The opening score had been sweetly crafted after six minutes. Hinch outhalf, Peter Bell had made an insurgence and from the ruck the ball was moved right.

Fullback, Mark McCormick joined the line at pace and put up a steam of gas as he rounded the defence on the outside. He then grubber kicked through, chased and won the race with Coleraine’s Jonathan Henderson to the touchdown.

Hinch scrumhalf, Geordie Clements, slotted over the conversion for a 7-0 advantage.

Coleraine had a lot of possession but were going nowhere with it and then Hinch turned the screw again pressed in the corner via a lineout and driving maul, only to be held up short.

From the scrum outhalf Bell was a little too greedy and with his backline screaming for the ball he opted to take it back into traffic and it was eventually turned over.

A harsh penalty decision against the outstanding Hinch lock, Neil Douglas, saw Coleraine punt to the corner. But their driving maul from the lineout was held fast by the Hinch pack.

Coleraine took the option to move it, but again found their way blocked and a knock-on in ruck saw possession lost.

But they started to play a bit more of an adventurous game, and it started to open up a little as the game went into the last 10 minutes of the first half.

Fullback, Paul Shields was unlucky to see his grubber kick and chase run too far, and then a crossfield kick from the right was too far ahead of the chasing Scott Moffatt.

Coleraine continued the second half strongly, with openside John Henry Tate scrambling well at a lineout which set up a move to the left. Then centre and captain, Adam Tumney found himself in space on the right.

With winger, Henderson in support, blindside, Gregg Neely joined the break, but Hinch closed ranks and snuffed out the immediate threat.

Hooker, Mark Hunter broke away after a lineout on a neat move, by No 8, Marcus McQuilken found his way blocked. The Hinch defence then herded the Coleraine backline out to touch.

The Co Down side, having weathered that 15 minute onslaught, turned ruck ball over, got the penalty and outhalf Bell pumped to touch. That led to a frantic spell for the Hinch, but they failed to put their moves together.

Ballynahinch outhalf Bell then made a lovely break through, was blatantly taken out as he chipped the cover and how referee Gareth Dunlop awarded a drop out when yellow, or even a red card, was appropriate, amazed a few onlookers.

He then yellow carded Coleraine substitute Danny Platt for what looked a minor incident after Hinch centre, Davy Martin had been halted short of the line.

That infringement further punished by Clements who slotted over the resulting penalty after 67 minutes to put two scores in it at 10-0.

There was a lively burst from fullback, McCormick, but his chip over was safely gathered by the Coleraine’s Shields, and then from the lineout prop, William Purdy almost got over, but was held up.

The pressure told though, a backline switch to the left created the overlap, and winger Chris Perry went in for the unconverted try to leave it 15-0 two minutes from time.

Coleraine finished strongly, but the missed chances early in the half were to prove costly as the ‘Hinch line again stood solid.

It was left to Ulster Branch president, David Workman, a Crawford Cup winner himself in 1989, to present the trophy to Hinch captain, Niall Montgomery.