Wallace High will face Royal School Armagh in a rematch of the ultimately cancelled 2020 Danske Bank Schools’ Cup Final after they held off a brave fightback from Belfast Royal Academy to win Wednesday’s second Semi-Final at Ravenhill.
Four tries from Quinn Armstrong, captain Jon Rodgers, Rhys Ewing and Michael McCavery got the Lisburn school over the line and means they are on their way back to Ravenhill on St Patrick’s Day for the decider.
BRA, to their credit, did fight back superbly, led by the outstanding Connor McVicker, and scores from Ryan Calwell and Frank Davis, along with a McVicker penalty, had them within a score as the seconds ticked down.
But ultimately DJ Creighton’s side had too much to do and instead we will get a rematch of the Final from five years ago that never happened due to Covid-19.
Wallace burst out into a fast start as they dominated the early proceedings, Armstrong diving over in the third minute of the contest before Rodgers buried his way over from close range after a tap-and-go penalty to double their lead.
But BRA got the score they needed to make it a contest on the stroke of half-time, Calwell diving over after a driving maul, and shortly after the break they pulled within two points as McVicker’s chipped kick over the top allowed Davis to slide in and score in the corner.
An immediate response from Ewing saw Wallace restore their two-score advantage and despite applying relentless pressure to the Wallace line in the second half, the closest BRA could come to snatching a winner was a McVicker penalty setting up a grandstand finish.
Instead, it would be Wallace who would finish with a flourish, lock McCavery piloting a maul over with the final play of the game to send them to the Final in style.
Relive all the action from our LIVE blog below!
Wallace High
Wallace High
28
:
15
B
Belfast Royal Academy
Belfast Royal Academy
Postgame
Adam McKendry
70′
Adam McKendry
70′
Adam McKendry
70′
Adam McKendry
Really controversial call here as Connor McVicker kicks over the top for Adam Hewitt to chase and as he goes for the ball, he’s brought down by Josh Geddis… but the referee says nothing wrong!
Wallace kick into the BRA 22 and it’s actually a 50:22, so good was the kick, so they have the throw.
69′
Adam McKendry
Wallace take over possession after BRA clear the restart and it looks like they might see out the time through the forwards, but it’s a knock on in midfield and BRA will have the scrum just outside their own 22!
Will this be a dramatic finish?
67′
Adam McKendry
67′
Adam McKendry
Huge call for BRA to make as they get a penalty right in front of the posts, just outside the 22, for not rolling away and Connor McVicker could kick them within a score or they could gamble and go for the corner.
McVicker will go for goal.
65′
Adam McKendry
My goodness, how BRA haven’t scored in these final few forays I don’t know as they come back again with a vengeance but Wallace survive once more as another knock on gives the Lisburn boys the scrum.
Connor McVicker was adamant the ball was knocked out of his hands by a Wallace palm but the referee is unmoved.
63′
Adam McKendry
You feel like that might be BRA’s biggest chance to get back into this gone as Connor McVicker goes crossfield for Alex French and he’s felled just short of the line, and then as the forwards pile towards the line it’s knocked on and Wallace survive again!
60′
Adam McKendry
BRA continue to threaten as they come back again, and some big carries from Elias Agbonkpolor and Max McKittrick get them into the 22, but the ball is spilled as they try to work wide and the chance is gone!
58′
Adam McKendry
That was a killer for BRA as they look to have something going at the maul but the transition to the back of the maul is dropped! Wallace should clear from the scrum!
58′
Adam McKendry
BRA continue to dominate the breakdown and another penalty allows Connor McVicker to kick them deep into the 22…
54′
Adam McKendry
53′
Adam McKendry
Immediate response from Wallace as Sam Warwick charges down an attempted clearance kick on the edge of the BRA 22 and they go to work through the forwards, and eventually it’s lock Ewing who manages to dot down beside the posts!
50′
Adam McKendry
49′
Adam McKendry
What a score from BRA!
Connor McVicker again is at the centre of this one, the scrum-half sending up the aerial bomb that is knocked back on the BRA side just outside the Wallace 22 and then putting a beautifully weighted chip kick over the top into the hands of Davis, who dives over in the corner!
There is a touch of controversy as it did appear a BRA hand knocked the ball on at the aerial challenge but the try stands!
48′
Adam McKendry
48′
Adam McKendry
There’s our first example of how the rain has changed this game as an aerial bomb from BRA fly-half Frank Davis is fielded by Wallace full-back Josh Geddis, only for the Lisburn man to spill it under little pressure. This is definitely going to happen a few times before the end of this game.
45′
Adam McKendry
The rain is teeming down now, so this could make things very interesting in this second half as Wallace get a penalty that will take play into the BRA half, Aaron Caldwell going off his feet as he dives for a ball at a ruck.
44′
Adam McKendry
Loosehead prop Rio McDonagh is definitely a name to keep an eye on for the future, he’s had some destructive carries for Wallace High but the latest sees him spill the ball forward as he breaks past the BRA 10m line and the Belfast school has the set piece.
