Relief for Willie Faloon as Armagh fight back to secure Schools' Cup final place

Inst led 22-5 with just under a half hour remaining but Armagh scored 24 unanswered points to reach a second final in three years.

Armagh coach Willie Faloon was relieved at the end.

“We were 100% dead and buried and I think I had definitely given up hope at that stage,” he said.

“But thankfully the lads hadn’t, we got a turn of fortune when they sustained a yellow card and maybe the tide turned a little bit as we got a score and started putting pressure on them in the right areas.

“I felt our pressure had been building, but then we let in soft scores, but fair play to them they had done enough to win the game, for us to come back is all credit to the guys.

“We put a lot of work on our set-piece and it was strong, it’s small margins.”

Faloon is hoping for a full match performance in the final.

“We’ve had two good halves over two games and you’re very lucky if you’re getting wins by only playing a half, we have to get better,” he said.

Eight of the Armagh squad played in the Medallion Shield final at Kingspan Stadium two years ago, but Faloon felt those experiences had no bearing on the big occasion.

“We hoped it would but for the first half and start of the second half it didn’t show, it’s great to get that win, bank that experience and bring it to the final now,” he said.

RBAI took the lead on three minutes with a penalty from full back Ronan Boyle.

Armagh hammered away at the Inst line but couldn’t put point on the board until the 24 minutes, full back Ethan McAtarsney ran a poor kick out of defence back, he was stopped short but lock Nicholas Bothwell picked up and went over for the game’s opening try, out-half Romain Morrow missed the conversion.

The Belfast school went into the break with an 8-5 lead, from a move of the scrum Oscar Lowe made a line break passed to midfield partner Jude Postlewaite and he provided the scoring pass for Bole to touch down.

Inst got their second try a minute after the restart winger Oliver Metcalfe crossing with Boyle converting.

Flanker Paddy Eames went under the posts for Inst on 41 minutes and Boyle’s conversion put the Belfast school 17 points up.

The turning point came on 45 minutes when Inst flanker Jonny Eagleson was sin binned.

Armagh scored immediately through scrum half Chris Worth with Morrow converting.

Four minutes later James Allen finished off a superb break by Sam Cunningham which Morrow converted.

Armagh took the lead on 54 minutes when Flanker Josh King was propelled over from a driving maul.

Armagh have lifted the cup nine times and they ensured another final appearance when McAtarsney scored their fifth try with the final play of the game.

They will face the winners of this afternoon’s second semi final between Wallace and Methody in the St Patrick’s Day decider.