There was one postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game played midweek when Dalriada School hosted Limavady Grammar School at a very wet and windy St James’s Road venue on Wednesday afternoon.
The Limavady Grammar School team, the pre-match favourites, had to work hard before eventually winning the game by 14-7. The home team, playing with the wind in their backs, dominated most of territory and possession in the opening exchanges of the game. Timmy Emmerson kept his team on the front foot with some astute kicking into the opposition half. The Dalriada pack looked comfortable at the set piece and comfortably won their scrums and linesout. The Limavady Grammar School pack was missing their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Prop, Rory Squires, and seemed to be having difficulties in controlling the stronger and more dynamic Dalriada pack in the course of the first half. Midway through the first half the home team, having missed an earlier penalty, took a 7-0 lead when they turned Limavady ball over and moved the ball through their three quarters. The Dalriada scrum half, Matthew Steele was running a trail line and he took an inside pass to score a well-deserved try under the posts. Rory Strang converted the try. The home team made astute use of the conditions for the remainder of the half denying the Limavady team any real advantage in terms of territory ensuring the Limavady Grammar School team turned around at the interval 7-0 in arrears.
The second half saw the Limavady pack raise their game and a plentiful supply of ball was well used by Limavady half backs, Jamie Millar and Michael Barr. These two players constantly drove Dalriada back with inch perfect kicks and, with Limavady winning good line out ball, their pack was able to making good yardage using the driving maul. Ten minutes into the second half the Limavady pack drove forward and recycled the ball for their No 8, Sam Mackey, to drive over the line. Jack McCool struck the difficult conversion well and the score was now tied at 7-7. Limavady were beginning to exert pressure but, to their credit, the Dalriada back line was attempting to move the ball. On at least two occasions half breaks in the midfield almost resulted in Dalriada creating clear try scoring opportunities. From a Limavady scrum, Limavady out half Michael Barr put his centre into space and Jamie Millar launched a long raking kick which right winger, Tom McClelland, fly hacked on. The ball seemed to stick in the mud a matter of inches from the touchline. As the Dalriada defence stopped momentarily, Tom McClelland again fly hacked the ball and gathered it close to the Dalriada line to dive over and touch down for what appeared to be a somewhat controversial try. Again, Jack McCool kicked a difficult conversion and Limavady had a 14-7 lead with just seven minutes left on the clock. Limavady missed the chance to go further ahead when scrum half, Jamie Millar, broke blind from a ruck but chose to go himself when a pass might have put his winger,Tom McClelland in for a try. With three minutes left on the clock, Dalriada mounted a final assault on the Limavady line but, once again, the Limavady Half backs Millar and Barr were up to the task and cleared their lines. The final result was probably deserved but Dalriada can feel unfortunate not to have taken something out of the match having produced a superb performance in difficult conditions.
The Limavady Grammar School team will now travel to play Royal Belfast Academical Institution in the Quarter-Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup on Saturday 23rd February.
There were quite a few games played in various Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ competitions on Saturday 16th February 2013.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl Quarter-Final Grosvenor Grammar School hosted Omagh Academy in a game postponed from Saturday 9th February.
The game was played in difficult underfoot conditions with the Omagh Academy team emerging eventually as 5-3 winners. The Grosvenor Grammar School team started the game in a positive manner with Matthew Allen and Sam Purdon breaking through the Omagh Academy defence on a number of occasions. However, the home team was unable to take advantage of these breaks and the Omagh Academy line remained intact. Midway through the first half the Omagh Academy team got some reward for their endeavours when the impressive Adam Longwell latched on to a poor Grosvenor clearance kick and touched down for a try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Omagh Academy team had a 5-0 lead. The Grosvenor Grammar School team responded in a positive manner and Peter Davidson kicked a penalty to reduce the arrears to 5-3 just before the interval.
The Omagh Academy team controlled the possession as well as the territory for large parts of the second half but could find no way through a dogged Grosvenor defence. On a rare excursion into the Omagh Academy half late in the game, the Grosvenor Grammar School team might have come away with a win if their kicker had converted a penalty opportunity late in the game. However, the kick was missed and it was the Omagh Academy team that held out for a narrow 5-3 win and a place in the semi-final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl with a game against Foyle and Londonderry College on February 23rd.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd xv Cup the Limavady Grammar School team completed a “Double” against Dalriada when they defeated the Dalriada 2nd xv by 10-7 in a very closely contested and exciting game.
Both teams attacked from the off with the Limavady Grammar School team shading things in terms of defence. Matthew Rodden, Stephen Fallows, Jack Martin stood out with their defence but it was John McWhirter who saved a certain try when he bundled his opposite number into touch just inches from the Limavady line midway through the first half. Dalriada continued to attack but the Limavady Grammar School defence was well-organised and managed to maintain the integrity of their line to ensure a 0-0 score at the halftime break.
Following the break, both sides came out firing with big hits from both sets of defenders. The Grammar attack was awarded a penalty which was slotted in by Scott McClean to give the Limavady Grammar School team a 3-0 lead. These first points gave the Limavady Grammar School team a confidence to attack at every opportunity. After a quickly tapped penalty, Joel Stirling went over for the first try of the day which was converted by Scott McLean to take the score to10-0 in favour of the Limavady team. Dalriada reacted well to this setback and started to dominate both the scrums and linesout. They began to dominate both territory and possession and scored an excellent converted try to reduce the arrears to 10-7 midway through the second half. The visitors launched an all-out attacking strategy but the Limavady Grammar School defence, with Scott McLean outstanding, stood firm to ensure they progressed into the Quarter-Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd XV Cup.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndXV Plate Friends’ School had a narrow, but deserved, 13-7 win against Omagh Academy.
This ensures the Friends’ School team a place in the draw for the Quarter-Finals of this competition. They will be joined by Royal School, Dungannon who defeated Rainey Endowed School by 19-15.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield there were four Quarter-Final games played. The results were as follows:-
Coleraine Academical Institution 22 Belfast Royal Academy 3
Wallace High School 15 Ballymena Academy 3
Royal Belfast Academical Institution 34 Ballyclare High School 3
Campbell College, Belfast 34 Sullivan Upper School 5
Following these games the draw took place for the Semi-Finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield.
The draw was done by Mr Stephen Barr, Medallion Shield Competition Co-ordinator and Mr Barney McGonigle, PRO for Ulster Schools’ Rugby. The games, which are to be played at neutral venues on Saturday 2nd March, were drawn as follows:-
Royal Belfast Academical Institution v Campbell College, Belfast
Wallace High School v Coleraine Academical Institution.
The Wallace High School team had Ben Finlay and Jonny Stewart to thank for their scores against Ballymena Academy in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools Medallion Shield Quarter-Final game. Ben ran in two tries while Jonny scored one.
Bangor Grammar School lost to Regent House by 21-7 in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate competition.
Methodist College travelled to Portora Royal School and came away with a convincing 41-5 victory.
Down High School hosted Portadown College and won the game by 40-0.
Also in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate competition, Dromore High School could not play Rainey Endowed School on Saturday 16th. This game has been rescheduled for Thursday 21st February.
Belfast High School hosted Omagh Academy in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl competition and lost by 32-0. The Omagh team will now travel to play Carrickfergus Grammar School in the semi-final.
In the second semi-final Larne Grammar School will host Grosvenor Grammar School.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy competition the Friends’ School team lost with the last kick off the game to Banbridge Academy by 22-20. Wellington College lost by 59-0 to the Royal School, Dungannon team.
Ballyclare Secondary School could not play Lurgan College on Saturday 16th and this game has been rescheduled for Wednesday 20th February.
