Awesome Methody blow away Regent

A potent mix of awesome forward power and rapier incision from behind fired Methodist College to an overwhelming victory over a brave Regent House side as the Belfast school claimed their 31st triumph in the Northern Bank Ulster Schools' Cup at Ravenhill.

While Regent deserve credit for never conceding an inch despite constantly battling against the odds, Methody scored five tries in a ruthlessly clinical performance to run away with the most one-side final since Royal Academical Institution defeated Coleraine Academical Institution 57-3 10 years ago.

While the Methody pack set about claiming complete dominance at the set piece, the Belfast school had plenty of ammunition out wide, with man-of-the-match Michael Allen spearheading their backline's challenge.

Allen, recently called up into the Ireland Schools squad, grabbed two tries while further touchdowns by captain Adam Macklin, Rory Morris and Patrick Robinson sealed the win to extend the Belfast school's record number of outright victories to 31 € two ahead of fierce rivals Royal Belfast Academical Institution.

Robinson also delivered an impressive kicking display, landing four conversions from five as well as a penalty in an 18-point personal haul.

The early exchanges were not surprisingly fraught with nerves as Methody enjoyed more possession playing into a stiff breeze but made little headway from their forward drives.

The Belfast school's kicking game was also lacking precision and it encouraged Regent to counter-attack from deep.

A sharp break by out-half Patrick Jackson however created the momentum for Methody to take the lead. With Stephen Leckey, Michael Allen, Niall Annett and Adam Macklin all taking the ball on, the Belfast school were awarded a penalty just to the right of the posts and Patrick Robinson made no mistake in the sixth minute.

With an edge in the scrum and with Regent struggling on their line-out ball, Methody increasingly brought their backs into the game, with Allen a constant threat.

The Regent pack however, while they may have been living on scraps, had a level of intensity that ensured they were able to pounce on mistakes and at times pin their opponents back.

Methody however were able to assert control with a wonderfully clinical move.

Allen put full-back Sean Conway in the clear before the centre himself showed superb pace to finish in the corner for the game's opening try in the 16th minute, with Robinson adding the extras.

Allen's power and strength almost carved out another try-scoring opportunity after Methody had gathered a high ball, but Regent centre Paul Johnston stole the pass and hacked ahead twice to spark a thrilling chase for the line at the other end as the action heated up.

Conway was forced to concede the five-metre scrum but superb Methody defence turned the ball over and Robinson cleared the danger.

With Regent's line-out malfunctioning, the Belfast school were once again able to apply the pressure and it took a desperate double tackle by Johnston and Neil Armstrong to prevent Rory Morris from finishing a counter-attack by Conway from a loose Regent clearance kick.

Methody continued to press, but with their forwards perhaps taking too much out of the ball, a couple of handling errors disrupted their efforts to build on their lead at a time when another score could have proved decisive.

Regent were able to mount one last rally of the half after winning a midfield penalty, but once again their line-out let them down and Methody were able to clear the danger.

And the Belfast school's killer blow came in first-half injury-time when Macklin barged over from a well-crafted rolling maul after Jackson had kicked a penalty to the corner to establish a 15-point lead at the break.

It was crucial for Regent to score next to give them any sort of foothold in the game but Methody, with the wind now on their backs, quickly moved to snuff out another hopes of a revival.

Another superb backline move put Allen into the clear and the centre again showed his class by racing past the Regent defence to score his second try in the 41st minute, with Robinson again adding the extras to put the game beyond Regent's grasp.

The game was now in danger of becoming a rout and that fear was only underscored when Methody left wing Rory Morris finished off a blindside move from a messy scrum to touch down for his side's fourth try in the 48th minute, with Robinson adding a superb conversion.

The result may have been beyond doubt, but nobody seemed to have told Regent as they kept battling on and a clever chip and chase by centre Johnston almost created a try only for the Methody scramble defence to haul him down just short of the line.

But just as the game was petering out as Methody sat back on their lead, the Belfast school put together on final assault, with Robinson barging over in the final minute to cap an awesome performance from the new champions.

Methodist College: S Conway; R Stewart, M Allen, P Robinson, R Morris; P Jackson, M Heaney (B McIlroy 55); R Gilmore, N Annett, C Carey, M Elwood (C Minnis 63), R Murphy, S Leckey, F La Roche, A Macklin.

Regent House: N Armstrong; C Woods (M Gibson 17), P Johnston, R Mayne, R Garnham; J Patterson, A Lockhart; P Henderson, P Hamilton, D Keys, J Anderson, S Hutchinson, C McCoy, M Whiteside, N Cahoon.