Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 1st March 2025.
Monday 24th February saw Royal School, Dungannon play Ballyclare High School in their previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl 1/2 Final game.
The final score in this game was Royal School, Dungannon 13 Ballyclare High School 30.
The Royal School, Dungannon points came through a try from Max Patterson alongside one conversion and two penalty goals from James Gibson.
The Ballyclare High School team scored four tries through Andrew Cooper, with two, Zach Thompson and Ross Ferguson.
James Woodside contributed two successful conversion kicks, as well as two penalty goals, off the tee.
Ballyclare High School will now play Limavady Grammar School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl at the Kingspan Stadium on Wednesday 5th March.
On Tuesday 25th February, Pirrie Park was the venue when Sullivan Upper School played Friends’ School, Lisburn in the replay of their previously drawn Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 1/2 final game.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn team won this very closely contested game by 8-7 and will now prepare to play the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield final at the Kingspan Stadium on Tuesday 4th March at 2-30pm.
Close by at the Kingspan Stadium, Royal School, Armagh and Rainey Endowed School played in the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-finals in front of a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
The Royal School, Armagh dominated both territory and possession for long periods of time and ran out as 48-19 winners.
Led by their impressive captain, Thomas Dougan, the Royal School, Armagh team scored four tries in each half of the game.
Charlie Reaney, Cameron Cummings and Will Boyd, with a brace, scored the first half tries, to which Evan Hughes added two conversions.
Evan then went on to score two tries in the second half, with Ryan Hamilton doing likewise.
Evan added one successful conversion and Adam Harrison a second successful conversion in the course of the second half.
The Rainey Endowed School team added a lot to the game in terms of the pace at which they played game.
Lorcan McLarnon scored a first half try which was converted by Owen O’Kane.
The second half saw the Rainey Endowed team score two further tries through Owen O’Kane and Eoin McGucken to which Owen O’Kane added one successful conversion.
On Wednesday 26th March, Wallace High School and Belfast Royal Academy played in the second Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-final at the Kingspan Stadium.
A large crowd of enthusiastic supports had gathered to watch this game which ended with a scoreline of Wallace High School 28 Belfast Royal Academy 15.
The Wallace High School team scored four tries through Quinn Armstrong, their dynamic captain, Jon Rodgers, Rio McDonagh and Michael McCavery.
Josh Geddis was successful with all four of his conversion kicks.
The Belfast Royal Academy team contributed a lot to the game and their positive attitude was rewarded with tries from Ryan Calwel and Frank Davis.
Connor McVicker was successful with one conversion kick as well as one penalty goal.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup final, featuring Royal School, Armagh and Wallace High School, will take place at the Kingspan Stadium on Monday March 17th at 3-00pm.
On Thursday 27th February, the Rainey Endowed School Medallion team played the Royal School, Dungannon Medallion team in their previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate 1/2 Final game.
The Rainey Endowed School team won the game by 15-0 and will now play Down High School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate at Malone RFC on Saturday 8th March at 10-30am.
On Saturday 1st March, the previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl final took place at Royal School, Dungannon where Royal School, Armagh played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.
The Royal School, Armagh team won this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl final by 14-3.
After the final whistle, Greg Irwin, Junior Vice-President of the Ulster Branch, Irish Rugby Football Union, congratulated both teams, as well as their coaches, on reaching the final, thanked the parents/guardians of all the players for their support given to the players throughout the season, thanked the referee, Alan O’Neill, and his team of Stephen Crooke and Laura Taggart, for the way in which they controlled the game, thanked Royal School, Dungannon and especially Alistair Ferguson and Richard Clingan, for the use of facilities and hosting the game and thanked the Danske Bank for their continued support, now in its 20th season, of all the Ulster Schools’ competitions.
Greg then went on to present the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl and finalist medals to all the players involved and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl to Jack Beggs, captain of the victorious Royal School, Armagh Medallion team.
Looking towards next season, Cambridge House Grammar School played Lurgan College at U17 level.
The final score in this game was Cambridge House Grammar School 14 Lurgan College 17.
Thomas Caldwell and Seth O’Neill scored the Cambridge House Grammar School tries to which Thomas Moorehead added two successful conversions.
The Lurgan College team scored three tries through Lewis Irwin, Ben Maxwell and Daniel Wilson.
Andrew Lyttle was successful with one conversion kick.
Foyle and Londonderry College played Omagh Academy in a game at U17 level which the Omagh Academy team won by 22-14.
The Foyle College points came through tries from Cain O’Leary and Shay Grimes with Darwyn Nutt adding the extras to both tries.
The Omagh Academy team scored four tries through Harry McIlwaine, Andrew Beggs and Lewis McIvor, with two.
Sam Harper landed one successful conversion kick,
