Ballymena Academy will be hoping to bridge a 16-year gap when they take on Campbell College in today's Ulster Schools' Senior Cup Final at Ravenhill (3.0). Twice winners of the competition, their last success was in 1983.
Ballymena sneaked past RBAI with a score 11 minutes into injury time while in the semi-final they defeated Wallace High School 7-6, the latter strong favourites for ultimate glory.
Ireland's out-half David Humphreys is obviously preoccupied with Saturday's Five Nations Championship clash with Scotland but he might take a little time off this afternoon - the game is on BBC television - to monitor the progress of younger brother Ian.
Blindside flanker Sam McKinney is another with international connections, a son of former Irish flanker Stewart. The team is captained by Irish Schools loosehead prop Brian Young.
Opponents Campbell College showed great resilience to edge past Methody in their semi-final, producing a superb defensive display.
They are coached by former international Brian Robinson and have won the competition 20 times, the last in 1993 and will be slight favourites to improve upon that tally.
CAMPBELL COLLEGE: S Young; I Moore, C Hamilton, G Mitchell, G McLoughlin; M McComish, M McCluggage; D Best, A Flaherty, N Gillfillan; R Grahame, A Grainger; R McDonald, G McComb, A Smyth.
BALLYMENA ACADEMY: P Stevenson; W Matthews, P Campbell, S Goodrich, R Orr; I Humphreys, J O'Kane; B Young, M Stevenson, A Campbell; J Adair, J Smyth; S McKinney, M McCullough, D Logan.
Referee: M Orr (Ulster).
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