Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 16th December 2017
There was one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 1 game, two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 game, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate Round 1 game and one 1stxv friendly game played midweek in the lead up to five Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games as well as a range of 1stxv friendly games played on Saturday 16th December.
In a postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 1 game played on Wednesday 13th December Wellington College, Belfast hosted Belfast High School in a game the Belfast High School team won by 22-12. The Belfast High School team took an early 3-0 lead when Brandon McMinn converted a penalty opportunity. Wellington College then took a 5-3 lead when Marcus Smyth took advantage of good work from Jake Hamilton before touching down for an unconverted try. Midway through the first half the Belfast High School team took a 10-5 lead when Thabiso Madlala cut a great line and ran in for a try which was converted by Brandon McMinn. There were no further points scored in the first half.
Two early second half tries from Ethan McConkey and Jack Ferguson, one of which was converted by Brandon McMinn, gave the Belfast High School team a 22-5 lead. The Wellington College team then went on to control the final quarter of the game and got some reward for their endeavours when James Milligan scored a fine try. Jake Hamilton converted the try with a touchline conversion to leave the final score reading Wellington College, Belfast 12 Belfast High School 22.
The Belfast High School team will now travel to play Rainey Endowed School in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup on Saturday 6th January.
In two of the postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games played on Wednesday 13th the Royal School, Dungannon team defeated Craigavon Senior High School by 30-21 and Limavady Grammar School defeated Carrickfergus Grammar School by 24-7.
In the second round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Royal School, Armagh hosted Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in a game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 17-7.
In the first round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate Larne Grammar School defeated Foyle and Londonderry College by 40-0.
On Thursday 14th December Campbell College, Belfast hosted Ballymena Academy in a closely contested 1stxv game the Ballymena Academy team won by 26-24. The Ballymena Academy team took an early 7-0 lead when Bruce Houston scored a try which he converted. Campbell College came back into the game and the scores levelled at 7-7 when Harry Jenkins took advantage of a well-organised driven maul and touched down for a try which Conor Rankin converted. Just before the interval the Campbell College pack forced the Ballymena pack into conceding a penalty. Conor Rankin was successful with the kick to give his Campbell College team a 10-7 lead at the break.
The Ballymena Academy team started the second half strongly and Stewart Moore ran in for a try, which Bruce Houston converted, to give his team a 14-10 lead. This became 19-10 for the Ballymena Academy team when Oisin Jordan touched down for an unconverted try. Conor Rankin then scored a try for the Campbell College team to which he added the conversion to see his team reduce the deficit to 19-17. The Ballymena Academy team was then awarded a penalty try which increased their lead to 26-17. The Campbell College team pressed hard in the final few minutes of the game. Their enterprising approach paid off when Toby Olaniyan scored a try which Conor Rankin converted. This ensured the final score read Campbell College, Belfast 24 Ballymena Academy 26 at the no-side whistle.
On Saturday 16th December there were five of the postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games played as well as a number of 1stxv friendly games.
The scores in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games were as follows:-
Regent House School 24 Larne Grammar School 12
Lurgan College 0 Cambridge House School 46
Portadown College 10 Banbridge Academy 25
Wellington College, Belfast 39 Antrim Grammar School 5
Grosvenor Grammar School 70 Dalriada School 0
The Friends’ School, Lisburn v Belfast High School Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 game is scheduled to be played on Monday 18th December.
The draws for the 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy took place on Saturday 16th December. The results of the draws are as follows 🙂
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 3 Draw
Omagh Academy v Royal School, Armagh
Belfast High School/Friends’ School, Lisburn v Down High School
Limavady Grammar School v Regent House School
Wellington College, Belfast v Ballyclare High School
Bangor Grammar School v Sullivan Upper School
Rainey Endowed School v Cambridge House School
Banbridge Academy v Dromore High School
Grosvenor Grammar School v Royal School, Dungannon
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Round 1 Draw:
Craigavon Senior High School v Portadown College
Lurgan College v Bye
Bye v Strabane Academy
Carrick Grammar School v Bye
Larne Grammar School v Dalriada School
Antrim Grammar School v Bye
Our Lady & St Patrick’s College, Knock v Foyle and Londonderry College
Belfast High School/Friends School, Lisburn v Bye
All the listed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round 3 games and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Round 1 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 13th January.
There were seven friendly 1st xv games played on Saturday 16th December.
In a high scoring game Ballyclare High School defeated Coleraine Grammar School by 52-7. Ballyclare opened their account with a Josh Young try, which was converted by Adam Clarke, to take a 7-0 lead. Coleraine responded with a counter attack try from Pierce Crowe, to which he added the conversion, to draw the scores level at 7-7. Matthew McCullough then scored a try for the home team and the conversion from Adam Clarke saw the Ballyclare High School team into a 14-7 lead at halftime.
The second half saw the Ballyclare High School team totally dominate proceedings. They scored tries through Ethan Crawford, Adam Campbell, Jack Gamble, a second from Josh Young, Josh Cowan and Owen Lockhart. Adam Clarke was successful with three conversions and Mark Jackson added one conversion all of which secured the 52-7 win for the Ballyclare High School team.
Bangor Grammar School defeated Dromore High School by 52- 19 in another high scoring encounter played on Saturday 16th. The Bangor Grammar School points came through tries from Matthew Quinn, Zach Kerr, who scored two, Will Simpson, who scored two, Jack Gibson, Aaron Sexton and Gareth Wells. Rhys Larmour kicked six out of eight conversions.
The Dromore High School team points came from two James Moore tries, one Ben Heath try and one conversion each from Reuben Cobb and Ben Heath.
Lurgan College hosted Regent House in a game the Lurgan College team won by 21- 0. The Lurgan team had built up a 7-0 lead by the break with a try from 2nd Row forward, Jon Woods, midway through the first half, which was converted by Jack Maxwell.
Early in the second half Jack Maxwell made a telling break and found Matthew McConaghy who was running a great support line. A clever off-load to Matthew sent him over the line for a try. Jack Maxwell added the extras to see the Lurgan College team into a 14-0 lead. The 21-0 victory for the Lurgan College team was secured when their impressive No 8, Reuben McCreery, took advantage of some slack defence before touching down for a try which was converted by Jack Maxwell.
Omagh Academy hosted Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in a game the Enniskillen RGS team won by 31-7. The visitors had built up a 17-7 lead by the break with two tries from Jack Rutledge, one try from Angus Keyes and one Reece Smyton conversion. The Omagh Academy points came from a Taine Lagan try which was converted by Stuart Ballentine.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team secured their 31-7 victory with tries in the second half from Alex Holder and Reece Barrett, both of which were converted by Reece Smyton.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution hosted Wallace High School in a very close encounter the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team won by 10-9. The Belfast Inst points came through a try from David McCann as well as a conversion and penalty from Angus Adair.
The Wallace High School points came through three penalties from the trusty boot of Nathan Doak.
Royal School, Dungannon hosted Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 57-7. The Down High School team scored nine tries in the course of the game. Lewis Finlay touched down twice as did Callum Dunn, with Stuart Campbell, Harris McConnell, Robin Wilson and Andrew McCoubrey each scoring one. Greg Hutley was successful with six conversions.
The Royal School, Dungannon points came late in the game with a try from Jono Shrestha which was converted by Luke McMullan.
Sullivan Upper School hosted the Rainey Endowed School team in a game the Rainey Endowed team won by 26-10. The Sullivan Upper team started the game strongly but, despite their best efforts, could find no way through a well-organised and resolute Rainey Endowed defence. As the half progressed the Rainey Endowed team started to take control. Their hard work paid off when David Atkinson ran in for a try, which was converted by Harry Evans, to see the Rainey team into a 7-0 lead- a lead they held until the interval.
Rainey attacked relentlessly in the second half and scored three further tries through Bryn Davis, who scored two, and Brian Hall. Harry Evans added two more conversions to see the Rainey Endowed team into a 26-0 lead. The Sullivan Upper team got some reward for their endeavours when Steven Moore touched down for two unconverted tries late in the game leaving the final score reading Sullivan Upper School 10 Rainey Endowed School 26.
The Cambridge House School v Foyle and Londonderry College game scheduled for Saturday 16th December will now be played on Wednesday 20th December.
Royal School, Armagh v Belfast Royal Academy game was postponed due to frost and has been rescheduled to take place on Monday 18th December.
