ULSTER SCHOOLS CUP SEMI-FINAL/Belfast Royal Academy 16 Wallace High School 12:ACADEMY HAD the territorial advantage and most of the possession, but a brave effort from Wallace High prevented them from winning by a larger margin at Ravenhill yesterday.
However, they couldn’t contain the outstanding David Cartmill, who scored all of Academy’s 16-point total.
Both teams attempted to play, open attractive rugby and it was Academy who had the better start. However, they found the Wallace defence difficult to penetrate and then it was the turn of the Lisburn team to strike back and take the lead.
A break in the centre led to Andrew Gilmore running in and then converting.
Academy reduced the arrears with a Cartmill penalty but then, in one of their few visits to their opponents’ 22, Wallace scored a second try to give them a flattering half-time lead of 12-3.
Academy completely dominated the second period but, despite this, they found it very difficult to make any impression.
They kept play around the Wallace 22 and, with Cartmill in excellent kicking form, Academybrought the score back to 9-12 with two penalties.
They kept up the pressure and a forceful 25-metre run by Cartmill brought play to within 10 metres of the Wallace line, but it came to nothing due to lack of support.
Even after conceding a penalty to relieve the pressure Academy again stormed back. With three minutes remaining an excellent passing movement caught Wallace napping and the strong-running Cartmill cut through the centre to touch down close to the posts.
BRA: Buchanan; Robinson, Cartmill; Glover, Devlin Olding, Spence; McCallum, Sinclair, Martin, O’Neill, Leckey, Vincent, Clarke, Henderson
WALLACE HIGH: Hanley; Heatley, Scott; Gilmore, Matthews, Godfrey, McCollum; Spence, Taylor, McCall, Henry, Evans, Munn, Stewart, Clements.
Referee: R Kerr.
Ballymena Academy and Methodist College, Belfast, meet tomorrow in the second semi-final at Ravenhill (kick-off 2.30pm), with the winners meeting BRA in the Ulster decider on St Patrick’s Day.
