Simple but deadly Campbell triumph

A sun-kissed Ravenhill and a crowd in T-shirts, the day was made for a school's final. The Belfast venue had more of the carnival feel of high-summer championship football or hurling and there was a complete absence of the wintry pall under which rugby is more often played as approximately 8,000 screamed their way through the schools' annual highlight.

In that vein, a lively and tense game ensured that one half of the divided support were satisfied as Campbell College nudged ahead of Ballymena and stone-walled until finally killing the game with a try in the dying minutes for their first win in the Renault Ulster Senior Schools' Cup since 1993, their 21st win outright.

"That has to be the most intense game of rugby I have ever had to play," said the winning captain Aaron Flaherty after the match. The young back-row had framed the game in one line.

It was a contest that was never certain of going either way and behind Campbell's apparently simple approach was a team effort that was as impressive as it was effective. Every tackle counted, every player conformed to a disciplined framework that failed only in the opening exchanges when Ballymena ran in their first score of the match after seven minutes.

Much as Campbell had done against Methody in the semi-final, they nudged ahead then held every blade of grass until Ballymena could offer no more. In that respect, it was a most experienced display from such a band of callow players.

That they played a system requiring significant skill was beyond doubt. The kicking of Michael McComish at out-half and Marcus McCluggage at scrum-half, the tackling and ball-carrying of open side Alex Smyth and the covering and loose play of number eight Gareth McComb all bore fruit.

As expected, it was Humphrey's junior, Ian, operating from the back of the Ballymena scrum, much like his brother David does for Ulster and Ireland, who initiated the first points for Ballymena shortly after they had lost centre Paul Campbell at the beginning of the match after a clash of heads.

Breaking from the Campbell College 10-metre line the score was beautifully shaped. Using his pace on a diagonal run to create space and agitate his opponents' defence, the out-half then off-loaded an outside pass to send centre Steven Goodrich in at the left corner flag.

As Humphreys converted, Ballymena gave the impression of being the more steady side. But then again it was a schools' final and it had barely begun. Within 10 minutes the slow burning Campbell had clawed back three points when Micheal McComish kicked his side's first penalty as Ballymena rashly played the ball on the ground.

Just after the half hour, Campbell turned the corner. Ballymena, using their number eight Matt McCullough in the line to run at the Campbell centres, were met with little but resistance and were forced back.

It was centre Conor Hamilton, breaking from the middle of the park into the Ballymena 22, who allowed Smyth to gain further ground from the recycled ball. At that point, Ballymena were still fanning out to protect their line as Gregory Mitchell gathered to bullock through the back-pedalling cover, McComish converting before adding another penalty after the break.

To be fair to the losers, they had much of the territorial advantage in the second period, but in the face of such resistance they, crucially, struggled to instil fear into Campbell, who had led 13-7 from 36 minutes. Ballymena were left chasing the game for the entire second half.

The final try from McComb a minute from time possibly put an unfair gloss on the score-line. Desperately trying to run out of defence, Ballymena spilled the ball just five metres from their line.

McComb simply picked up and romped over, putting the game beyond doubt.

Scoring sequence: S Goodrich try, I Humphreys conversion 0-7; 13: M McComish penalty 37; 33: G Mitchell try, McComish conversion 10-7. 36: McComish penalty 13-7; 69: M McComb try 187.

Ballymena Academy: P Stevenson; W Matthews, P Campbell, S Goodrich, R Orr; I Humphreys, J O'Kane; B Young (capt), M Stevenson, A Campbell, J Adair, J Smyth, S McKinny, D Logan, M McCullough. Replacements: G Coulter for P Campbell (2 mins); C McClelland for Adair (50 mins).

Campbell College: S Young; I Moore, C Hamilton, G Mitchell, G McLoughlin; M McComish, M McLuggage; D Best, A Flaherty (capt), N Gilfillan, A Grainger, R Grahame, R McDonald, A Smyth, G McComb. Replacement: N Taylor for Mitchell (36 mins).

Referee: M Orr (Ulster).