: C Bickerstaff; S Bickerstaff, A Gault, A Rankin, G Ness; R McGee, G Baird; C Nisbet, S Adair, F Ferguson, C Craig, K Kirk, S Kirk, P Burke, F Grant. Subs: R Kennedy, D Morrison, A Johnston, J Evans, A Bate, A Mill, M Paxton .

Referee: D McClement.