Ulster Senior Shield honours on line for Ballyclare and Malone in rearranged final

The game at The Cloughan was meant to be played two days after Christmas but succumbed to a frozen pitch.

It will be a busy 24 hours for Ballyclare coach Mike Orchin-McKeever as he looks to put more silverware in the club trophy cabinet before taking charge of the High School the next morning in a semi-final.

“Exciting times for the club to have an Ulster senior final, shame it wasn't done over the Christmas festive period, but we've got it on a Friday night on the eve of the Six Nations,” said Orchin-McKeever. “For the school, they have a subsidiary shooting semi-final on the Saturday morning.

“There's been a good record of success in winning trophies from Town’s Cup, Junior Cup and All Ireland Junior Cups. Last year the first opportunity of being a senior club, they were successful in the Ulster League 2.

“This is now only one of two competitions that we're part of – the All-Ireland League and the Ulster Senior Shield. To reach the final and have an opportunity to be successful in it is very exciting.

“It brings a different mindset with it being a different competition as well, it allows a different level of pressure on them in comparison to an All Ireland League game.”

Orchin-McKeever is hoping that Friday night under the lights will attract a big crowd.

“It’s a huge opportunity for the club to get out and watch the first 15 play,” added the coach. “When you're fielding five senior teams and they're generally all kicking off at 2.30, rarely all at home so all scattered across the different clubs around Ulster, it's good to have more availability for people to come down and watch and support both clubs, and create a real fun excitement and buzz around the club.

“Quite exciting for Jack Gamble to get the captain of his club in a final as well, his first year as captain having taken over from Joe McBride.”

The sides met on the first day of the season back in August at Gibson Park. On that occasion, Ballyclare won the game but the Orchin-McKeever is reading nothing into that.

“That was just early season run-outs really, trialling things and getting collision time basically against different bodies,” he said.

“Malone are a very proud club with guys like Stuart Duncan and David Heron investing a lot of time. I have a few run-outs at under-18 level with them which was pretty cool with Chris Henry and Ryan Caldwell when our school's cup rugby finished up, Jacques Benade was coach.

“It's also quite more exciting for the current players like James Creighton and Joe McBride who played their mini-rugby at Malone, pretty cool for them to get another opportunity to play against what was their initial club.”

McBride is the son of former Ireland international Denis and the flanker spent most of his senior career at Malone.

“Denis will be supporting his son,” said Orchin-McKeever. “I don't think there will be any doubt in who he wants to see win the game but that's not taking away from how proud he is of what he achieved as a rugby player with Malone, Ulster and Ireland and also how proud his son is of him.”

Orchin-McKeever admits the final is a welcome distraction from the from the All Ireland League.

“It’s an opportunity to have a different mindset, a different focus than winning at AIL level. To have a reasonably local derby between Ballyclare and Belfast is also something different, and again, it's still very new being a senior club and only their second season they had a final.”