Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 23rd November 2013.
Some midweek games were played in the lead up to a list of fixtures played on Saturday 23rd November.
Carrickfergus Grammar School travelled to play Portadown College in a midweek fixture and the Co Antrim Team was delighted to record a 29-5 victory at the end of a game that was played in very cold and blustery conditions. The Carrickfergus GS team started brightly playing into a difficult wind. They took an early lead with an unconverted try from their energetic captain, Joel Bell. The Portadown team rallied and made good use of the wind to achieve good field positions. They were attacking the Carrickfergus GS line when a forced pass was intercepted by Christian Robinson in the Carrickfergus centre. Christian raced the length of the pitch to touch down for a try which David Carse converted to increase the Carrickfergus GS lead to 12-0. Again, the Portadown College team regrouped and managed to reduce the arrears to 12-5 when they crossed the line for an unconverted try. The score remained at 12-5, in favour of the visitors, until the break.
The second half saw the Carrickfergus team push the Portadown College team back at every opportunity. However, the home team was not afraid to run the ball out of defence and, on a number of occasions, they came close to scoring. Following a period of pressure from the visitors, Joel Bell made a break, which ended with Jake Porter scoring an unconverted try for the Carrickfergus GS team, to increase their lead to 17-5. Shortly after this, the Carrickfergus GS outhalf, Adam Fittis made a telling break to get behind a despairing Portadown College defence. Adam off loaded to the supporting Joel Bell who supplied a deft pass to Christian Robinson who finished with a fine try. David Carse added a touchline conversion to increase the Carrickfergus GS lead to 24-5. Towards the end of the game Reece Berry created the opportunity for Nathan Fugard to score an unconverted try to leave his Carrickfergus GS team as deserved 29-5 winners.
Regent House played Bangor Grammar School and lost the North Down midweek fixture by 27-17.
Rainey Endowed School lost by 29-0 against a Ballymena Academy team very keen to get back to winning ways following a recent set back.
The Rainey Endowed team played into a strong wind, in the first half, and were delighted to be only 12-0 down at the interval. The Ballymena Academy points, in the first half, came from a Jack Archer try which was converted by Marcus Rea and an unconverted try from Jonny Rosborough.
However, a poor second half from the Rainey ES team, combined with a very good second half performance from the Ballymena Academy team, saw the Ballymena team emerge as 33-0 winners. The Ballymena points, in the second half, came from Joe Thompson, Josh McNabney and Andrew McGrath, all of whom scored tries, with Marcus Rea adding three conversions.
Wallace High School played Omagh Academy in a midweek fixture that resulted in a 27-0 win for the Wallace HS team.
They scored five tries in the course of the game with Ben Finlay, Callum Irvine, Jacob Stockdale, Jonny Stewart and Philip Hylands all touching down. Ryan Moore added one conversion.
Antrim Grammar School defeated Friends’ School by 22-12 in a midweek game played at the Steeple Road venue.
On Saturday 23rd November, Grosvenor Grammar School travelled to Larne and defeated the Larne Grammar School team by 17-0.
The Grosvenor GS team controlled the game in the first half with Shane Johnston scoring a try after ten minutes. Jonah McDowell added the conversion to put the Grosvenor GS team into a 7-0 lead. This became 12-0, some eight minutes later, when James Cartilage ran in for an unconverted try to give his team a 12-0 lead, a lead they held until the break.
The Grosvenor GS team continued to control the game in the second half but indiscipline at certain times stopped the score board from ticking over. That was until the final play of the game when the hard working Sam Purdon ran in for an unconverted try to ensure a 17-0 win for the Grosvenor GS team.
Banbridge Academy travelled to play Wellington College and returned to Banbridge with a 35-5 victory.
The Banbridge team opened up a 14-0 lead by half time with Peter Heaney and Rory Carson scoring one try each. Daniel McElderry added the conversions.
The second half saw the Banbridge Academy team score further tries through Rory Carson and replacement players, Ben Williamson and Jordan Pickering. Daniel McElderry was successful with all three second half conversions. The Wellington team ran in one unconverted try midway through the second half.
Down High School maintained their recent good run of results with a comprehensive 46-7 victory against Regent House. The Down HS team scored five first half tries through David Cheung, Ross Carlisle, Joseph Bingham, Chris Gibson and Nathan Gibson. Patrick Wright was successful with one conversion attempt. In response, the Regent House team scored a converted try, following a charge down, in the first half to give the Down High School team a 27-7 lead at the interval.
Down High School proceeded to dominate the game in the second half with Nathan Gibson, Patrick Wright and Thomas Donnan all touching down. Patrick Wright added two conversions to ensure a well-deserved 46-7 win for his Down High School team.
Methodist College travelled to play Coleraine Academical Institution and came away with a 36-0 victory.
The Coleraine AI team, with Conor Shiels and Ollie McDowell to the fore, worked hard to inhibit the free flowing Methody attack but found themselves 24-0 down at half time. Conor McKee caused problems for the Coleraine AI defence and provided the opportunities for Ali McIvor, Steven Weir and Rory Cairns to run in tries. Conor scored one first half try, as well, with Josh Bingham adding two conversions.
For the opening exchanges of the second half the Coleraine AI team dominated proceedings but could not find a way through a well-organised Methody defence. The Methody team ran in two late tries from deep in their half with Conor McKee and Josh Bingham touching down. Josh added one conversion to secure the 36-0 win for his Methodist College team.
Ballymena Academy hosted St Mary’s College in an exciting game which the Dublin school won by 27-19.
The St Mary’s College team started strongly and went into an early 8-0 lead with a penalty and an unconverted try. The home team rallied and their winger, Jonny Rosborough, powered through a gap in the St. Mary’s defence to score below the posts. Marcus Rea added the conversion and repeated his accuracy five minutes later following a try from Connor White to give his a 14-8 lead at the break.
The second half was dominated by the Leinster team and they were gifted two quick tries through poor defensive decision-making by the local team. A decisive third try was added with ten minutes to go and the conversion stretched the lead to 27-14. Ballymena reduced the deficit to 27-19 with a late consolation score when Jonny McKeown finished with an unconverted try in the corner.
Bangor Grammar School hosted Royal School, Dungannon and can count themselves fortunate to win the game by 14-8.
The visitors started strongly and dominated the game in terms of both territory and possession. Five minutes into the game Jack Milligan kicked a penalty to give his RS Dungannon team a 3-0 lead. The RS Dungannon team continued to apply pressure on the Bangor GS defence and got rewarded for their hard work when John Buckley ran in for an unconverted try to give the Dungannon team an 8-0 lead. The Bangor GS team responded with a converted try to reduce the arrears to 8-7 in favour of the RS Dungannon team.
The Bangor GS team started the second half well but they found the Dungannon defence in no mood to give anything away. However, with just ten minutes remaining, and against the run of play, the home attack managed to find their way through and scored a converted try to ensure a 14-8 Bangor Grammar School win at the no-side whistle.
Belfast High School hosted the Royal School, Armagh team and deservedly won the game by 37-14, The Belfast HS team had established a 10-7 by half time with a converted try and a penalty.
The RS Armagh points, in the first half, came from a Michael Thompson try which was converted by Kyle Faloon.
The second half saw the Belfast High School team step up a gear with Joel McBride and Jordan Garford controlling the game in the High School back line. The High School team scored five second half tries, as well as one conversion. In response, the RS Armagh team scored a converted try through Matthew Hooks. Despite losing the game, the RS Armagh team had good performances from Phil Matthews, James Irvine and James Johnston.
Foyle and Londonderry College lost by 57-11 to Ballyclare High School in a game played at the Springtown venue.
The Ballyclare High School team controlled the game for long periods of time and took an early 7-0 lead through a James Beattie try which Matthew McDowell converted. This became 14-0 when James Beattie scored his second try, again converted by Matthew McDowell. James completed his hat trick a short time later and Matthew added the conversion to give the Ballyclare HS team a 21-0 lead. Matthew McDowell added a penalty to increase the Ballyclare HS lead to 24-0. The Foyle College team responded with two Alex McDonnell penalties to reduce the arrears to 24-6. Reuben Heyburn scored another Ballyclare HS try, which Matthew McDowell converted, to leave the half time score reading 31-6 in favour of the Ballyclare HS team.
Reuben scored another try early in the second half which was converted by Matthew McDowell to increase the Ballyclare lead to 38-7. Joe Brolly then scored a try for the visitors which, once again, was converted by Matthew McDowell, to take the score board to 45-7 in favour of the Ballyclare High School team. Good support play from Ethan Beattie saw him finish with a try, which Matthew McDowell converted, to increase the Ballyclare High School lead to 52-6. The Foyle College team got some reward for their endeavours when Stephen Kennedy touched down for an unconverted try to reduce the arrears to 52-11. However, the Ballyclare High school team finished the game on a high with an unconverted try from James Beattie to leave his team as 57-11 winners.
Lurgan College and Carrickfergus Grammar School played out a 42 point thriller with the Lurgan College team eventually emerging as 22-20 winners.
The visitors took a 3-0 lead when David Cars converted a penalty opportunity early in the game. Mark McIlwaine then converted a penalty kick for his Lurgan College team to take the score to 3-3. The Carrickfergus GS team then took a 10-3 lead when Christian Robinson took advantage of good work from David Carse to finish off with a try. David Carse converted the try. Lurgan College then scored an unconverted try through Jordan McIlwaine, as well as two penalties from Mark McIlwaine, just before the interval, to take a 14-10 lead at the break.
Ten minutes after the restart, Ryan Mooney scored an unconverted try to increase the Lurgan College lead to 19-10. Four minutes later, Mark McIlwaine increased the Lurgan College lead to 22-10 when he was successful with a penalty kick. Despite these setbacks, the Carrickfergus GS team displayed great resilience and scored two tries in the final quarter of the game through Adam Urquhart and David Stewart. Both conversions were kickable, but both conversions were missed, to ensure a hard earned 22-20 victory for the Lurgan College team.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution recovered from their recent loss to Blackrock College to defeat their cross town rivals from Campbell College by 31-10.
The Belfast Inst team had built up a 28-3 by half time with tries from Lewis McNamara, Frazer Wright, Jack Scott and Joe Fryers. Robert Little converted all four tries. Campbell College with a first half penalty.
The Campbell College team scored a converted try in the second half and the Belfast Inst team converted a second half penalty opportunity through Robert Little.
