Coleraine Inst’s final dreams dashed

Coleraine Inst’s dreams of making the St Patrick’s Day Schools’ Cup final were dashed by RBAI as they went down 10-6 at the Kingspan Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Coleraine's Mac O'Neill tackles RBAI's Connor Wallace.  Picture by Darren Kidd / Press EyeColeraine's Mac O'Neill tackles RBAI's Connor Wallace.  Picture by Darren Kidd / Press Eye
Coleraine's Mac O'Neill tackles RBAI's Connor Wallace. Picture by Darren Kidd / Press Eye

It was the second consecutive year Coleraine have departed in the last four after losing to Sullivan Upper at the Dub in last season’s semi.

Coleraine took the lead on 11 minutes with a long range penalty from out-half Callum Smith after Inst failed to roll away at the ruck.

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Coleraine suffered a setback when they lost winger Niall Cameron to injury on 20 minutes.

Inst levelled on 22 minutes with a penalty from scrum-half TJ Morris after Coleraine were guilty of hands in the ruck.

Inst had the first opportunity to score a try, the forwards made the hard yards with a series of pick and drives but when the ball was spun wide full-back Andrew McGregor knocked on five metres from the line.

Coleraine had a lot of early pressure at the start of the second half but they couldn’t break through a well-drilled Inst defence.

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Inst took the lead on 55 minutes with a try which started in their own half.

Michael Lowry broke out of defence and carried the ball into Coleraine territory, the out-half offloaded to Callum McLaughlin and despite a hint of a forward pass the referee let it go and the centre went all the way to score with Morris adding the conversion.

Coleraine got back in the game with a penalty on 59 minutes from Smith after Inst infringed in front of their own posts.

McLaughlin neary got a second try for the Belfast side but he lost a foot race with Coleraine full back Matthew Smyth to touch down a grubber kick.

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Coleraine had one last chance to win the game when they won a penalty and went for the corner.

The forwards punched a hole in the Inst defence before the released the backs but winger Thomas Lavery was bundled into touch.

With Inst having to defend a lineout on their own five metre line a Coleraine lock took out Connor Wallace in the air to concede a penalty and Inst were able to clear and hold on for victory.

COLERAINE AI SQUAD: M Smyth, N Cameron, M Norris, A Wisener, T Lavery, C Smith, B Campbell, D McAllister, D Greatorex, M O’Neill, J McCarroll, A Corbett, O McDowell, P Bonnar, P Wisener.

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