Nelson pinches Ulster Schools final at the death for Campbell College
Ulster Schools Cup final opponents, Campbell College (left) and RBAI produced a thriller that went all the way to the last moment before Campbell's hooker David Nelson sneaked under the cover to get over the line for the winning try
Campbell College claimed the Ulster Schools’ Cup after defeating old rivals Royal Belfast Academical Institution with a final minute try to bring a dramatic end to hard-fought final.
Hooker David Nelson wriggled through at the posts just as time was up to bring the east Belfast school victory as they came from behind to deny Inst with the clock reaching red.
Campbell College, playing with the wind, came flying out of the blocks and before two minutes were gone, they had scored, scrum half James Wells running in after being put on space by winger Rus Lovo.
Centre Adam Millar got RBAI on the board minutes later after a strong run down the left wing though Charlie O’Connor couldn’t add a further two.
The pattern of quick scores continued when with just six minutes gone, Campbell hooker David Nelson was on the back of a maul to dot down, and this time Jack Best converted to put the east Belfast school back in the lead 12-5.
RBAI responded when flanker Cian McClean surged over off a tap penalty with O’Connor converting and making it 12-all.
Now claiming most of the possession and territory it was no surprise that RBAI scored again and it was McClean who smashed through a midfield hole in Campbell’s defence to race in unopposed under the posts.
This, in turn, meant that O’Connor added two points and RBAI had the lead for the first time in the final.
After that, the game settled down in terms of scoring and though Campbell finished strongly there were no further scores meaning the midway point had RBAI leading 19-12.
Four minutes into the new half Campbell, now with the wind, ran a ball off a scrum with Lovo suppling the assist for Harry Wells. Jack Best’s superb touchline conversion made it 19-19.
Then on 49 minutes, Campbell strayed offside and Inst made no mistake as O’Connor bisected the posts. From there, Campbell failed to take a number of chances as Inst’s defence held firm under the pressure being exerted on them.
With time nearly up, Campbell managed to win a lineout turnover and laid siege to the Inst line and though it appeared that the Belfast city centre school had just about enough to keep the black wave at bay, Nelson managed to make the few inches needed to get the score.
As Campbell celebrated their winning score off a number of pick and goes in front of their supporters who were at that end of the ground, Jack Best’s conversion brought it all to an end.
L Graham, H Wells, P Henry (capt) I Hatch, R Lovo, J Best, J Wells; C Doy-Dolan, D Nelson, C McKinney, R Potter, C Best, H Burrows, R Parks, D-N Simmons.
: D Armstrong, T Alexander, T Scott, R Adair, F Campbell, O Larkin, A Lowey, Z Thompson.
: J Power, J Coulter, A Millar, C Patton, A Purcell, C O’Connor, S Clark; R Hamilton, R Dillon (capt), R McIlwarth, C Ballantine, R Gibson, E Magowan, C McClean, A Boyd.
: R Montgomery, M Watkins, R Edmondson, Z Surphlis, C Davis, R Steen, D Gray, B McCarten.
: K Davison
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