Rugby

RBAI make it back-to-back Ulster Schools cup victories after seeing off Ballymena

Ross Dillon’s second half try, the only score for either side after the break, the difference between the teams at the Kingspan Stadium

RBAI once again won the Ulster Schools Senior Cup. Photograph: Inpho
RBAI once again won the Ulster Schools Senior Cup. Photograph: Inpho
Michael Sadlier at Kingspan Stadium
Mon Mar 18 2024 - 18:19
Ulster Schools Cup final: RBAI 21 Ballymena Academy 14

Belfast school RBAI retained the Ulster Schools Cup in an entertaining and tightly contested final against Ballymena Academy, the game being in the balance until the final play.

Replacement hooker Ross Dillon’s second half try, converted by Alex Place, was the difference between the sides and the only points scored after the interval when both were locked together at 14 all.

Callum Soper, the son of Ulster coach Dan, and man of the match Adam Boyd, son of former Ulster player Clem, both had strong games for Inst who outscored Ballymena by three tries to two, Dillon’s 55th minute effort preceded by converted touchdowns from James Kerr and Boyd.

In what was the first final on the ground’s new surface, last year’s winners scored after just five minutes when winger Kerr intercepted a Ballymena pass in his own half and ran in unopposed, Place converting.

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Place was then surprisingly wide with a 13th-minute penalty head on to the posts on the 22 and Ballymena punished Inst’s inaccuracy when centre Daniel Vercoe-Rogers burst through to score under the sticks.

Robbie Coleman’s conversion tied the scores on 17 minutes.

Ballymena took the lead on 25 minutes when prop Deon Fleming touched down, referee Chris Busby confident that the ball had not been lost in the act of scoring. Coleman added another two points.

Inst needed to respond and three minutes later Boyd got over from close range, Place’s conversion of the number eight’s score tying things up for the second time at 14-14 just before the interval.

Ballymena came close to ending the deadlock after a hack downfield in the 49th minute only for winger and skipper Michael McLean to collide with fullback Sean McKay forcing the ball forward and earning Inst a reprieve.

The Belfast school also secured a jackal penalty from Dillon on their own line as Ballymena came again and it proved to be a turning point as, when Inst got access to their opponents’ 22, it was Dillon who struck again, burrowing over from close range.

Place converted the 52nd minute try and though Ballymena upped the tempo as they sought to find a way back into the game, they couldn’t find a way through the Inst defence which was reduced to 14 after prop Blake McClean’s yellow card.

RBAI: J Gibson, A Place, F Cunningham (capt), C O’Connor, J Kerr, C Gray, C Soper; Z Molyneaux, E Paterson, B McClean, L Sweeney, M Carter, L Donnelly, J Clark, A Boyd. Replacements: R Dillon, R Lath Amou, R O’Connor, S McElhinney, P McEvoy, L Gibson, B McCausland, C Patton.

Ballymena Academy: S McKay, B Neely, D Vercoe-Rogers, A Carson, M McLean (capt), R Coleman, J McIlroy; M Wright, C Mustoe, D Fleming, C Scullion, J Gallagher, H Lamont, R Williamson, C Hargy. Replacements: B Millar, J Harvey, H Casson, D Hayburn, M Cahoon, R Allen, M Glenn, C Irvine.

Referee: C Busby.

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