Down High 14 - 12 Ballymena Academy
Down High U14s held out for a narrow victory over Ballymena Academy in Downpatrick on Saturday. The two sides had played out a very close encounter the previous season and this game followed a similar course going down the last act of play.
Daniel Reid scored the first try for the hosts with a mazey run up the pitch. Luca Walsh added the conversion. Ballymena drew level in the last play of the first half after Down High failed to deal well with a kick into their 22 and the visitors barged over under the posts for a converted try.
It was stalemate for much of the second half with both defences cancelling out the attacking threats of their opponents. However with 6 minutes to go Jakob Cross showed great strength and pace to carve his way through the Co. Antrim defence to touch down for a score which Walsh then converted.
The final few minutes were dramatic as Down High won a scrum against the head in their own 22. With the threat of a last minute score seemingly eliminated, things took a turn for the worse when the attempted clearance kick was charged down and Ballymena won the foot race to the ball for a try. With this being the last play of the game all the pressure was on the 'Mena kicker to draw the game level. However, much to the jubilation of the home side, the kick drifted wide of the uprights securing the victory for boys in green.
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