RBAI retain Schools' Cup after hard-fought victory over Ballymena Academy at Kingspan Stadium

It is the 34th time the Belfast city centre school have lifted the famous trophy.

Ballymena had dominated the early stages, but it was Inst that broke the deadlock on five minutes.

Ballymena were on the Inst 10 metre line when centre Alexander Carson tried to whip the ball wide, but RBAI winger James Kerr picked off the pass and sprinted under the posts for the game’s opening try. Alex Place knocked over a simple conversion.

Inst missed the chance to extend their lead on 13 minutes. Captain Fraser Cunningham’s powerful drive earned a penalty on the Ballymena 22 in front of the posts, but Place put the kick wide.

Ballymena got back into the game on 16 minutes, from a penalty on their own 10 metre line Robbie Coleman kicked into the Inst 22.

It was scrappy from the lineout, but Ballymena retained possession and moved it infield. Scrum-half James McIlroy hit Daniel Vercoe-Rogers on the crash ball, the centre soared through a gap to go under the sticks with Coleman’s conversion levelling the scores.

Ballymena took the lead on 24 minutes. After a sustained period of pressure they won a penalty, McIlroy took a quick tap but was stopped short, the forwards continued to probe at the line before tight head prop Deon Fleming squeezed over. Coleman was successful with the extras.

Inst struck back on 29 minutes, the backs put together a slick handling move but were stopped in the corner. The ball was moved infield with the forwards having a few probes at the line before eventually Adam Boyd – the brother of last year’s winning captain Jacob – barged over. Place slotted over the conversion.

Ballymena spurned the chance to go into the break with the lead, they turned down a kickable penalty down to go for the corner, but Inst stole the lineout and the sides went into half-time level at 14-14.

Ballymena wasted a glorious chance to regain the lead on 50 minutes. An Inst attack broke down in the Ballymena 22, Vercoe-Rogers hacked out, Michael McLean kicked again and was in a foot race with Place which he won, but he knocked it on in his efforts to slide over the line.

Ballymena were thwarted again a minute later as they probed at the Belfast school’s line, but flanker Lorcan Donnelly was able to win a turnover.

Ballymena were made to rue their poor finishing as Inst hit the front again on 57 minutes.

They kicked a penalty to the corner and patiently went from west to east, working the ball through a number of phases, before replacement Ross Dillon powered over from close range, Place converted.

As Ballymena searched for a tying score Inst had tighthead prop Blake McClean sin-binned for a high tackle on his own 22 with four minutes remaining.

Ballymena had one last chance to earn a share of the trophy when they had a lineout on the Inst 22, but the throw was picked off at the front and Inst just worked the ball through the phases, running down the clock.

RBAI: (15-9) Joshua Gibson; Alex Place, Fraser Cunningham (captain), Charlie O'Connor, James Kerr; Charlie Gray, Callum Soper; (1-8) Zak Molyneaux, Euan Paterson, Blake McClean; Loughlin Sweeney, Milo Carter; Lorcan Donnelly, James Clark, Adam Boyd.

Replacements: Ross Dillon, Reagan Lath Amou, Rory O'Connor, Scott McElhinney, Patrick McEvoy, Luke Gibson, Ben McCausland, Connor Patton.Ballymena Academy: (15-9) Sean McKay; Ben Neely, Daniel Vercoe-Rogers, Alexander Carson, Michael McLean (captain); Robbie Coleman, James McIlroy; (1-8) Matthew Wright, Callum Mustoe, Deon Fleming; Conan Scullion, Joshua Gallagher; Harry Lamont, Reece Williamson, Charlie Hargy.

Replacements: Ben Millar, Joshua Harvey, Henry Casson, Daniel Hayburn, Matthew Cahoon, Reuben Allen, Mark Glenn, Callum Irvine.

Referee: C Busby