Murrayfield knock out defending champions Duddingston in Edinburgh Summer League

Duddingston’s recent dominance in the Edinburgh Summer League ended after Gordon Milligan’s men lost at home to Murrayfield in this season’s quarter-finals.

After producing good runs in the Dispatch Trophy over the past few years, Murrayfield now have a first Edinburgh Summer League title triumph in their sights after beating double defending champions Duddingston in the quarter-finals

Bidding to win the event for the first time, Murrayfield rose to the challenge against the champions for the last two years to post a stunning 5.5-3.5 victory.

“It was a great game to watch,” said Murrayfield team manager Stevie Anderson as he savoured his side’s sweet away success after they’d finished runners-up to Turnhouse in one of the qualifying groups.

“We took a nice early lead, being up in six matches through seven holes, but we knew there was plenty golf still to be played.”

Having come in as a late replacement for Archie Wyatt, who’d called off due to a sickness bug, Eian McIntosh delivered a brilliant 3&2 win for the visitors over Ben Alexander in the top match.

Craig Pirie then levelled it up by beating Bobby Gibson by the same margin before, in a big turning point, Carl Johnstone won the last to beat Jamie Duguid.

The roles were reversed as Scott Dickson won the par-4 18th for Duddingston against Alan Smith in the fourth game before the next three games went the full distance as well.

Graeme Bloomer won the last to beat Dave Downing, meaning it was all very tight with four matches still to finish.

After both players struggled on the par-5 17th, Gus Santana and Stuart Macrae headed to the last all square and the 18th fell again to Murrayfield - Macrae doing the business in this instance - in that one.

Which, with Stuart Thurlow having won the 17th to go one up on Gary Thomson – that one was eventually halved – and Lloyd Dunlop on course to beat David Miller in the anchor match, meant it was job done for the visitors.

Royal Burgess are through to the last four as well after the seven-time champions also recorded a great away win at Turnhouse.

Kenny Walker, Archie Finnie, Malcolm Pennycott, John Yuille and Alan Ker delivered the crucial points for Royal Burgess as they handed out a rare home defeat to two-time winners Turnhouse.

Murrayfield will face either Craigielaw or Swanston in the last four at Baberton while, at Silverknowes, Royal Burgess are awaiting the winners between Musselburgh and Baberton.