Armagh win the Schools' Cup

RS Armagh skipper John McCall lifts the Schools' Cup

Royal School Armagh have beaten Campbell College 14-5 in the Renault Schools' Cup final at Ravenhill.

Lee Ruddock got the opening try for Armagh in the 13th minute with Jonathan Gillespie adding the conversion.

On 22 minutes centre Ethan Allen went over for his first try in the 2004 cup and Gillespie again converted.

Campbell got their first score nine minutes into the second half when winger Blair Clements ran in for try in the left corner.

The Belfast school had a much better second half but, despite a lot of possession, could not crack the Armagh defence again.

Ulster Schools' Cup winners from 1876

It was Armagh's first triumph in the competition since 1977.

"It is a marvellous day for the school," said joint coach Kenny Hooks.

"It was not a pretty game and we lost a wee bit of confidence in the second half.

"The nerves of the occasion may have got to us.

"Our school has small numbers so we have to maximise the talent we have.

"It means teams have to have special boys and we knew we had a special group from last September."

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Campbell: R Boyd; B Clements; R Dunlop, A McCord, M Horner; G Winnington, D Creighton; L Barker, M Bradford, A Lowry, P Noble, C Marshall, D McIlveen, D Cobain (capt), P Creed.
Replacements: H Wing-Yeung, R Caithness, P Quinn, I Hanvey, R Colhoun, M Fetherston, S Neill.

Royal School Armagh: S Shepherd; P McAlister; E Allen, M Hooks, L Ruddock; J Gillespie, A Bartholomew; K Stinson, R Morton, R Carleton, J Graham, J Cornett, John McCall (capt), E Orr, W Falloon.
Replacements: R Moffett, T Graham, S Rhoda, J Scott, C Humphries, G Megaw, James McCall.

Referee: Allen McDowell (Coleraine).