On Saturday morning Sullivan Upper School were the visitors to one of Ulster school’s rugby most formidable citadels, ‘The Enclosure’ at Pirrie Park to face Methodist College in a quarter final Schools Cup tie. The sun had burnt off the early morning fog, though there was some blue haze from smoke bombs. A very large, vociferous, partisan crowd lined the pitch.

Not intimidated Sullivan took the play to Methody forcing them back. Methody hadn’t had a meaningful attack, when Nathan Noble drove over from close range, after 7 minutes. Harry McKeown’s conversion had Sullivan up 7-0.

Methody rallied but both defences were on top, with the game largely played between the 22s for the next 15 minutes. On 21 minutes Sullivan won a penalty, 30 metres out, which McKeown . . .