have more competitive rugby and an opportunity to win a trophy. History The first winners in 1876 were the Royal School, Armagh. When the Cup no longer had room to record the winners on it, the Cup was mounted on a wooden shield to which plaques were attached. In the centenary year of the competition after the 1976 final, the governors of Methodist College presented a new shield, as the original had no more room to record the winners. The Royal School won in 1977, thus claiming the place at the top of the new shield. The first wooden shield is on exhibit at the Ulster Branch offices at Ravenhill Stadium. The first final to be played at Ravenhill was in 1924. Before that, finals were played at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society grounds at Balmoral, the Ulster Sports Club grounds at Cross Parade in Belfast, and one final was played at the Linfield Football Club ground at Windsor Park. A total of seventeen schools have won the trophy at least once. The St. Patrick's Day final is televised live on BBC Northern Ireland. List of finals Note: Prior to 1942 drawn finals were always replayed. In 1942 it was decided if the final was drawn, a replay would only take place if both schools agreed. It has since become the rule that replays are never held and the trophy is automatically shared. Shares occurred in 1942, 1953, 1954, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964 & 1996. Key Points values The values for scores in rugby union have changed throughout the history of the competition. This table summarises them. Records Most consecutive wins: 7, Royal Belfast Academical Institution 1942-48 Greatest winning margin in final: 54 points, 1998: Royal Belfast Academical Institution 57-3 Coleraine Academical Institution Highest aggregate score in final: 62 points, 2019: Methodist College Belfast 45-17 Campbell College Results by school Information as provided by Schools' Cup Final programme (various years) Subsidiary competitions The Grosvenor Shield Subsidiary Shield 1971–2003, Schools' Shield 2004– Schools' Bowl Schools' Trophy (*) - Cambridge House fielded an ineligible player in the final: the Trophy was awarded to Portadown College. See also Ulster Rugby Medallion Shield Connacht Schools Senior Cup Leinster Schools Senior Cup Munster Schools Senior Cup Ireland national schoolboy rugby union team List of oldest rugby union competitions Sources External links Past winners of Ulster Schools' Cup BBC Sport, 14 March 2003 Ulster Rugby High