BELFAST ACADEMY had arrived at Ravenhill in the hope of making history for their school Never before had they won outright the most coveted of schools prizes, the Ulster Senior Cup, though they did share it three times in the 1960s.

RBAI, 24 time winners, were if not quite the Goliaths of this final then certainly the favourites to extend those statistics, but, disappointingly, they could not register a single score.

But we know how schools finals go. We know how the hands can lose their touch, how the breathlessness can sap energy and how the planned moves that were going a dream in practice end up looking like an off the cuff manoeuvre created in the mind of only one player.

RBAI now know that better than most after a match that never really generated the energy or immediacy associated with such spectacles. For all of 70 minutes we waited for it to happen, waited for RBAI to kick into gear and lift their game to a level that would at least threaten the Belfast Academy line.

We waited for either pack to assert their dominance and for the backs to go sweeping up the park to enliven the 10,000 crowd that came to stand and watch as the mist and rain drifted over the Castlereagh hills. We waited.

Not until the final desperate moments, when it looked clear that the cup would find itself in a brand new trophy room, did RBAI invigorate the contest. By then, however, it was more of a face saving demonstration than a realistic effort to topple the more disciplined and tactically aware BRA side.

In truth it wasn't a good game of rugby for the brass bands and, the screaming hoards. But do they ever care about the quality of game on these carnival days? It stopped and started, and became, bogged down in set pieces and cautionary moves that in the end suited BRA more than their opponents.

The number of turnovers was frightening and the greasy ball spun and squirted every time a hard hit was landed. And again it was Belfast Academy who handled these difficult ingredients better. With their place kicker, Jonathan Wells, scoring all 12 points from eight efforts, BRA must certainly take the credit for managing their enthusiasm to better effect.

For not only did the out of sorts RBAI attempt only one penalty in the first hall, which was just out of range for outside half Derek McCombe, and none in the second, but they only threatened their opponents line once apart for a final, seven minute offensive.

That said Belfast Academy never ventured much further in, attack. But in the loose and lineouts their number eight, Christopher McCarey, was a colossus. Along with prop and captain, Michael Hazlett, and the rest of the pack, he allowed Belfast Academy to, keep more control.

The first score came after 16 minutes when tempers flared in a ruck. The referee singled out RBAI as the aggressors in what was overall a clean but physical match and Wells was successful with the kick from 25 yards out.

It was 10 more minutes before Belfast Academy could extend that lead following their best break of the game, when winger Ryan Milligan gathered and made 40 yards' before stepping in the touch. On this occasion RBAI were judged offside just beyond the 22, and Wells extended the lead to 6-0.

Another 10 minutes passed before a rash high tackle was again penalised. Once again Wells stepped up to the very tight angled kick and put over his best of the day from less than 25 yards out.

On the blow of half time he had landed four penalties from six attempts, and with the wind on the Belfast Academy backs a backlash was expected in the second half.

But we waited. Belfast Academy simply stuck to their grind and kick and ferociously committed tackling. They closed the game down as best they could and RBAI just couldn't break the mould that had actually been set in the first half.

It was only in the last phase of the game that the half back line finally moved in any threatening way. But it was too late and Belfast Academy were up to it anyway. History was made.