Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

Last season the Belfast side had recorded a 39-8 win over Bann en-route to winning promotion out of the bottom tier of the All-Ireland League. But on Saturday the team they had left behind in the AIL competition hit them for six in the provincial cup, clocking up three tries in each half to rightly claim their place opposite Ballymena in the Ravenhill showpiece final.

The Bann forward unit has played a major role in the team's success this season, but this time round they had to play second fiddle, certainly in terms of try-scoring, as the wingers ran in five of the tries. However it was the home forwards' domination at scrum-time and their efficient lineout work that provided the quality ball the half-backs needed to run the show.

And that they did, with scrum-half Neville Farr having his best game of the season and his partner at half-back Robin Thompson turning in a man-of-the-match performance.

That Ballymena will provide a much sterner test in the final is obvious, but this Bann squad will relish the chance to take on the much-vaunted Eaton Park side in the final. The last time Bann appeared in a Ravenhill final was 14 seasons ago, during their last season in the junior ranks, co-incidentally when they played Ballymena Seconds in the final of the Junior Cup.

Bann played their best rugby of the season against Instonians as the threequarters gave ample evidence of their steady improvement under the tutelage of coach Daniel Soper. After the respective kickers Chris Henderson and Thompson had missed with early penalty opportunities, Bann opened the scoring in the 12th minute when right winger Jonny Pollock was put in space following quick ruck ball inside the Inst "22". Thompson did well to slot over the conversion.

Only a last-ditch Stephen Irvine tackle prevented Instonians from crossing Bann's line two minutes later, but by the 20th minute Bann had notched up their second touchdown. Thompson put in a delicate cross-field kick which Pollock collected, off-loading to lock Colin Bickerstaff as Inst full-back Josh Devitt came in to tackle him. Bickerstaff showed an unlikely turn of pace in sprinting the 15 metres to the line for the try. But before Thompson kicked the conversion from near the touchline, the referee, on the advice of his touch judge, red-carded Devitt for what was deemed to be a dangerous tackle.

Now 14 points and a man down, Instonians' interest was maintained when Henderson struck over two penalties to narrow the gap. But just before half-time the home lead was stretched to 13 points. Centre Jonny Little made the initial incursion to set up a ruck deep in Instonians territory and Andrew Kirkwood gathered Thompson's well-placed crossfield kick to score out wide. Thompson's conversion was off-target but Bann still took a healthy 19-6 lead into the break.

Bann spent the first ten minutes of the second half pressing on the Instonians line. Kirkwood and Andrew Morrison went close to crossing the opposition chalk before two penalties in quick succession allowed the visitors to take up an attacking position near the Bann "22". A "22" drop-out gave Bann a chance to relieve the short-lived pressure but the Instonians counter-attack ended with prop Alan Whitten going over for a try in the corner from close range.

That was to prove Instonians' last response as Bann turned the screw to run in three unanswered tries in the final quarter. A tap penalty generated quick ball to set Morrison off on a 30 metre run which was terminated just short of the line. But Thompson found Pollock in space and the winger coasted in for his second score.

Little's half-break got his side in behind the front-line Inst defence and Irvine's well-timed pass put Kirkwood in for his second of the day. And Pollock completed his hat-trick when, from the last move of the game, Thompson again showed great vision to send a perfectly placed kick for the winger to collect and race in unopposed, leaving his out-half to add a fourth conversion before the referee blew for full time.

The final will be played at Ravenhill on Wednesday 14th December, kick-off 7.30pm, but Bann have important business before that in the shape of three AIL games which will have a big bearing on their final league position. Boyne are first up this Saturday, with the Rifle Park side travelling to play the newly-promoted Drogheda outfit.

Then comes a crucial away game against pace-setters Rainey, with Ards the visitors to Banbridge on 10th December.

Wins in those three games would set them up nicely for the cup final but this week coach Soper's focus will be solely on that Boyne game and the need for a win to maintain the pressure on the teams at the top of Division 2B.

Bann team against Instonians:- Stephen Cowan, Jonny Pollock, Andrew Morrison, Jonny Little, Andrew Kirkwood, Robin Thompson, Neville Farr, Michael Cromie, David Weir, Jonny Weir, Colin Bickerstaff, Simon McKinstry (Capt), Dale Carson, Mark Wilson, Stephen Irvine. Replacements:- Jonny Murphy, James McCrum, Chris Allen, Craig Mulholland, James Andrews.