Jamie Kirk must find a way to get the better of old friend Ritchie McMaster for RBAI to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a third Schools’ Cup prize in four years.

Kirk was McMaster’s captain when the pair played Ulster U19 Schools together.

He also operated as Instonians forwards coach when McMaster started at out half as the Shaw’s Bridge club won the Senior Cup in 2024.

But the friendship will be put on hold during today’s cup final.

placeholder image — Jamie Kirk (right) in South Africa with, from left, players Charlie O'Connor and Adam Boyd on Ireland Schools duty. (Photo by Jamie Kirk)

“I think probably the first thing is that when we know each other so well, there's a high level of respect there...both in a sense of friendship and also knowing that he's going to be a quality coach,” said Kirk. “I think that level of respect maybe makes it a bit easier and that we're both aware that our teams will be well-prepared.

"It does add a little bit of extra excitement to it too, it's probably better just keeping quiet then we'll have a chat and see.

“Back then he was the out half and I was playing seven we became good friends, I certainly didn't see it going to then coaching against each other in a Schools’ Cup final.

“I think we got along well because we both enjoyed the game and we both enjoyed training and talking about it, I think that's probably resulted in why we both got involved the game after we played...I suppose in that sense, going into coaching, maybe it isn't a surprise.

“Ritchie has a real natural feeling for the game and knowledge, he's very good at bossing around and directing the play, he's an excellent goal kicker and kicking out of hand as well.

"You can see that even reflected in the teams that he coaches.”

The pair reunited at Shaw’s Bridge to win Instonians’ first Senior Cup in a quarter of a century.

“That was really exciting because I guess we'd lost touch a little bit just between going away and different bits of pieces,” said Kirk. “Whilst we kept in touch the whole time, that was the first experience where we'd come back together and became a bit more friendly again.

“Even though Ritchie was just in as a player at Instonians, it was like having another player/coach in terms of his knowledge in attack and even just how he organised the team around what we're going to do and when we're going to do it.

“I remember thinking that gives real direction to the team...whenever his teams are playing, they're very clear on what they want to achieve.

"We'll have a chat before the game, I'm sure...but once we get into it, we'll not be thinking about it,” said Kirk. “Ultimately, it's up to the boys, it's two really good teams coming up against each other...whoever comes out on top, there'll still be that respect afterwards.”

Kirk believes last year’s cup experience – when RBAI were denied a hat-trick of consecutive titles – will act as a learning curve.

“We worked extremely hard but obviously it was disappointing and I thought Wallace did deserve their cup win in the end,” said Kirk. “Something that sticks in my mind is that feeling afterward...I thought the boys gave their all but one thing Richie Headley said to the guys was that sometimes you need to lose almost to know how it feels to win and to know how good it feels to win.

“I think not getting it last year actually has been such a big thing for the school.

"Not that the boys ever would but we can't take this for granted of being given the opportunity to get into a final, another opportunity to take the pitch on the 17th, it's such a special occasion and it's such a brilliant challenge.”

Skipper Ross Dillon, No8 Adam Boyd and out half Charlie O’Connor won the cup two years ago and Kirk feels their big-match experience will be vital against Campbell.

“I think it's huge, when you look back at that final two years ago, Adam Boyd scored and Ross Dillon scored the winner, so I think what they can take from that is that they know they can step up in the big moments,” he said. “You know, to step up as a fifth year in a cup final shows that they're not playing with fear, I guess what I've found certainly so far is just when players are in their upper sixth year as well, they're just that little bit more hungry.

"It's their year group but it's something that they're working towards...it's the upper sixth’s last game for the school and it's the combination of all those seven years that they've been playing and representing the jersey that now they've got the opportunity to finish on a high at Ravenhill.

“So I think whilst that experience is really important and can give them confidence and belief, it is also important that they recognise that whatever happened before ultimately doesn't matter...the cup final asks a completely new question of you and we've got to step up to that challenge in front of us.”

In the semi-final against Ballymena Academy, RBAI trailed 14-5.

“We were 20 minutes in and we were fairly disappointed with a couple of areas of our game, but what I have to say is that we spoke to the boys the whole way through this cup,” he said. “I think it was actually Jacob Boyd's year that in all the cup games up to the final and including the final, or at least three out of the four cup games, we were down at half-time.

”So, absolutely, we'll need to improve in this game in terms of that start, but I think it is really important that the boys understand in the cup final having trust and belief in the next moment.”