Academy record another fine win at Coleraine

On that day, Ballymena Academy were convincing winners however Coleraine, with several players now returned from injury, took the field hoping to make amends for the result in September.

Indeed, the game could not have got off to a better start for the home team when their centre intercepted a flat pass to race unopposed below the Ballymena posts. Conor Shiels’ successful conversion took the score to 7–0 with barely a minute on the clock.

The home team continued to dominate, with Ballymena Academy guilty of several careless errors in possession.

Midway through the first half, Ballymena opened their account for the day when the ball was moved wide for Thomas Gaston to finish in the corner.

Moments later, Coleraine stretched further into the lead with a try by their No. 8 from close range. Shiels’ successful conversion increased their lead to 14–5.

Just before half-time, Ballymena reduced the deficit when Chris Blackwell showed pace and strength to touch down out wide. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful and so the half-time whistle sounded with Coleraine 14–10 ahead.

The second half was a different story, with Ballymena enjoying a purple patch of fifteen minutes in which they scored four unanswered tries.

Duncan Maguire touched down from the back of a dynamic maul, Chris Fowler applied the finishes touches to a well-worked back move, Chris Blackwell added his second of the morning and Josh McIlroy cut a fantastic line to score below the posts.

Two conversions were added by Andrew Magrath which took Ballymena into an unassailable lead of 34–14.

Coleraine rallied towards the end of the game and deserved their late score when their No.8 spotted a gap in the away team’s defence. His touch down left the final score reading 34–19 to Ballymena Academy.

Ballymena Academy: Gaston, Kosch, Fowler, Magrath, Mulholland , Blackwell, Simpson; Gillan, Spence, Kirk, Barkley, Jolly, Patterson, McIlroy, Maguire.