The semi-finals of the BT Cup, Shield and Bowl took place over the weekend with several clubs booking their places at BT Cup Finals Day on Saturday 22 April at the national stadium. BT Premiership performers Melrose and Ayr pushed past Stirling County and Glasgow Hawks respectively to schedule a BT Cup final showdown at BT Murrayfield. In the BT Shield semi-finals, Murrayfield Wanderers edged out Gordonians 29-26 while Carrick recorded a 43-20 victory over Hawick Harlequins to go into the Shield final as defending champions.The BT Bowl final will feature Blairgowrie, who defeated Strathendrick 20-17 in their semi-final, and they will meet Portobello at BT Cup Finals Day following the coastal side’s narrow 17-11 semi-final win over Moray.In the Sarah Beaney Cup, a host of quarter-final fixtures led to a number of semi-finalists confirmed for Saturday 2 April with Hillhead Jordanhill and Edinburgh University having pushed past Cartha Queen’s Park and Watsonians respectively.RHC Cougars overcame Ayr in their home quarter-final and will now face Hillhead at home in the semi-final, while Edinburgh University contest for a place in the final away to Murrayfield Wanderers.The BT Plate semi-final will see Stirling County host Aberdeenshire as Broughton travel to Stewartry on Saturday 2 April.The semi-finals of the BT Women’s Bowl will see Kirkcaldy, who defeated Grangemouth in the quarter-finals, go head-to-head with Annan at home.Greenock Wanderers are set to welcome last year’s BT Women’s Club of the Season, Garioch, who defeated Glasgow University in their quarter-final tie. BT Cup semi-final match reportsMelrose 48-18 Stirling CountyIn glorious sunshine at The Greenyards, it was County who started the match at pace, and the visitors went ahead inside two minutes when Logan Trotter gathered a perfectly weighted chip-ahead by Alex Black and the winger touched down for an unconverted try in the left corner, to give the visitors an early five-point lead. Stand-off Ross Jones increased County’s lead to 0-8 when he kicked a 45-metre penalty after Melrose were penalised for not releasing the ball on the ground.County’s aggressive play was further rewarded when Jones was on target with another long-range penalty after the home-side were caught offside in midfield, to extend County’s lead to 0-11 after 19 minutes.Melrose began to find their rhythm and from a scrum just inside their own half, the ball was moved to full-back Fraser Thomson who broke down the right flank before offloading to the supporting Grant Runciman who drew the County defence before passing to Sam Pecqueur.The wing then raced under the posts for a try converted by stand-off Jason Baggott to edge closer to County’s 11-7 lead with 24 minutes played.Melrose then went ahead when they took a quick line-out on half-way and swiftly moved the ball through the hands, with right wing Austin Lockington making yards, before offloading to Runciman who set up Thomson to score an unconverted try in the right corner, edging the home-side 12-11 in front.Before half-time, Melrose secured line-out possession five metres from the County try line and the home pack rumbled over for hooker Russell Anderson to touch down left of the uprights, with Baggott adding the conversion.From the re-start, Melrose kept County pinned back deep in their own half and following a number of forward drives, the pressure on the visitor’s defence eventually told, and Nick Beavon dived over for a try to the right of the posts, converted by Baggott.The visitors responded positively, and on 58 minutes, following controlled play by the County forwards exerting pressure on the Melrose line, Adam Sinclair found a gap to barge over for a try from close range, which Jones converted.Baggott kicked a straight-forward penalty for Melrose on the hour mark, after County were penalised for offside within their 22, to extend the home-side’s lead.Melrose then secured victory when Beavon found a gap in the hard-worked County defence, to score his second try, as Baggott added the conversion to take the score to 36-18.Melrose finished strongly, with centre Nyal Godsmark and number 8 Ruaridh Knott scoring tries in the final five minutes, with Baggott converting Godsmark’s effort to round-off his side’s victory and secure their place in the BT Cup final. Ayr 28-10 Glasgow HawksAyr secured a solid victory over Hawks at Millbrae to book their place in the BT Cup final alongside Melrose.The home side got off to the brighter start with pressure in the 22 resulting in a try for Danny McCluskey, after the wing rose high to collect a cross-field kick from Frazier Climo in the seventh minute before the Millbrae out-half converted. Minutes later, Climo fired over a penalty opportunity to extend Ayr’s lead and convert possession into points.Before the half-hour mark, Climo converted another penalty opportunity to edge the home side further into the lead as Hawks continued to search for their first points of the match.However, Ayr remained in control before the interval and were rewarded with their second score, courtesy of full-back Grant Anderson who found space out-wide after the ball was moved through the backs to dot down in the right corner.After the break, Hawks converted their first scoring opportunity through the boot of Josh Henderson as the Scotland U20 out-half nailed a long range penalty.Hawks began to find rhythm in attack after securing points with Brendan McGroarty making several dents in the Millbrae defence.Ayr then extended their lead with another penalty strike from Climo keeping pressuring on a mounting Hawks attack.In the 56th minute, Climo was involved again and managed to dance over left of the posts after the forward pack made the hard yards in the 22 before converting his own score.Hawks responded minutes later and were steadily making their way towards the line when a penalty try was awarded, which Henderson converted effectively.The match continued in favour of Ayr, who wielded control in the closing stages to see out victory and confirm their play in the BT Cup final. Images: Fred Palmer (http://www.39designphotography.co.uk) & Douglas Hardie