Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 14th January 2017
There was one schoolboy friendly game, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 2nd Round replay game, two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup games, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate game, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate game, and one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield game played midweek in the lead up to two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate, seven Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield, three Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy and a number of schoolboy friendly games played on Saturday 14th January.
The Royal School, Armagh team made a recent trip to Donnybrook in Dublin to face a well organised and talented King’s Hospital School, Dublin side who won the entertaining game by 35-18. The RS Armagh team started brightly on the 4G surface and took an early 7-0 lead through a Nicholas Jennings try which Glen Faloon converted. This soon became 10-0 when Glen was successful with a long range penalty kick. King’s Hospital came back into the game when a break in midfield was well finished by their right winger. Glen Faloon then converted another penalty to push the RS Armagh visitors 13-7 ahead. King’s Hospital then scored two quick fire tries as half time approached and led 21-13 at the break.
Both sides made changes to give all their players game time before their respective provincial Schools’ Cup campaigns start in a few weeks’ time. King’s Hospital scored two break away tries from deep in their half, both of which were converted, to push ahead into a 35-13 lead. The RS Armagh team finished the game the stronger of the two sides and, following a long period of pressure, Nicholas Jennings drew the last King’s Hospital defender to give his brother, Christopher, a run in for an unconverted try at the left hand corner. This brought the game to a close with King’s Hospital team fully deserving of their 35-18 victory.
On Wednesday 11th January the 2nd Round replay of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup, featuring Dromore High School and Banbridge Academy, took place at Barban Hill, home of Dromore RFC. Another large crowd gathered on a cold, blustery but bright afternoon to witness another closely contested game between two teams which were separated by only two points at the end of an intriguing encounter the Dromore High School team won by 14-12. Banbridge Academy played the first half with a strong wind at their backs but Dromore were first to settle in terms of territory. Following a period of good play a penalty kick opportunity was turned down in favour of the lineout option. The lineout was won and the well-organised driven maul finished when the hard working Aaron Lyttle touched down for the try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Dromore High School team had taken a deserved 5-0 lead. The Banbridge Academy team sprung to life after this and good positional play from outhalf, Ross Cartmill, led to a penalty kick opportunity. The ball was tapped quickly and, after two quick rucks, prop, Robbie Mathers, crashed over the line to touch down under the posts. Ross Cartmill added the extras to give his team a 7-5 lead midway through the first half. Just three minutes later a fine move from the Banbridge Academy backline saw their right winger, Scott Thompson, finish well in the corner with an unconverted try to extend the Banbridge Academy lead to 12-5. With ten minutes of the half left the Banbridge Academy team knew they needed to add to their score as the wind was strengthening. However, but some handling errors and lack of field position, allied with an unfortunate sin binning for, meant they were unable to pull away from a determined Dromore High School team for whom Ben Heath was playing very impressively in both attack and defence. Indeed, it was the Dromore High School that finished the half strongly with a superb penalty effort coming back off the upright to ensure it was the Banbridge Academy team that took their 12-5 lead into the break.
Dromore High School used the elements intelligently in the second half with Aaron Lyttle and Ben Heath getting through a lot of work in the forwards. This good work ensured a supply of possession which Reuben Cobb used effectively to establish good field position. The Dromore High School team pressurised the Banbridge team into conceding three penalties within the third quarter of the game. The good field position meant that penalties conceded by Banbridge were all kickable and team captain, Ben Martin duly despatched all three successfully to give his team a 14-12 lead going into the final quarter. Banbridge Academy responded bravely running from all parts of the field and trying to breakdown the resilient Dromore defence. Ross Cartmill had his attack line working efficiently but it was all in vain as the Dromore High School defence held firm to earn a famous 14-12 victory at the end of the game.
The Dromore High School team was understandably delighted when the no-side whistle sounded and the Banbridge Academy players were very disappointed to have exited the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup at this early stage. However, both sets of players, their coaches and supporters should be proud of their immense efforts over the two very close and hard fought games which were a credit to the game in the schools and to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup competition.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Omagh Academy hosted Ballymena Academy in a game the Ballymena Academy team won by 18-5.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate the Foyle and Londonderry College 2ndxv lost by 24-0 against Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate competition Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv defeated Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv by 19-17.
On Thursday 12th January the Portadown College 2ndxv hosted Belfast Royal Academy 2ndxv in a Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup game. The final outcome of the game was a 12-5 win for the Belfast Royal Academy team.
On the same afternoon Dromore High School hosted Banbridge Academy in a Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 3rd Round game. The Banbridge Academy team won this high scoring entertaining game by 35-21.
The draws took place in Banbridge Academy for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup/Plate quarter-finals. The results of these draws are as follows 🙂
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Quarter-Final draw
Sullivan Upper School/Methodist College, Belfast v Down High School
Royal School, Dungannon v Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Belfast Royal Academy v Campbell College, Belfast
Ballymena Academy v Limavady Grammar School/Wallace High School
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate Quarter-Final draw
Wellington College, Belfast v Dalriada School/Bangor Grammar School
Rainey Endowed School v Grosvenor Grammar School
Larne Grammar School v Ballyclare High School
Royal School, Armagh/Methodist College, Belfast** v Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
**Methodist College, Belfast will only play v Royal School, Armagh if Methodist College lose their 2nd Round game v Sullivan Upper School.
These matches MUST be completed on/before WEDNESDAY 25th January 2017.
On Saturday 14th January in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rdxv Cup Rainey Endowed School hosted Campbell College, Belfast 4thxv in a game the Campbell College team won by 17-12. Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv defeated Ballyclare High School 3rdxv by 40-5 in the same competition.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate quarter-final game Banbridge Academy 3rdxv and Ballymena Academy 3rdxv had to re-arrange their fixture as their game was postponed.
In the 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Foyle and Londonderry College lost by 22-0 against Omagh Academy, Dalriada defeated Coleraine Grammar School by 9-6, Cambridge House Grammar School recorded a 17-10 win against Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Down High School lost by 29-5 at home to Sullivan Upper School, Portadown College travelled to play Ballyclare High School and came away with a convincing 34-10 victory and Limavady Grammar School defeated Belfast High School by 32-0.. The Ballymena Academy v Bangor Grammar School game fell victim to the weather conditions and will be re-scheduled for Tuesday 17th January.
In the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy competition Rainey Endowed School and Regent House School drew 5-5. The replay of this game should take place on Tuesday 17th January. Grosvenor Grammar School defeated Larne Grammar School by 21-5 in the same competition. Strabane Grammar School will play Antrim Grammar School on Tuesday 17th January in a re-run of their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy game.
Once the results of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and Trophy games were collated the draws took place for the 4th Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield, the quarter-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl and the quarter-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
The results of the draws are as follows 🙂
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 4 Draw
Wallace High School v Sullivan Upper School
Belfast Royal Academy v Friends’ School, Lisburn
Cambridge House Grammar School v Royal School, Armagh
Campbell College, Belfast v Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Limavady Grammar School v Ballymena Academy/Bangor Grammar School
Omagh Academy v Banbridge Academy
Methodist College, Belfast v Dalriada School
Portadown College v Royal School, Dungannon
All these games are scheduled to be played on/before Saturday 28th January
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl Quarter-Final Draw
Coleraine Grammar School v Ballyclare High School
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School v Ballymena Academy/Bangor Grammar School
Dromore High school v Belfast High School
Foyle and Londonderry College v Down High School
All these games are scheduled to be played on/before Saturday 28th January
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Quarter-Final Draw
Ballyclare Secondary School v Lurgan College
Carrickfergus College v Rainey Endowed School/Regent House School
Grosvenor Grammar School v St Columb’s College/Carrickfergus Grammar School
Wellington College, Belfast v Strabane Academy/Antrim Grammar School
All these games are scheduled to be played on/before Saturday 28th January
A number of schoolboy friendly games survived the weather conditions and took place on Saturday 14th January.
Bangor Grammar School hosted Ballymena Academy in a game the Ballymena Academy team won by 5-0. In what could only be described as being a “dour encounter” both teams struggled to find any real degree of continuity to their game. The one bright moment of the game came when the Ballymena Academy team somehow managed to create an overlap which enabled Alexander Clarke to send Conor Agnew in for an unconverted try which secured the 5-0 win for the Ballymena Academy team.
Down High School travelled to play Belfast High School and returned to Downpatrick with a well-deserved 40-10 victory. The visitors had built up a 26-0 lead by half time with tries from Zac Ward, Paddy Browne, Alexander Martin and Marcus Graham. Marcus was successful with three conversions.
The second half saw the Belfast High School team mount something of a revival. They ran in two unconverted tries through Simon White and Scott McDowell. However, the Down High School team went on to secure their 40-10 victory with a brace of tries from William Annett, one of which was converted by Marcus Graham and the other by Harry Hitchens.
Friends’ School, Lisburn hosted Dalriada School in a game the Friends’ School team won by 20-10. David Newell continued his recent good run of try scoring form with an unconverted try to give the Friends’ School team an early 5-0 lead. Dalriada replied with a converted try from Thomas Hunter, to take a 7-5 lead. Ben McCaughey then ran in for an unconverted try to give the Friends’ School team a 10-7 lead. This became 17-7 at the break when Adam McElwee took advantage of some slack Dalriada defence to run in for a try which was converted by Ben McCaughey.
The only points scored in the second half came from a Dalriada penalty, converted by Thomas Hunter, and a Friends’ School penalty, converted by Ben McCaughey. This ensured the game finished with the Friends’ School, Lisburn team as 20-10 winners.
Methodist College, Belfast travelled to play Blackrock College in Dublin and found themselves on the wrong end of a 39-0 scoreline at the end of the game.
Also playing a Blackrock College team in Dublin was the Wallace High School 1stxv. The Wallace High School team lost the game by 29-12. The Wallace High School points came through tries from Stephen Courtney and Jamie Peters with Conor Rankin kicking one conversion.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team got back to winning ways, after their recent setback against Presentation Brother’s College, Cork, when they defeated Sullivan Upper School by 56-0. The Belfast Inst team was missing a number of regular players but still managed to score ten tries in the course of the game. Callum Reid, Pierce McLernon, who put in a “Man of the Match” performance, Sam Fryers, Robin McIlveen, Zac Davidson, Matthew Nelson, Jamie Mullan and Joe Finnegan each scored one try with Yasser Omar touching down for two. Joe Finnegan was successful with three conversion kicks.
The Rainey Endowed School team hosted Grosvenor Grammar School in a game the Rainey ES team won by 31-10. The Rainey Endowed School team took an early 5-0 lead with an unconverted try from David Dripps. Josh McConkey then kicked a penalty for the Grosvenor GS team to reduce the arrears to 5-3. Bryan Hall then touched down for unconverted try for the Rainey ES team to extend their lead to 10-3. This lead became 17-3 just before the break when Karl Warner scored a try, which was converted by Jac Lloyd Evans.
The Grosvenor Grammar School teasm started the second half strongly and reduced the deficit to 17-10 when Josh McConkey scored a try which he also converted. Adam Thornton and Ciaran Doyle finished off two superb Rainey attacks with triers, both of which were converted by Jac Lloyd Evans. These scores ensured the Rainey Endowed School team finished the game as deserved 31-10 winners.
The Royal School, Armagh team hosted Coleraine Grammar School in a very closely contested game the Coleraine GS team won by 14-13. The Coleraine Grammar School team put in a very workmanlike performance and followed up their recent win 10-5 win against Sullivan Upper with a very competent performance in Armagh. Their points in this game came through tries from Peter Weisener and Andrew McKee. Ally Telfer converted both tries. Matthew Mooney, their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd Row forward impressed with his hard work in defence, his solid jumping at lineout time and his strong carries with the ball in hand. Peter Weisener put in a “Man of the Match” performance with his defensive work and strong carries from the No 8 position. The Coleraine team had Zac Hutchinson to thank for his controlling of the game with his astute kicking skills from the outhalf position. Thomas Lavery, the Coleraine GS winger impressed with his work in defence as well as his ability under the high ball as well as with the ball in hand.
The Royal School, Armagh points came through a second minute try from Ryan O’Neill, which was converted by Glen Faloon. Glen was also successful with two penalty kicks. Benjamin Boyd and Glen Faloon formed a very effective halfback unit for the Royal School, Armagh team.
Campbell College, Belfast hosted Clongowes Wood College in a game the Clongowes Wood College team won by 22-17. The Campbell College points were scored by Oisin Kiernan, Ben Webb and Oscar Yandall, all of whom scored one try. Oscar converted his own try.
The games involving Royal School, Dungannon v Banbridge Academy and Omagh Academy v Enniskillen Royal Grammar School were cancelled due to the prevailing weather conditions.
