Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 1st March 2014.
Quite a few midweek Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion, 2ndxv and 3rdxv Trophy, Bowl, Cup and Plate games took place in the lead up to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Semi-Final games on Saturday 1st March.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy competition Foyle and Londonderry College defeated Cambridge House by 19-12 while Larne Grammar School defeated Antrim Grammar School by 21-0. The Foyle College team will now meet the Rainey Endowed School team in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Semi-Final with the winners playing Larne Grammar School in the Final. The Foyle and Londonderry College team played the Rainey Endowed School team in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Semi-Final in a game the Rainey Endowed School team won by 7-0.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Final will be played when a suitable venue becomes available for the Rainey Endowed School v Larne Grammar School game.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl Semi-Final Royal School, Armagh lost by 20-8 against Bangor Grammar School. The Bangor Grammar School team will play the winners of the Belfast High School v Lurgan College replay game in the Final. The Lurgan College v Belfast High School Medallion Bowl Semi-Final replay will go to one final replay as the teams drew 8-8.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate game, Dromore High School lost by 7-5 against Coleraine Academical Institution. The Coleraine AI team then went on to play Belfast Royal Academy in the Semi-Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate and won the game by 17-7. In the second Semi-Final, Banbridge Academy defeated Omagh Academy by 17-7. The Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate will be announced when a suitable venue has been found.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Semi-Finals, Ballymena Academy defeated Down High School by 29-6 at Osborne Park. Meanwhile, at Pirrie Park the Royal Belfast Academical Institution Medallion team defeated Sullivan Upper Medallion by 29-5. The Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield will take place at the Queen’s University arena on Tuesday 11th March with a 2-30pm kick off.
All the schools involved in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Semi-Final games, as well as the Ulster Schools’ Committee, would like to thank the Principals, Governors and Rugby Staff at Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Methodist College, Belfast for the use of their excellent facilities for the staging of these games.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Semi-Finals will take place at the Queen’s University Arena on Tuesday 4th and Thursday 6th March.
On Tuesday 4th March, Methodist College will play Wallace High School at 2-30pm. On Thursday 6th March, Sullivan Upper School with play Coleraine Academical Institution at 2-30pm. Due to the on-going building works at Ravenhill, it has not been possible to play the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Semi-Finals at the ground. The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Final has been moved to the Queen’s University Arena for the same reason. The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Final has not been affected by the building works and will be staged at Ravenhill on Monday 17th March at 3-00pm.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv competition, Banbridge Academy travelled to play St Columb’s College in Derry.
Despite going 12-0 against a very talented and determined St Columb’s College team, the Banbridge Academy team recovered to win the game by 36-12. Ballymena Academy recorded a 17-13 win against Royal Belfast Academical Institution in the same competition.
In the Danske Bank 3rdxv Plate competition, Royal School, Armagh defeated Portora Royal School by 11-3. The Royal School, Armagh team then lost their next round Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate encounter against Belfast Royal Academy by 26-5.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup competition – Limavady Grammar School travelled to Portadown College and went away with a 38-0 victory, Ballymena Academy defeated Regent House by 47-12, Antrim Grammar School lost by 51-0 against Wallace High School, Royal School, Armagh lost by 31-3 against Methodist College Belfast and Dromore High School drew 7-7 with Belfast High School. Meanwhile Wellington College lost by 70-0 in their postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup encounter.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate competition Friends’ School travelled to Omagh Academy for a replay match.
The Omagh Academy team won the game by 23-10. In the same competition Dalriada defeated Grosvenor Grammar School by 29-23. In an excellent game there was little to separate the teams. The Dalriada team controlled a lot of the set piece plays but errors and infringements kept the very determined Grosvenor Grammar School team in the game. However, the Dalriada team scored five tries with Adam Barton touching twice and Aaron Sparks, Louis Warke and Aaron Christie running in one try each. Aaron Sparke also added two conversions.
The draws for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup and Plate competitions took place during the week. The outcomes of the draws are as follows:-
2ND XV Schools’ Cup 2013/2014 Quarter-Final DRAW
1. DROMORE HS or BELFAST HS vs ROYAL BELFAST ACADEMICAL INST
2. WALLACE HIGH SCHOOL vs METHODIST COLLEGE
3. CAMPBELL COLLEGE vs SULLIVAN UPPER SCHOOL
4. BALLYMENA ACADEMY vs BANBRIDGE ACADEMY
2nd XV Schools’ plate 2013/2014 2nd ROUND DRAW
1. LIMAVADY GRAMMAR SCHOOL vs COLERAINE ACADEMICAL INSTITUTION
2. DOWN HIGH SCHOOL vs DALRIADA
3. FOYLE COLLEGE vs CARRICK GS or CAMBRIDGE HOUSE SCHOOL
4. OMAGH ACADEMY vs STRABANE ACADEMY or LARNE GS
The games are to be played as soon as conveniently possible. Results should be sent immediately after the games to Mr John McKinney at Campbell College.
The first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ finals was played when Wellington College met Royal School, Dungannon in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy competition.
The game was played in front of an excellent on the well-manicured 1stxv pitch at Banbridge Academy and saw the RS Dungannon team defeat Wellington College by 17-15.
The RS Dungannon team started the game very strongly and scored an excellent try, two minutes into the game, when Stuart Moore danced his way through a hesitant Wellington College defence to touch down for a try.
Jack Milligan converted the try to give his team a 7-0 lead. Wellington College displayed great resolution and recovered very quickly from the early setback. Strong work from their robust pack presented their flanker, Jason Lyons, with the opportunity to touch down for a try. Luke Smyth was successful with the conversion to draw the game level at 7-7. Wellington College continued to pressurise the RS Dungannon line. They gained a penalty, midway through the first half, which was converted by Luke Smyth to give his team a 10-7 lead. The Wellington College team dominated most aspects of the game for the remainder of the first half and took their 10-7 lead into the break.
The start of the second half saw the RS Dungannon team take the game deep into Wellington College territory. The Wellington team gave a penalty away and Jack Milligan stepped up to convert the penalty and draw the scores level at 10-10. The Wellington College team then took a 15-10 lead when Andrew Hanna exposed the RS Dungannon defence at the side of a ruck. He found Josh Garnham with a clever pass and Josh finished off with an unconverted try. The Wellington College team thought they had done enough and seemed to be holding out for a victory. That was until Oliver Wong found a gap at the side of a defensive RS Dungannon ruck and outpaced the despairing Wellington College defence to score a try under the posts. Jack Milligan converted the try to put his team into a 17-15 lead with only minutes remaining. They held out until the final whistle to win the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy competition. After the final whistle the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medals and Trophy were presented to both teams by Mr Ivan McMinn, representing the Danske Bank and Mr John Robinson, President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU.
Both teams and all supporters were very grateful to the Principal, Governors, Groundstaff and Rugby staff at Banbridge Academy for all their hard work in hosting this game.
The Final ofthe Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl competition will be played at Dungannon Rugby Club on Wednesday 5th March.
Foyle and Londonderry College and Banbridge Academy will contest the game which is scheduled to kick off at 2-30pm.
