Banbridge Academy take on The Royal Belfast Academical Institution in the 2025 McCullough Cup Final tomorrow afternoon.
The tie sees the two most recent winners go head-to-head at Havelock Park from 2:30pm.
In the group stage, it was these two schools who finished in the top two positions, before recent Semi-Final victories saw them book their spot in tomorrow’s showpiece Final.
Firstly, it was RBAI who sealed their place with a 3-0 win over Wallace High School.
Two goals from Jacob McIlhatton were followed by a well-executed penalty corner from Bruce MacDonald as the Belfast School cruised to a comfortable victory before Banbridge Academy sealed a nervy win over Sullivan Upper.
A game which took place over two days, Banbridge took a quick 2-0 lead with goals from Adam Ewart and Stephen Grattan before snow saw the game abandoned.
When the action recommenced three days later, Ewart extended the lead to 3-0 before two Adam Duffield penalty corners saw Sullivan get back into the tie.
However, Banbridge held on to win 3-2 and set up tomorrow’s grand slam final.
It is the Belfast School who are the reigning champions and have won two of the last three editions of the competition, with John Cunningham’s last-minute penalty corner helping the side lift the trophy last year with a win over Friends’ School Lisburn.
However, they will be without him for tomorrow’s clash, with the forward away at the U21 World Cup in India.
Meanwhile, Banbridge Academy last lifted the trophy in the 2023/24 season when they beat Wallace High School to lift the trophy for a tenth time.
Prior to tomorrow’s final, the rescheduled Tier 2 Semi-Finals will take place with Grosvenor Grammar School facing Regent House Grammar School (10:30am) and Royal & Prior taking on Methodist College Belfast (12:30pm).
The winners of the respective games will then meet in the final, next Wednesday at Shaw’s Bridge.
All spectators are welcome at the event, with a gate fee of £3 for children and £6 for adults.
PHOTO: Front Row Union