Banbridge Academy 1^st XV achieved their own little bit of history on Wed 8^th March by winning the Schools’ Bowl for the first time. The Academy overcame Friends’ School, Lisburn 31-15 to claim the Ulster title on a cold but dry day at a blustery Barban Hill, home of Dromore Rugby Club. A huge crowd, in excess of 1000 people, watched a pulsating game and saw Academy Captain Ryan Matthews hoist the trophy with his team.

The Bowl is the top trophy fought for by the 20 schools who did not make it out of the Schools’ Cup Group stages. Banbridge were unlucky finishing as the best runner up who did not qualify (missing out on points difference only) but this brought with it the title of ‘favourites’ to win the Bowl which while flattering was also an added burden. This proved to be the case as the journey to the final was fraught with danger. While the 1^st knock-out match was a comfortable 40-0 away win over a valiant Larne Grammar the next game saw the team 14-0 down at halftime away to a strong Bangor Grammar team. Only a dramatic late score saw the team progress to the semi-final stage thanks to a 15-14 win. The semi-final was also a close affair with the Academy again coming from behind with just 15 minutes remaining to beat Omagh Academy 37-21 and set up the showpiece final against Friends’ School.

The final began with the Academy benefitting from a strong wind. They utilised this advantage early on with a good kick to the corner and the Academy lineout functioned well and Prop Jonny McCrum touched down from the resulting driving maul for a 5-0 lead after only 2 minutes. Out half Andrew Jackson was just wide with the conversion. Friends’ came into the game after that but neither team could exert a stranglehold and it wasn’t until the 25^th minute when Banbridge ran an excellent set piece move of the scrum and winger Noah Myles powered over in the corner for the score. Jackson slotted this kick to take the score out to 12-0. Friends followed up with some late 1^st half pressure but the Academy defence was resolute and refused to be broken. Friends’ eventually settled for a penalty on the stroke of halftime to leave the score 12-3 in the Academy’s favour but with the wind into their faces in the second half it was far from a strong lead.

The Academy came out firing however and the next 15 minutes were decisive in the tie. After 45 minutes a good phase of attacking play led to 2^nd Row Tom King touching down for the important score for the Academy. Jackson was narrowly wide again. Friends’ rallied and moved down field and took advantage of some loose Academy play to score an unconverted try but the Academy boys responded almost immediately when they powered up-field and produced two brilliant tries in just 3 minutes. First up Prop Thomas Williamson cut a lovely angle to drive over for a score which Jackson converted and then the best score of the game where the Academy moved ball left and right and eventually a sublime one-handed pass from Jackson and a lovely line from Full Back and Captain Ryan Matthews put him in under the posts for the decisive try. Jackson again added the extras to take the score out to 31-8.  To Friends’ credit they finished the game strongly and got another converted score with just 10 minutes to play but the Academy saw the rest of the game out comfortably and claimed the hard won title of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl winners.

The Bowl was presented pitch side at the end, on behalf of the Ulster Branch, by Mr Sam Grattan and the large Academy crowd enjoyed the moment. Well done to all involved, a very special day indeed for Banbridge Academy.

Thanks must go to Dromore Rugby Club and Dromore High for the use of their excellent facilities and to their staff for running the event. Thanks also to Barney McGonigle from the Schools Committee for his work in setting up the final. The Academy team, coaches & principal Mr Robin McLoughlin would also like to thank their main 1^st XV Sponsors of Little and Company & Wheatfield Decorative Stone for their generosity in kitting the boys out in warm-up tops and sub suits. If ever they were needed it was on that cold day on Barban Hill!

The Academy squad for the Bowl games was as follows: Ryan Matthews (Captain), Thomas Williamson, Connor Magee, Jonathan McCrum, Tom King, Jack Shaw, Noah Bell, Callum Little, Ryan Hanna, Adam Logan, Fergus Always, Andrew Jackson, Daniel Hutchinson, Luke Charman, Noah Myles, Darragh Knox, Adam Jones, Will Kennedy, Corey Hamilton, Benjamin Quigley, James Seifert, Henry Knox, Harry Wan, Elijah Dempsey, Jacques MacAuley, Joey Mackrell & Nazie James Mulligan.

The coaching staff were Brian Leslie, Brian O’Shaughnessy, Robbie Ervine & Charlie Farrell alongside the Athletic Development staff of Ben Bradshaw & Marcus Graham.