RBAI 22 Campbell College 17
As the prospect of a first drawn Ulster Schools Cup final since 1996 loomed large, RBAI skipper Jacob Boyd stormed across for a try four minutes into added time to finally see off a battling Campbell College and win the trophy for his side at the Kingspan Stadium.
The back-and-forth showpiece had been tied 17-17 as the clock turned red but, with neither side content to settle for a share of the title, a frantic end-game ensued that was settled only by the most dramatic of late interventions from the Ireland under-19 prop.
The score sparked scenes of jubilation and devastation across Ravenhill, the end of a final that warranted a winner but neither side deserved to lose.
RBAI had been viewed as favourites by many pre-season prognosticators but Campbell’s particularly impressive semi-final victory over Methodist College had hinted at an even contest. And so it proved.
Campbell, with their superb fullback Lukas Kenny leading the charge, started the contest applying all the pressure, but the game was nearly 20 minutes old by the time their hooker Jed Dornan emerged smiling from a mass of bodies with the ball tucked under his arm having mauled his way over for the first score.
The RBAI response came in the shape of Boyd’s first try of the game but, thanks to five points from the boot of Campbell’s outhalf Matt Rea, it was the east Belfast school that carried a 10-5 advantage into the turn.
There was a definite momentum shift after the restart and with Bryn Ward, son of former Ireland international Andy, increasingly prominent, RBAI took their first lead of the day when Jacob Edwards’s score from close range was converted by Josh Eagleson.
That advantage was extended with 20 minutes to go thanks to Eagleson’s fantastic pass to the wing that sent Alex Pace over in the corner.
If there only looked to be one winner from that point, Campbell deserve credit for shifting the balance of the proceedings once more. Sparked by Kenny’s brilliant counterattacking instincts, the Irish under-19 panellist created a score for Henry Ralston that still required a testing conversion from Rea to tie the scores once more.
Both sides had their chances over those frantic final 12 minutes and fittingly it was player of the match Boyd who had the final say as he delivered his school’s first title since the last of the three won by a side containing future Irish internationals Mike Lowry and James Hume six years ago.
RBAI: Joshua Gibson; Flynn Morrow, James Hilman, Fraser Cunningham, Alex Place; Josh Eagleson, Callum Soper; Blake McClean, James Clark, Jacob Boyd (capt); Jacob Edwards, Daniel Moore; Callum Simms, Jack Parkinson, Bryn Ward.
Replacements: Euan Paterson, Zak Molyneaux, Shéa Scullion, Milo Carter, Loughlin Sweeney, Sam Patterson, Matthew Sweetlove, Adam Hawthorne.
CAMPBELL COLLEGE: Lukas Kenny; Henry Ralston, Matthew Booth, James McConnell, Jake Daly; Matt Rea, Sean Robinson; Chris Massey, Jed Dornan, Flynn Longstaff (capt); Alexander Brennan, Daniel Harkin; Cal McKinney, Cameron Faith, Joe Jeffery.
Replacements: Will Alexander, Robbie Holmes, Daniel Solomon, Charlie McClurg, Scott Gray, Harry Dyer, Sam Boomer, Jay Davis.
Referee: Henry Richmond.
