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There will be a new name engraved on the Danske Bank Schools' Medallion Shield as either Armagh Royal or Friends' School will win the trophy for the first time in this afternoon's final at Kingspan Stadium (2.30pm).
RBAI head coach Daniel Soper hailed his history makers after the side secured their first treble of Danske Bank Schools' Cup titles in 69 years.
Making history against their oldest rivals, things couldn't have been any sweeter for RBAI on St Patrick's Day as they fought their way to a third consecutive Danske Bank Schools' Cup with a 12-8 win over Methody.
RBAI secured a third Schools' Cup win in a row by beating Methodist College 12-8 at Kingspan Stadium.
They have consistently dodged the issue, but there is no hiding from it now as holders Royal Belfast Academical Institution are just one game away from their third consecutive Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup triumph.
Down High School will contest Monday's Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield final against their namesakes from Ballyclare at Queen's after yesterday's semi-final win.
A dominant second half which produced 28 points helped Bangor Grammar win the Danske Bank Schools' Bowl with a six-try victory over Regent House at Pirrie Park.
The Danske Bank Schools' Cup final will again boast the province's fiercest rivalry after Methody overcame Belfast Royal Academy at Kingspan Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The Danske Bank Schools' Cup final will again boast the province's fiercest rivalry after Methody overcame Belfast Royal Academy at Kingspan Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Methody captain Matty Loane is relishing the prospect of taking on old rivals RBAI in the Danske Bank Schools' Cup final on St Patrick's Day.
Bangor Grammar have accumulated a pile of Schools' trophies over the years, most notably around the 1980s when they won the Cup four times in 11 seasons, but the one to have eluded them is the Danske Bank Bowl.
The Dankse Bank Schools' Cup final will once again be contested by the competition's two most successful sides after Methody powered their way past Belfast Royal Academy yesterday.
Champions RBAI are just one win away from a third consecutive Danske Bank Schools' Cup title after powering their way past Ballymena Academy by a commanding score of 41-8 in the first of the semi-finals at Kingspan Stadium yesterday.
RBAI defeat Ballymena Academy 41-8 in Schools' Cup
RBAI head coach Daniel Soper is not feeling the weight of history on his shoulders after watching his side book their place in the Danske Bank Schools' Cup final with a thumping 41-8 win over Ballymena Academy in the last four yesterday.
Though neither side exactly come into today's second Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup semi-final off the back of smooth campaigns, all that will count for little when Methodist College and Belfast Royal Academy do battle at the Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 2.30pm).
If this even adds up to part of its obvious potential then today's Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup semi-final between holders Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Ballymena Academy (2.30pm) should be quite an occasion at the Kingspan Stadium.
Foyle College, who have won the Danske Bank Schools' Bowl three times in the past decade, clinched the Schools' Trophy for the first time yesterday with a narrow 15-11 win over Banbridge Academy in Dungannon.
Holders Royal Belfast Academical Institution remain on course for a hat-trick of titles and will now meet Ballymena Academy in the semi-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup after emerging convincing winners over Campbell College at Fox's Field.
Methody have been making a habit of coming from behind as they did against Down High in the last round but on this occasion they left it seriously late before emerging victors to face Belfast Royal Academy in the Schools' Cup semi-final tomorrow week.
Ballymena Academy qualified to meet RBAI in the Schools’ Cup semi-final for the second successive season but had to withstand some Wallace High pressure in the final quarter before emerging victors in Lisburn.
In the long and storied history of rugby's second oldest competition, it's unlikely the Danske Bank Schools' Cup has ever seen a week like this.
It promises to be quite an occasion as Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup holders Royal Belfast Academical Institution do battle with old rivals Campbell College at Fox's Field tomorrow (kick-off 11.00pm) in what is undoubtedly the pick of the quarter-finals.
There were no signs that the Ulster Schools' Committee were set for a U-turn that would see Friends' able to field a full-strength team in their Schools' Cup quarter-final clash with BRA.
With the controversy surrounding tomorrow's Danske Bank Schools' Cup quarter-final between Friends' School and Belfast Royal Academy rumbling on, the grieving mother of one player has pleaded with the Ulster Schools' Committee to reconsider their decision to insist the...
I was lucky enough to play in a Heineken Cup final for Ulster and, for these boys at Friends' at the minute, this game will feel just as important to them as that did to me back then.
It has been three years since Methodist College last won the Danske Bank Schools' Cup and coach Nicky Wells hopes to take another step towards regaining the trophy with a quarter-final win over Armagh Royal tomorrow.
Saturday's Danske Bank Schools' Cup quarter-finals have become engulfed in controversy with the news that Friends' have lodged and lost an appeal to have their last-eight tie with Belfast Royal Academy postponed until next week.
Friends' have been left scrambling to field a side for their Danske Bank Schools' Cup quarter-final with B.R.A amid fears they may be forced to forfeit.
The Down High and Methodist College clash was delayed by 30 minutes when home out-half Robert Wilson and opponent Ethan McIlroy collided when going for the ball.
It's hardly what both old rivals would have been wanting after gaining predictable access to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup quarter-finals, but holders Royal Belfast Academical Institution will now be facing off with Campbell College on February 18.
Ideal playing conditions at Wallace led to a free flowing game in which the home team managed seven tries in their 44-14 Schools' Cup victory over Omagh Academy.
The final result could have gone either way but a late rally and two tries gave Ballymena Academy a flattering win over Dalriada
Rainey fielded a very young side with eight fifth formers in their line-up and they were overwhelmed by Belfast Royal Academy in the second half.
A team entering the competition at the second round is never expected to reach the quarter-finals but congratulations to Friends' who have now earned a home draw with BRA.
Campbell College had the size and strength to wear down Sullivan Upper in the second half to record a comfortable win at Belmont.
Armagh Royal forged into a 24-0 half-time lead and although Enniskillen Royal had the better of the second-half exchanges, the deficit was far too much and they could only manage one try against the visitors' robust defence.
They have a truly mountainous challenge awaiting tomorrow morning, but Ballyclare High School are heading to holders Royal Belfast Academical Insititution confident in their ability to take on the cup favourites.
Ballymena Academy proved to be eventual Danske Bank Schools' Cup winners RBAI's most difficult hurdle in last year's competition - going down 27-19 in the semi-finals - and they believe they can go even further this time ahead of tomorrow's fourth round clash with Dalriada.
It was a nerve-shredding encounter which was in the balance right to the end, but Grosvenor Grammar School's heroic defence kept Bangor Grammar at bay and deservedly earned the east Belfast school their place in the fourth round.
Portadown College did well to hold Belfast Royal Academy to a 15-8 interval deficit in the third round of the Danske Bank Schools' Cup, but the visitors then put their foot on the gas and upped their performance to score another four tries in the second period.
Limavady produced a determined first-half effort but the strength of Dalriada School proved the difference in the end, the latter running out 13-5 winners.
Dromore High, in their first season in the competition, scared Enniskillen Royal with a well executed try in the first couple of minutes but gradually the might of the visiting pack took over in the second half.
Armagh repeated their early season success in this battle of the Royals, but it took the last play of the game to put the result beyond Dungannon.
A 10-10 draw proved to be a fair result between two evenly matched teams in Friends' School and Coleraine Grammar School, and now the duo will have to clash again to determine who reaches the fourth round (Wednesday, 2.30pm).
The result of this tie was in doubt until the closing 10 minutes when Ballyclare High ran in two tries to qualify for a fourth round away tie to the holders RBAI.
Friends' School had the most convincing Danske Bank Schools' Cup second round success when they beat Antrim Grammar 57-7 - but now they face a much sterner test against Coleraine Grammar.
The third round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup throws up another first tomorrow morning as Enniskillen Royal Grammar School enter the fray.
In their first season in the Danske Bank Schools' Cup, Dromore High qualified for the third round with a narrow but worthy replay win over visitors Banbridge Academy yesterday.
Limavady Grammar School's reward for their hard-fought victory at Belfast High School is to host last year's semi-finalists Dalriada in the third round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup on January 21.
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