Dalriada's cup dream ended

A FIRST half try and a late penalty gave BRA a narrow victory over Dalriada at Belfast Harlequins’ ground to take them into the semi-finals of the Northern Bank Schools’ Cup.

After the disappointment of the postponed game on Saturday due to a frozen pitch, the re arranged match was brought forward from Wednesday to Tuesday due to forecasted snow.

Even on the Tuesday up to midday there remained a doubt over the venue, as both of BRA’s pitches were frozen. Eventually the game found a home when it was transferred to Deramore in South Belfast.

Dalriada managed at short notice to bring three busloads of supporters.

In what was always going to be tight game a first half try close to half time proved to be the difference. Dalriada started nervously and were able to shut down BRA as they tried to impose their big pack on the game. Indeed it was Dalriada who were certainly the more aggressive in their play.

Dalriada suffered an early setback when their open side flanker with virtually his first tackle suffered a damaged shoulder and reluctantly had to be replaced by Andrew Skelton.

Time and time again Dalriada neutralised the BRA maul and turned ball over in the loose.

It could have been very different for Dalriada as they had a golden opportunity to take the lead after an BRA player was penalised for holding on in the tackle but the kickable penalty was missed and this appeared to dent Dalriada’s confidence.

BRA then pressurised and were rewarded with a try just before the interval. On the visiting 22 scrum-half Conor Spence chipped over a maul and Mark Glover won the race to the ball.

The second-half was a rather scrappy affair and Academy had numerous chances to increase their advantage, only for handling errors to prevent them.

Dalriada kept trying to put some phases of play and in one great passage they drove from deep in their own half into BRA’s 22. Peter Eakin, Roger Bonnar and Cormac McCartney all worked hard without little reward. As time went on Dalriada found themselves defending heroically and with several players suffering the effects of the constant defending BRA forced a penalty right in front of the posts.

Out-half Stuart Olding kicked the penalty. Dalriada came back trying to find the opening on every opportunity trying to move the ball wide. Winger Johnny McMullan looked threatening and looked the most dangerous player on the field.

Into the final few minutes, BRA took up a position close to the Dalriada line, but the stout defence again held.

On the whistle it was the Belfast school that had won but even up to that point you always felt that Dalriada could break free as they certainly were the more enterprising of the teams. No one could have doubted the commitment shown by all the Dalriada players they played throughout with great skill and commitment with the margin of defeat being very slim.

The team have won a lot of admirers through their style of play, always trying to move the ball, refusing to adopt the rather negative style that you see far too often in the Schools’ Cup. With the majority of the side returning next year hopes are high that Dalriada can build on what has been achieved this year.

Dalriada: L.Ballentine, E.Strang, J.McLaughlin, B.Henderson, R.McAuley, C.McCartney, S.Nevin, T.Malcolmson, S.Kyle, K.McEneaney, D.Campbell, C.Morrison, L.Montgomery, P.Eakin, R.Bonnar, J.Laughlin, L.McMullan, R.Bickerstaff, P.McCully, S.Mulholland, A.Skelton.

BRA: J.Buchanan, M.Robinson, D.Cartmill, M.Glover, E.Devlin, S.Olding, C.Spence, J.Thompson, N.Sinclair, D.McCallum, N.O'Neill, C.Leckey, T.Vincent, R.Clarke, J.Henderson, A.Martin, G.Redwood, A.McCormick, M.Nicholl, J.Simpson, A.Magee, A.McClements, R.Vance.