Holders RBAI progressed to yet another Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup Final after a thoroughly entertaining 27-19 defeat of a combative and hugely inventive Ballymena Academy in the semi-final at Kingspan Stadium on Monday.
It was the winners’ ability to be clinical in the vital areas of the pitch that proved decisive in the end and earned a place in the showpiece St. Patrick’s Day showpiece.
“To be honest I think the score flattered us a little bit, we knew Ballymena was a good side with a good lineout and with some of the most outstanding players in schools’ rugby” said Dan Soper, the RBAI Director of Rugby.
“You score three tries in a semi-final and you don’t normally expect to be involved in such a tight game, we’re all delighted to have got through,” said the affable Kiwi.
“I told my wife this morning that I just wasn’t ready for the season to end today, and when you win, as we did last year, and experience all that goes on around a final, you want to have that again.”
But, illustrating the unpredictable nature of the 70 minutes, Academy never gave up and was camped on the opposition line at the final whistle, the refusal to accept the prospect of defeat truly admirable.
And it was a well-prepared Ballymena that stormed into a deserved early lead and, for long periods, dominated possession and territory. For RBAI another Final beckons, but the players will know that it might well have been a different outcome.
Academy had the better of the early exchanges, and some good tactical kicking caused some disarray in the holders’ defence. Then fullback Mark Thompson was involved in a clever eighth-minute midfield attack, which was ended only by a misplaced pass.
RBAI survived the opening whirlwind and Joseph Finnegan made a dangerous run down the left before being bundled into touch.
Both packs were proving evenly-matched, but Ballymena’s lineout was the more precise, and it was from a 17th minute set-piece move that the forwards drove purposefully towards the ‘Inst’ posts, good handling and support allowing prop David Forsythe to open the scoring. Bruce Houston comfortably landed the conversion for a 7-0 lead to Ballymena.
Three minutes later ‘Inst’ responded, in slightly fortuitous circumstances. Ballymena left-wing Conor Gallagher’s run had been held up, and from the resultant scramble on halfway, number 8 David Whitten gathered intelligently and ran in unimpeded for an opportunist try on the right which James Hume improved to draw the sides level after 21 minutes.
The ‘Inst’ lineout wasn’t functioning as efficiently as usual, Academy attacking each throw and forcing a number of turnovers, and generally refusing to allow the holders to settle into a rhythm.
But in the 27th minute the balance of the game shifted once more, the holders’ ability to capitalise on a paucity of possession rewarded. Scrumhalf Rhys O’Donnell found space on the Ballymena left, found his flying winger Conor Field on his shoulder, and the captain gleefully touched down to the right of the posts for an unconverted try, which put the Belfast team 12-7 ahead.
And that advantage might have been extended four minutes later, outhalf Michael Lowry setting winger Mark Keane on a dancing run down the left which Ballymena somehow managed to halt.
But a minute later the same two players combined more fruitfully, Keane making a searing break in midfield and off-loading to Lowry who dived over at the posts for a superb try, which Hume improved for a 19-7 lead.
As the interval beckoned Academy’s composure seemed to suffer, and a needlessly-conceded penalty could have made the half-time break even more shattering, but Hume contrived to screw a simple penalty well wide.
As in the first half Academy started the second period with a series of pacy, imaginative attacks, though the RBAI defence was now more ordered, and its pack more alert, prop John Dickson and flanker Charlie Cloke doing good covering work.
In the 42nd minute ‘Inst’ then turned to attack, and a sweeping move saw centres Hume and Keane combine at speed, the latter scoring a splendid try in the corner which Hume couldn’t improve, but the holders now appeared in complete control with a 24-7 lead.
But all was not as it seemed. Understandably Ballymena threw any caution to the wind, but that adventure was at the risk of handling errors and loss of possession to an ‘Inst’ team which was now concentrating on consolidating its advantage
Nevertheless, Academy, refreshed by the arrivals off the bench of Conor Agnew and James McLean showed its ambition was not entirely doused, a good forward drive leaving the RBAI right side undefended and Thompson swept over unchallenged for an unconverted try which reduced the deficit after 55 minutes to 24-12.
But almost immediately ‘Inst’ responded when Hume landed a 30-metre penalty which should have calmed any nerves and it gave his side a 27-12 lead.
But Ballymena again refused to accept that all might be lost, and after a series of attacking forays it was the forwards who edged close to the opposition line to send lock Christopher McLeister over for a try which Houston converted to reduce the RBAI lead to 27-19.
And it was Ballymena who dominated the last ten minutes, camping on the ‘Inst’ line, attacking with power, but RBAI’s defence just about held firm and completed a 27-19 win which was, in the end, far from comfortable.
RBAI (15-9): Joseph Finnegan; Conor Field (capt), James Hume, Ben McGavock, Mark Keane; Michael Lowry, Rhys O’Donnell;
(1-8): Callum Reid, Neil Saulters, John Dickson; Harry Gallagher, Pierce McLernon; Charlie Fryers, Charles Cloke, David Whiten;
Replacements: Reilly Gribben, Jake Chambers, Corrie Barrett, Blair Robinson, Yasser Omar, Nial Armstrong, David Lyttle, Zak Davidson.
BALLYMENA ACADEMY (15-9): Mark Thompson; Conor Cosgrove, Alan Small, Angus Kernohan, Conor Gallagher; Bruce Houtson, Michael Stronge;
(1-8): David Forsythe, Alexander Clarke, Josh Bill; Oisin Jordan, Christopher McLeister; Marcus Rea (capt), Jonathan McKeown, Azur Allison;
Replacements: Joel Gincher, Tim Savoury, Scott Agnew, Matthew Moody, James McLean, Conor Barkley, Jordan Foster, Conor Agnew.
Referee: Oisin Quinn
It was the winners’ ability to be clinical in the vital areas of the pitch that proved decisive in the end and earned a place in the showpiece St. Patrick’s Day showpiece.
“To be honest I think the score flattered us a little bit, we knew Ballymena was a good side with a good lineout and with some of the most outstanding players in schools’ rugby” said Dan Soper, the RBAI Director of Rugby.
“You score three tries in a semi-final and you don’t normally expect to be involved in such a tight game, we’re all delighted to have got through,” said the affable Kiwi.
“I told my wife this morning that I just wasn’t ready for the season to end today, and when you win, as we did last year, and experience all that goes on around a final, you want to have that again.”
But, illustrating the unpredictable nature of the 70 minutes, Academy never gave up and was camped on the opposition line at the final whistle, the refusal to accept the prospect of defeat truly admirable.
And it was a well-prepared Ballymena that stormed into a deserved early lead and, for long periods, dominated possession and territory. For RBAI another Final beckons, but the players will know that it might well have been a different outcome.
Academy had the better of the early exchanges, and some good tactical kicking caused some disarray in the holders’ defence. Then fullback Mark Thompson was involved in a clever eighth-minute midfield attack, which was ended only by a misplaced pass.
RBAI survived the opening whirlwind and Joseph Finnegan made a dangerous run down the left before being bundled into touch.
Both packs were proving evenly-matched, but Ballymena’s lineout was the more precise, and it was from a 17th minute set-piece move that the forwards drove purposefully towards the ‘Inst’ posts, good handling and support allowing prop David Forsythe to open the scoring. Bruce Houston comfortably landed the conversion for a 7-0 lead to Ballymena.
Three minutes later ‘Inst’ responded, in slightly fortuitous circumstances. Ballymena left-wing Conor Gallagher’s run had been held up, and from the resultant scramble on halfway, number 8 David Whitten gathered intelligently and ran in unimpeded for an opportunist try on the right which James Hume improved to draw the sides level after 21 minutes.
The ‘Inst’ lineout wasn’t functioning as efficiently as usual, Academy attacking each throw and forcing a number of turnovers, and generally refusing to allow the holders to settle into a rhythm.
But in the 27th minute the balance of the game shifted once more, the holders’ ability to capitalise on a paucity of possession rewarded. Scrumhalf Rhys O’Donnell found space on the Ballymena left, found his flying winger Conor Field on his shoulder, and the captain gleefully touched down to the right of the posts for an unconverted try, which put the Belfast team 12-7 ahead.
And that advantage might have been extended four minutes later, outhalf Michael Lowry setting winger Mark Keane on a dancing run down the left which Ballymena somehow managed to halt.
But a minute later the same two players combined more fruitfully, Keane making a searing break in midfield and off-loading to Lowry who dived over at the posts for a superb try, which Hume improved for a 19-7 lead.
As the interval beckoned Academy’s composure seemed to suffer, and a needlessly-conceded penalty could have made the half-time break even more shattering, but Hume contrived to screw a simple penalty well wide.
As in the first half Academy started the second period with a series of pacy, imaginative attacks, though the RBAI defence was now more ordered, and its pack more alert, prop John Dickson and flanker Charlie Cloke doing good covering work.
In the 42nd minute ‘Inst’ then turned to attack, and a sweeping move saw centres Hume and Keane combine at speed, the latter scoring a splendid try in the corner which Hume couldn’t improve, but the holders now appeared in complete control with a 24-7 lead.
But all was not as it seemed. Understandably Ballymena threw any caution to the wind, but that adventure was at the risk of handling errors and loss of possession to an ‘Inst’ team which was now concentrating on consolidating its advantage
Nevertheless, Academy, refreshed by the arrivals off the bench of Conor Agnew and James McLean showed its ambition was not entirely doused, a good forward drive leaving the RBAI right side undefended and Thompson swept over unchallenged for an unconverted try which reduced the deficit after 55 minutes to 24-12.
But almost immediately ‘Inst’ responded when Hume landed a 30-metre penalty which should have calmed any nerves and it gave his side a 27-12 lead.
But Ballymena again refused to accept that all might be lost, and after a series of attacking forays it was the forwards who edged close to the opposition line to send lock Christopher McLeister over for a try which Houston converted to reduce the RBAI lead to 27-19.
And it was Ballymena who dominated the last ten minutes, camping on the ‘Inst’ line, attacking with power, but RBAI’s defence just about held firm and completed a 27-19 win which was, in the end, far from comfortable.
RBAI (15-9): Joseph Finnegan; Conor Field (capt), James Hume, Ben McGavock, Mark Keane; Michael Lowry, Rhys O’Donnell;
(1-8): Callum Reid, Neil Saulters, John Dickson; Harry Gallagher, Pierce McLernon; Charlie Fryers, Charles Cloke, David Whiten;
Replacements: Reilly Gribben, Jake Chambers, Corrie Barrett, Blair Robinson, Yasser Omar, Nial Armstrong, David Lyttle, Zak Davidson.
BALLYMENA ACADEMY (15-9): Mark Thompson; Conor Cosgrove, Alan Small, Angus Kernohan, Conor Gallagher; Bruce Houtson, Michael Stronge;
(1-8): David Forsythe, Alexander Clarke, Josh Bill; Oisin Jordan, Christopher McLeister; Marcus Rea (capt), Jonathan McKeown, Azur Allison;
Replacements: Joel Gincher, Tim Savoury, Scott Agnew, Matthew Moody, James McLean, Conor Barkley, Jordan Foster, Conor Agnew.
Referee: Oisin Quinn