Edinburgh edge Glasgow in 1872 Cup thriller
Munster’s draw with Ulster earlier on meant that both teams headed onto the pitch at Murrayfield with their respective places in the Pro14 play-offs rubber-stamped.
The final destination of the Cup – Edinburgh and the Warriors having won one encounter apiece earlier this season – was still to be decided, however.
Glasgow took the lead with 12 minutes gone as DTH van der Merwe marked his 100th appearance for the club – and his 31st birthday – by going over out wide after receiving a chipped kick from Finn Russell, who also added the extras.
Johnstone restored parity seven minutes later, bundling through two white shirts to crash over the line, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne converting.
But, in a flash, the Warriors restored their lead with a spectacular team score, with Nick Grigg and George Horne helping tie Edinburgh in knots.
The ball eventually found its way to Russell, who slickly offloaded for Callum Gibbins to go over, the former adding the extras to make it 14-7.
Five minutes before the break, Lay burrowed his way over the line to haul Edinburgh back level, Hidalgo-Clyne converting, and in first-half added time, the hosts got their noses in front.
Hidalgo-Clyne showed sublime vision to bend a teasing kick around the corner, allowing Duhan van der Merwe to win a footrace and join his opposition namesake on the scoresheet, his scrum-half again adding the extras.
A contest that had been electric in the first period quietened in the second as the two sides largely cancelled each other out, despite plenty of attacking intent.
A 60-metre run from Stuart McInally broke down 15 minutes from time and the scoreboard was finally altered again shortly afterwards, Duncan Weir bisecting the posts with a penalty.
But back came Glasgow, DTH van der Merwe going over near the left flank to make it 24-19 and set up a grandstand finale.
The Warriors rapped at the door late on but Edinburgh held firm.
The scorers:
For Edinburgh:
Tries:Johnstone, Lay, Van der Merwe
Cons: Hidalgo-Clyne 3
Pen: Weir
For Glasgow:
Tries:Van der Merwe 2, Gibbins
Cons: Russell 2
Teams:
Edinburgh: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 James Johnstone, 12 Chris Dean, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Bill Mata, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Ben Toolis, 3 Simon Berghan, 2 Stuart McInally (captain), 1 Jordan Lay.
Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Allan Dell, 18 WP Nel, 19 Lewis Carmichael, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Mark Bennett.
Glasgow: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Nick Grigg, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 George Horne, 8 Ryan Wilson (captain), 7 Callum Gibbins, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Alex Allan.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Siua Halanukonuka, 19 Rob Harley, 20 Chris Fusaro, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Lee Jones.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mike Adamson (Scotland), Dunx McClement (Scotland)
TMO: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Source: @PRO14Official
