The Final of the Shield was played on Saturday 24th April against Larne away at Rainey’s grounds in Magherafelt, right from the kick off Instonians would not take a backwards step competing for every lose ball looking for any turnover and played positive attacking rugby right up to the final whistle.
Larne opened the score with a converted penalty but Instonians responded with the Captain Connor Phillips scoring a well-worked try in the corner, which Mathew Keane converted. Not long after that Keane converted a penalty then Larne came back with some forwards power play and scored but did not convert.
Instonians v Larne U17 Pictures
Half time came quickly as the game was really starting to get under way, and shortly after the restart Instonians slowly starved Larne of possession with line outs working 100%, scrumaging as tight as the 1st half and the interlinking attacking play with forwards and backs Larne had to dig deep.
Mathew Keane took their back line apart and scored beneath the posts which he converted.
Changes were made on both sides and for a few minutes looked to favour Larne as they scored but again missed the conversion, then Instonians readjusted back to their game plan of go forward rugby and a combination of quick thinking and accurate passing saw Jordan Donnelly score an unopposed try, which Keane narrowly missed converting.
Minutes later Keane made amends with a penalty from half way to seal the victory.
Final score Instonians 25 Larne 13
Both teams would like to thank Rainey OB for hosting the match and a word for the ref who allowed the game to flow at every opportunity.
Instonians: David Quigley, Matthew Porter, Jordan Donnelly, Ben Chalmers, Charlie McKerr, Chris Kilpatrick, Matthew Keane, Conor McManus, Conor Phillips, Curtis Barrett, Malik Hassan, Grant Robinson, Brendan McKenna, Hayden Nightingale, Phil Stinson, Chris McMenamy, Luke Watson, Jordan Mitchell, Harry Reddick, James Megarrity
