City of Armagh RFC have won their first senior trophy thanks to a final day bonus point win over Ballymena.
Armagh travelled to Eaton Park for the rearranged game with Ballymena sitting five points behind reigning holders Ballynahinch knowing that only a bonus point win would prevent the Stevenson Shield heading back to the ‘Hinch, by virtue of better head-to-head results.
Ballymena were in the ascendancy in the early stages but it was Armagh who got the opening score. Good hands from Chris Colvin and Ryan Purvis created the chance for James Hanna to score in the left corner. Out half Young kicked a fine conversion.
With playing swimming from end to end, Ballymena centre Norris broke through and it took an interception to save Armagh from conceding a score.
On the half-hour mark Ballymena set up a powerful maul off a lineout which resulted in an unconverted try to make it 5-7.
Armagh responded almost immediately when centre Stuart Lester burst through to score under the posts. 18-year-old Cormac Fox, on as a replacement for the injured Young, added the conversion to put Armagh 5-14 ahead.
The visitors were now playing with confidence and they rocked Ballymena with a third try five minutes before the break. Having firstly been held up over the line, number 8 Neil Faloon powered over from the resulting 5m scrum to make it 5-21 at half-time.
On 45 minutes Armagh captain Ali Birch got the crucial bonus point try, breaking off a ruck and stretching over to touch down. Fox’s conversion made it 5-28.
Ballymena then raised their game and began to pressurise the Armagh line. The home pack were help up following a catch and drive but the pressure paid off on 52 minutes when Norris broke a tackle and scored a try for McMaster to convert.
Fox knocked over successive penalties to nudge Armagh further ahead, 12-34, with ten minutes remaining.
Armagh finished out the game on the offensive and almost added further tries from Birch and prop Philip Fletcher in the closing minutes, but the outcome was of little consequence as the referee’s whistle sparked the historic celebrations for Armagh.
Captain Ali Birch was presented with the Stevenson Shield by SONI representative Fergal Keenan and IRFU Ulster Branch President, John McKibbin.
Armagh travelled to Eaton Park for the rearranged game with Ballymena sitting five points behind reigning holders Ballynahinch knowing that only a bonus point win would prevent the Stevenson Shield heading back to the ‘Hinch, by virtue of better head-to-head results.
Ballymena were in the ascendancy in the early stages but it was Armagh who got the opening score. Good hands from Chris Colvin and Ryan Purvis created the chance for James Hanna to score in the left corner. Out half Young kicked a fine conversion.
With playing swimming from end to end, Ballymena centre Norris broke through and it took an interception to save Armagh from conceding a score.
On the half-hour mark Ballymena set up a powerful maul off a lineout which resulted in an unconverted try to make it 5-7.
Armagh responded almost immediately when centre Stuart Lester burst through to score under the posts. 18-year-old Cormac Fox, on as a replacement for the injured Young, added the conversion to put Armagh 5-14 ahead.
The visitors were now playing with confidence and they rocked Ballymena with a third try five minutes before the break. Having firstly been held up over the line, number 8 Neil Faloon powered over from the resulting 5m scrum to make it 5-21 at half-time.
On 45 minutes Armagh captain Ali Birch got the crucial bonus point try, breaking off a ruck and stretching over to touch down. Fox’s conversion made it 5-28.
Ballymena then raised their game and began to pressurise the Armagh line. The home pack were help up following a catch and drive but the pressure paid off on 52 minutes when Norris broke a tackle and scored a try for McMaster to convert.
Fox knocked over successive penalties to nudge Armagh further ahead, 12-34, with ten minutes remaining.
Armagh finished out the game on the offensive and almost added further tries from Birch and prop Philip Fletcher in the closing minutes, but the outcome was of little consequence as the referee’s whistle sparked the historic celebrations for Armagh.
Captain Ali Birch was presented with the Stevenson Shield by SONI representative Fergal Keenan and IRFU Ulster Branch President, John McKibbin.