Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 10th October 2015
There was one game played on Monday 5th October when Methodist College entertained Belfast Metropolitan College at Pirrie Park. The game was fast flowing with the Methodist College team recording an impressive 83-8 victory. The home team scored thirteen tries with James McConnell, Zach Jordan and Josh Jordan all scoring two tries apiece. Thomas Gallagher, Kane Doherty, Oliver Cairns, Lewis Loane, Aaron Kilpatrick, Ben Power and Owen Winters each scored one try. Paul Kerr converted six of the tries with Ben Power converting another three. The Belfast Met team scored one try and kicked a penalty.
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There was one game played on Wednesday 7th October when an Omagh Academy “Select” xv hosted an ever improving Strabane Academy team. Being a local derby there was plenty at stake with the Omagh Academy team having to work hard before finishing the closely contested game as 15-14 winners. The Strabane Academy team had built up an 11-0 lead by the break with the foundation for this lead being laid by their physically abrasive pack of forwards. They took a deserved 5-0 lead when the pack secured possession following a series of rucks and Kyle Hunter crashed over the Omagh Academy line to touch down for an unconverted try ten minutes into the game. Continued Strabane Academy pressure secured penalty opportunities, two of which were converted by Thomas O’Flaherty, to give the Strabane team their 11-0 lead at the interval.
A few well-chosen words at half time by the Omagh coaching staff seemed to spark the home team into life at the start of the second half. Good pressure on the Strabane defence paid off when Glen McKinley crashed over for a try in the corner. Scott Ballentine converted the try to reduce the deficit to 11-7. Omagh Academy continued to dominate but it was only in the last ten minutes they took the lead for the first time in the game. Jordan Brolly picked up from the base of a scrum at fended off a number of would-be tacklers before touching down for an unconverted try and put his team into a 12-11 lead. The Strabane team mounted another challenge and Thomas O’Flaherty was successful with his third penalty of the game to put his team into a 14-12 lead with just minutes remaining. However, the Omagh Academy team was not going to be outdone! One last attack and the Strabane team gave away a penalty following an infringement at the breakdown. Up stepped Scott Ballentine who coolly slotted his kick home to secure a hard earned 15-14 victory for the Omagh Academy team.
There was almost a full list of schools’ fixtures played out on Saturday 10th September.
The “Match of the Day” was played at Ballymena Academy when they played Methodist College, Belfast for the Allen Young Cup in a closely contested encounter the Ballymena Academy team won by 23-22. This was the first win in seven years for the Ballymena Academy team in this competition. Played in front of a large crowd it was the Ballymena team that opened the scoring with a Bruce Houston penalty to give the home team a 3-0 lead. They should have increased their lead moments later from a five metre lineout but strong defence from MCB meant that the home team was unable to capitalise on their territorial advantage. Indeed, a Paul Kerr penalty for the visitors drew the score level at 3-3. Methody were more clinical on their first foray into the Ballymena 22m area when Aaron Kilpatrick powered over from a close lineout. Paul Kerr missed the conversion and the score remained 8-3 in favour of the Methodist College team. For the next fifteen minutes Ballymena Academy dominated possession and scored two tries in the process. An excellent kick ahead from Michael Stronge was gathered by Conor Cosgrove and the Ballymena Academy winger off-loaded brilliantly for Angus Kernohan to score below the posts. Almost immediately Ballymena found themselves on the Methody line again. Jonathan McKeown was on hand to apply the finishing touched to a dynamic maul created by his pack. Bruce Houston added both conversions to give the home team a 17-8 lead. Just before the break Ballymena were penalised at the breakdown and, following a kick to the corner, scored from a well-executed maul with Connoor Fletcher awarded the touch down. The successful conversion from Paul Kerr meant the game was tightly poised with the Ballymena Academy team at leading 17-15 at the interval.
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The second half was a much cagier affair with neither side able to stamp their authority on the game. Bruce Houston hit the bar with a long-range penalty but made no mistake shortly afterwards from a similar spot to increase his team’s lead to 20-15.Ten minutes from the end Zach Jordan scored an excellent individual try as he shook off several defenders before scoring between the sticks. Paul Kerr’s conversion gave Methody a 22 – 20 lead but it was Ballymena Academy who had the final say with a match-winning penalty from the trusty boot of Bruce Houston to ensure a hard earned 23-22 victory for his Ballymena Academy team.
Former Ulster and Ireland player, Bryan Young, was on hand at the end of the game to present the victorious Ballymena Academy captain, Marcus Rea, with the Allen Young Cup.
Wallace High School played a Belfast Royal Academy team that had notched up some impressive results in recent games. However, the BRA boys were unable to maintain that good run of form with the Wallace High School team emerging as 27-0 winners.
Rainey Endowed School played an extended squad of players against Larne Grammar School in a game the Rainey team won by 25-7. The Rainey team had built up a 10-0 lead by half time with Anton Lupari touching down for two unconverted tries.
In the second half the Rainey Endowed team scored two further tries through Lorcan Quinn, making a welcome return to the playing field following a long lay-off due to injury, and Stephen Bergeron. Lorcan converted one try as well as a penalty opportunity. The Larne Grammar School team played with great effort and determination throughout the game. The got some reward for their endeavours with a try from John Hyndman, converted by Barry McFaul, in the final quarter of the game.
Banbridge Academy hosted Lurgan College in a game the Lurgan College team won by 16-5. The visitor had built up a 13-0 lead by the break with a try from Lewis Lawson, which was converted by Jamie Patterson, as well as two penalties from Robbie Norton.
The Banbridge Academy team displayed much better form in the second half with Jordan Mount and Troy Pinion causing problems for the Lurgan College defence. Ten minutes into the second half Jordan Mount took advantage of slack Lurgan defence to run in for an unconverted try and reduce the deficit to 13-5. However, two minutes later, Robbie Norton kicked a penalty for his team to secure the 16-5 victory for Lurgan College. Reuben McCreery, a Year 12 No 8, had a particularly impressive game for the Lurgan College team.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn team was missing a number of key players who were away on Ireland Support duty when they travelled to play Grosvenor Grammar School. The Grosvenor team put an end to the undefeated run the Friends’ team had built up this season with a 24-0 win. In an evenly contested first half the Grosvenor team scored their first try close to half time. A well-organised driven maul worked the ball close to the Friends’ School line. The ball was recycled and Ben Davidson went down the short side to score in the corner. Adam Skelton converted the try to give the Grosvenor GS team a 7-0 lead. From the restart the Friends’ team took the ball deep into Grosvenor territory and a driven maul was held up over the line. Chance lost and the Grosvenor GS team took their 7-0 lead into the interval.
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The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with the Friends’ School team asking questions of the Grosvenor defence. However, it was the Grosvenor team that reacted quickly to a penalty when Jonah McDowell was able to kick through, gather the ball at pace and touch down for a try. Adam Skelton converted the try to increase the Grosvenor lead to 14-0. Adam Skelton then broke away to score his first try in four seasons. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Grosvenor team now had a 19-0 lead. Chris Allen then scored a fourth Grosvenor Grammar School try to secure their 24-0 victory.
Despite losing the game the Friends’ School team can take some positives from their performance and, in particular, the displays put in by Adam Milligan and David Newell.
Carrickfergus Grammar School hosted a Foyle and Londonderry College “Select” xv in a game the Foyle team won by 38-19. In a game of “two halves” the Foyle College team scored all their points in the first half. Mark Williams and Killene Thornton both touched down twice with Matthew Orr and Joel Smyth each scoring once. Matthew Orr was successful with four conversion attempts to ensure the Foyle College team took a 38-0 lead into the break.
The Carrickfergus Grammar School team recovered strongly and displayed great pride and commitment in the second half. They scored three tries from quickly taken penalties with Benji McKay, Captain, Nathan Fugard and the impressive Fionn McCormack all crossing the whitewash. Two tries were converted by Fionn McCormack which left the scoreboard reading 38-19 in favour of the Foyle and Londonderry College team at the end of the game.
Omagh Academy travelled to play Royal School, Dungannon in a game they were determined to win before travelling to play tour games in Wales. The Omagh Academy team did record a 10-7 win but it was the RS Dungannon team that started the game strongly. They might have taken an early lead but for the heroics of Matthew Clyde and Fintan Lagan in the Omagh Academy defence. Kyle Beattie then displayed great game management skills and pinned the RS Dungannon team back for long periods of time. The Omagh pack won the ball from an RS Dungannon defensive lineout. Matthew Hill and Clive Hawkes then paved the way for Matthew Clyde to touch down for an unconverted try and give the Omagh Academy team a 5-0 lead. The RS Dungannon team went on the attack with their big ball carriers pressurising the Omagh Academy defence. However, they could not find any way through and the first half finished with the Omagh Academy team 5-0 ahead.
The early stages of the second half saw the RS Dungannon pack on the attack once again. A sustained period of pressure finished with a try from “Man of the Match” Peter Doran who was put away by a clever off-load from Adam Cranston. The try was converted by Adam Evans to give the RS Dungannon team a 7-5 lead. Once again, it was the game management skills of Kyle Beattie that came to the rescue of the Omagh team. Astute kicking pinned the Royal School team back into their 5m area. From a lineout Oscar Nelson won the ball. The ensuing catch and drive play finished with the Omagh Academy captain, Matthew Clyde, touching down for his second try of the game. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Omagh team now had a 10-7 lead, a lead they maintained until the final whistle.
Portadown College hosted Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 27-15. The visitors had built up a 17-8 lead by half time with tries from Robin Wilson, who finished off a charged down kick opportunity, Ronan Patterson, who took advantage of a line break from Marcus Graham and Marcus Graham, who took advantage of a great off-load from Ronan Patterson. Paddy Browne was successful with one conversion. The Portadown College points came from an unconverted try from Taylor Tweedie, following a catch and drive play after a lineout, and a Michael Orr penalty.
Paddy Browne kicked a penalty in the early stages of the second half to increase the Down High lead to 20-8. Paddy Browne and William Annett then combined to send Marcus Graham in for his second try of the game. Paddy Browne added the conversion to increase the Down High School lead to 27-8. The Portadown College team replied with a try from Matthew Neill, which was converted by Michael Orr, to leave the Down High School team as 27-15 winners. The Matthew Neill try was the end result of a superb series of plays involving every member of the Portadown College team touching the ball at least once.
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Royal Belfast Academical Institution entertained Coleraine Grammar School in a game the Belfast Inst team won by 27-5. The Belfast Inst team had built up a 19-0 by halftime with tries from Corrie Barrett, Michael Lowry and David Whitten. James Hume added two conversions.
In the second half the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team extended their lead to 27-0 when Harry Gallagher scored an unconverted try and Ben McGavock was successful with a penalty kick. Calum Smith scored a late consolation try for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
Ballyclare High School hosted Belfast High School in a scrappy game the Ballyclare High School team won by 14-0. They had built up a 7-0 lead by the interval with an Owen Hutchinson try, just before the break, which Alistair Burke converted.
The Ballyclare High School team secured their 14-0 win when Alistair Burke ran in for a try midway through the second period of play. Alistair also converted his own try.
Dalriada entertained Sullivan Upper in an entertaining game the Dalriada team deservedly won by 35-17. “Man of the Match” Stewart Moore scored a hat trick of tries for home team with Andrew Stevenson and Thomas Hunter touching down for one try apiece. Stewart Moore had a great day with his trusty boot as well converting all five tries.
Rory Kilpatrick, Ruari Meharg and Dan Braniff were the players who accounted for the Sullivan Upper points in the course of the game.
Bangor Grammar School continued with their recent run of good form when they entertained a spirited Limavady Grammar School team. The Bangor team won the game by 49-17. Bangor GS started well with Connor McKee scoring an early try. Limavady GS got onto the scoresheet when their outhalf cut in for a converted try. The Bangor team then dominated the game for the remainder of the first half. They scored five more tries with Connor McKee touching down for his second, Charlie Blair touched down twice and Lewis Brett and Zack Kerr scoring one try each. Zack converted all six tries.
The second half was more evenly contested and the Limavady team scored two further unconverted tries to reduce the deficit to 42-17. Replacement centre, Chris Connolly then scored a fine individual try for his Bangor Grammar School team. Zack Kerr was successful with his seventh conversion of the game to complete the 49-17 victory for the Bangor Grammar School team.
Campbell College hosted Regent House in a game the Campbell College team won by 38-0.
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