Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 31st December 2016
Despite schools being on a well-deserved break over the Christmas period quite a few schoolboy friendly games were played over the course of the holidays.
On Tuesday December 27th Portadown College played against the Portadown RFC U18 team in a game that finished with the Portadown RFC U18 team recording a 15-13 victory. Stewart Hodgen scored a try for the Portadown College team with Matthew Neill adding one conversion as well as two penalties.
On Wednesday December 28th Wallace High School played Coleraine Grammar School, Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Bangor Grammar School, a Ballyclare High School “Select” xv played Cambridge House, Larne Grammar School played Wellington College and Banbridge Academy played Rainey Endowed School.
The Wallace High School team defeated Coleraine Grammar School by 33-0. Josh Cardosi scored two tries with Jonny Hunter, Jamie Peters and Gary Dillon scoring one try each. Tom McKendry was successful with four conversion kicks.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team had built up a 33-0 lead by the interval before going on to defeat Bangor Grammar School by 52-5 when the teams met at Osborne Park. The Belfast Inst coaching staff used the game as an opportunity to play a number of fringe players in the course of the game. Rhys O’Donnell added to his growing reputation with two tries, as did James Hume. Patrick Finnegan, Simon McMaster, Zac Davidson and Adam Gowdy each scored one try with James Hume adding six conversions. The consolation Bangor Grammar School points came when Aaron Sexton intercepted a loose Belfast Inst pass and he sprinted clear of a despairing home defence to touch down for an unconverted try.
A Ballyclare High School “Select” xv defeated Cambridge House by 29-10 when the teams met at the Rashee Road venue. Owen Lockhart ran in for a try, which was converted by Owen Hutchinson, to give the Ballyclare HS team a 7-0 lead. Cambridge House responded with an unconverted try from James Bovill to reduce the deficit to 7-5. Andrew Robson then scored an unconverted try to see the Ballyclare team into a 12-5 lead. This became 19-5 just before the break when Roy Chestnutt scored a try which was converted by Owen Hutchinson.
The Cambridge House team then scored an unconverted try through Kane McIlroy to reduce the arrears to 19-10. Ross Herron and Ewan Wasson then scored unconverted tries to secure the 29-10 win for the Ballyclare High School team.
Larne Grammar School hosted Wellington College in a game the Wellington College team won by 28-17. Marcus Smyth scored three tries for the Wellington College team with James Blanchflower touching down for a fourth. Luke Harris was successful with all four conversion kicks.
The Larne Grammar School points came through two tries from Sam Woods, one Morgan Wharry try and a conversion from Jonny Farquhar.
Banbridge Academy hosted Rainey Endowed School in a closely contested game the Rainey Endowed School team won by 13-7. The Rainey team had taken a 5-0 lead in the first half with an unconverted try from Bryn Davis.
The second half saw David Dripps score an unconverted try for the Rainey team and Jac Lloyd Evans convert a penalty opportunity. Ross Cartmill scored a try for the Banbridge Academy team which was converted by Tom Flanagan.
On Thursday December 29th Belfast Royal Academy hosted Gonzaga College from Dublin. The Gonzaga College team won the closely contested game by 22-18. The Belfast Royal academy team scored two tries through Jack Burton and Rory Linden with Conor McAuley adding one conversion and two penalties.
On Friday December 30th Omagh Academy hosted Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Down High School hosted Grosvenor Grammar School.
The Belfast Inst team continued their recent run of good form when they defeated Omagh Academy by 40-5. They had opened up a 21-0 lead by halftime with tries from Rhys O’Donnell, Adam Gowdy and Pearce McLernon. James Hume was successful with all three conversions.
David McCann, who put on a “Man of the Match” performance, scored a try early in the second half. James Hume added the extras to see the Belfast Inst team into a 28-0 lead. James then created the opportunity for Paddy Finnegan to run in for an unconverted try to put his team into an unassailable 33-0 lead. Omagh Academy then got some reward for their endeavours when James Longwell forced his way over the whitewash to touch down for an unconverted try. However, it was the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team that had the final say when David McCann broke away before off-loading a clever pass to Rhys O’Donnell who ran in for the try. Robin McIlveen added the conversion to secure the 40-5 victory for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team.
Down High School defeated Grosvenor Grammar School by 29-10. The Down HS points came through two tries from Claytan Milligan and one each Ronan Patterson, William Annett and Robin Wilson. Daniel Peters added two conversions.
The Grosvenor Grammar School points came through unconverted tries from Ethan Fitzsimmons and Daniel Martin following excellent plays from the Grosvenor Grammar School back division.
On Saturday December 31st there were five schoolboy friendly games played.
Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Limavady Grammar School in a North West “Derby” game, Royal School, Armagh played Sullivan Upper School, Friends’ School, Lisburn played Lurgan College, Portadown College played Royal School, Dungannon and Methodist College, Belfast played an Ulster U18 Development team.
Foyle and Londonderry College played Limavady Grammar School in a 3×20 minute training game on Saturday 31st December. In the course of the run out the Foyle College team scored seven tries through Dara Gill, Joel Smyth, Greg Parkhill, Josh Cole, Thomas Cole and two from Keelan Coyle. Killene Thornton converted three of the tries to secure a 41-0 victory for the Foyle and Londonderry College team.
Royal School, Armagh hosted Sullivan Upper School in a game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 40-22. Peter Wilson scored a hat trick of tries for the RS Armagh team while Glen Faloon, Matty Reaney and Nicky Jennings each scored one. Glen Faloon was also successful with five conversion kicks.
Jules Storey, Rory Jemphrey, Andrew Weir and Rory Kilpatrick each scored a try for the Sullivan Upper team with Rory Kilpatrick adding one conversion.
Friends’ School, Lisburn played Lurgan College in a high scoring game the Friends’ School team won by 52-24. The Friends’ School points came through three tries from Bradley Mulholland, two tries from Alex O’Brien, one try from Daniel Patterson, one try from David Newell and one try from Curtis Dundas. Ben McCaughey converted three tries as well as two penalties.
The Lurgan College points came through tries from Victor MacKenzie, Reuben McCreery, who touched down twice, and Scott Wilson. Scott added two conversions as well.
Portadown College played Royal School, Dungannon in a game the RS Dungannon team won by 22-14. Timmy Davidson, Adam Evans, Joseph Cashel and Andrew Armstrong scored tries for the RS Dungannon team. Adam Evans added one conversion for the Royal School, Dungannon team.
The Portadown College points came through two Dylan Nelson tries both of which were converted by Matthew Neill.
Methodist College, Belfast played against the Ulster U18 team in a game the Methody team won by 58-3. The Methody team scored ten tries in the course of the game with Connor Scollan scoring a hat trick, Conor Fletcher and Paul Kerr scoring two and Samuel Bernard, Thomas Armstrong and James McConnell scoring one try each. Paul Kerr added four conversions to secure the 58-3 win for the Methodist College, Belfast team.
