Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 29th November 2014.
There was one game played on Friday 28th November before a list of fixtures played on Saturday 29th.
Banbridge Academy played Grosvenor Grammar School under the floodlights at Banbridge Rugby Club on Friday 28th.
A good crowd of enthusiastic supporters watched a game, in which the Grosvenor team probably put on their best performance of the season, with the Grosvenor Grammar school team winning by 19-7. The Grosvenor team controlled the game for long periods in the first half but could not get any points on the board. That was until the thirty fifth minute when the visitors went through a lot of phase plays and James Cartilage bundled his way over the Banbridge Academy line to score a try. Daniel Martin added the conversion to give the Grosvenor Grammar School team a 7-0 lead at the break.
The second half was a more evenly contested affair with the Banbridge team creating a number of opportunities but they failed to finish. The Grosvenor Grammar School team took advantage and Chris Allen finished off a flowing move with a try. Daniel Martin was successful with his conversion kick to put the Grosvenor GS team into a 14-0 lead. This became 19-0 when Gareth Lammey took advantage of a cross field “kick pass” to touch down for an unconverted try. With just minutes of the game remaining, the Banbridge Academy team got some reward for their endeavours when Daniel McElderry scored a fine try which he converted. The game ended with the Grosvenor Grammar School team celebrating their well-deserved 19-7 victory.
Both teams enjoyed the experience of playing under the excellent floodlights at Rifle Park and both schools would like to thank Banbridge Rugby Club for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
The “Match of the Day” on Saturday 29th November was the clash involving Methodist College and the currently undefeated Wallace High School at Pirrie Park.
The game finished with the Wallace High School team maintaining their undefeated record by winning the game 21-12. In a closely contested first half, the Wallace High School team had built up a 6-5 by halftime. Jonny Stewart was successful with a penalty kick while Neil Kilpatrick hit an excellent drop goal. The Methodist College try came when Joe Kennedy took advantage of an excellent driven maul by the pack to touch down for an unconverted try.
The second half saw the Wallace High School team score two tries from Andrew Irvine and Gary Dillon. Adam Heap converted one of the tries and Neil Kilpatrick was successful with a second drop goal kick. The Methodist College team scored a try when Gareth Millar and Ali McIvor punched through the Wallace High School midfield defence and the ball was off-loaded to the supporting Ben O’Reilly. Ben went in from close range to touch down for the try which Robert Lyttle converted. However, it was too late to change the final outcome of the game and the Wallace High School team celebrated their well-deserved 21-12 victory at the end of the game.
Portora Royal School hosted Limavady Grammar School in a game the Portora RS team won by 18-10.
The Limavady Grammar School team took a 3-0 lead, early in the game, with a successful penalty kick. Portora RS replied with an unconverted try from their centre, Alistair Crawford, to take a 5-3 lead. The Limavady GS team then took advantage of some poor Portora RS defence and scored a converted try to give them a 10-5 lead at the break.
Portora started the second half the stronger of the teams. Conor Keys ran in for a try, which was converted by Adam Lendrum, to see Portora take a 12-10 lead. Two further Adam Lendrum penalty kicks ensured an 18-10 victory for the Portora Royal School team.
Omagh Academy travelled to play Rainey Endowed and returned to Co Tyrone having secured a 21-12 victory. The Omagh team had built up a 14-5 lead by half time with two tries from Adam Stephenson which Stuart Ballantine converted. The Rainey Endowed points came from an unconverted try from Anton Lupari.
The second half was a more evenly contested affair with Adam Patrick touching down for a Rainey try which was converted by Lorcan Quinn. The Omagh Academy team secured their win 21-12 when Fintan Lagan scored a fantastic solo try which saw him skip round a number of Rainey defenders before he touched down under the posts for a try which Stuart Ballantine converted.
Regent House hosted an inexperienced Belfast Royal Academy team in a game the Regent House team won by 24-17.
The Regent House team had built up a 17-10 first half lead with tries from Alisdare Deering and Josh McFarland. Taylor Nutt converted both tries, as well as a penalty kick. The Belfast Royal Academy team scored two unconverted tries in the first half.
The second half was evenly contested with the visitors scoring a converted try to draw the game level at 17-17. However, the Regent House team secured their 24-17 victory when, in the final quarter, Tommy Scullion scored a try which Taylor Nutt converted.
Royal School, Dungannon travelled to play Coleraine Academical Institution in a game the Coleraine AI team won by 40-0.
Despite a strong start to the game from the RS Dungannon team, they found it difficult to finish off a number of opportunities they had to score points. The Coleraine AI team then managed to get some quality possession and built up a 26-0 lead by half time. Matthew Norris took advantage of good work from Peter Bonnar, Peter Wisener and Alistair Corbett to run for an unconverted try and give his team a 5-0- lead. Calum Smyth then added a try which he converted to the Coleraine AI team into a 12-0 lead. Niall Cameron combined with Daniel McAllister to score a try, which Calum Smyth converted, to put Coleraine AI into a 19-0 lead. Peter Bonnar then peeled off the back of a maul to score a try. One again, Calum Smyth converted the try to give his team a 26-0 lead at the break.
The Coleraine AI team scored two tries in the second half. Daniel McAllister was on hand to receive an off-load from Peter Bonnar and touch down for the fifth Coleraine AI try. Try number six was scored by impact player, George McKeag. Calum Smyth completed a successful morning with his boot by converting both tries to secure a 40-0 win for the Coleraine Academical Institution team.
Lurgan College played a Royal Belfast Academical Institution “Select xv” and came away from the game on the wrong end of a 30-19 scoreline.
The Belfast Inst team scored two converted tries in the first half. The Lurgan College team responded positively with the Hunter brothers, Jonny and Jamie, combining to send Jamie in for a try. Robbie Norton converted the try but the Belfast Inst team had established a 14-7 lead by half time.
This became 19-7, early in the second half, when the Belfast Inst team ran in for an unconverted try. The Lurgan College team replied with a try from Thomas Neill, which Robbie Norton converted, to reduce the deficit to 19-14. Lewis Lawson then produced some great skills to send the Lurgan College captain, Matthew Laird, in for an unconverted try to draw the game level at 19-19. The Belfast Inst then took total control of the final quarter to score an unconverted try, as well as two penalties, to secure their 30-19 victory.
Meanwhile, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 1stxv played Down High School and the Belfast team had to work hard to secure a 16-3 win.
The Belfast Inst points came from two unconverted tries and two penalties. Joe Bingham kicked a consolation penalty, midway through the second half, for the Down High School team.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team is looking for a Medallion fixture on Saturday 5th December. If anyone can help the team out they should contact Dan Soper at the school.
Sullivan Upper emerged as victorious 15-6 winners from their clash with their near neighbours from Campbell College.
The Campbell College team had taken a 6-0 lead in the first half with two successful penalty kicks. The Sullivan Upper team scored an unconverted try through Peter Cooper which reduced the deficit to 6-5 lead at halftime
The second half saw the Sullivan Upper team step up a gear. The secured enough quality possession to score two tries with Fergus Jemphrey and Jules Storey getting the touchdowns. Neither try was converted but the Sullivan Upper team had secured their 15-6 win.
Ballyclare High School had to work very hard before they secured a 17-10 win against Dalriada.
In a closely contested first half Michael Stevenson opened the scoring for the Ballyclare HS team with an unconverted try to put them 5-0 ahead. Dalriada reduced the deficit to 5-3 when Angus Johnston converted a penalty opportunity. Matthew Robson then broke away from his half to outpace the Dalriada defence and score a try. The conversion was missed but Ballyclare now had a 10-3 lead. Close to the break Alan Montgomery touched down for a Dalriada try. Angus Johnston added the conversion to draw the score level at 10-10.
The game continued to be evenly contested in the second half with little to separate the teams. That was until towards the end of the game when the Ballyclare High School pack presented Jack Black with the opportunity to score a try. Matthew McDowell converted the try to see his Ballyclare High School through as 17-10 winners.
Cambridge House played a game against a Ballymena RFC Age Grade team which the Cambridge House team won by 47-0.
The Cambridge House team had good performances from Sam Nicholl, Travis Boyd, Harry Spiers, David Glass and Lewis Wray, all of whom scored tries in the course of the game.
Larne Grammar School hosted their East Antrim neighbours from Carrickfergus Grammar School.
The Carrickfergus GS team had built up a 19-7 lead by halftime before going on to win the game by 33-19. Star of the show for the Carrickfergus GS team was Christian Robinson who scored a hat trick of tries. Reece and Kris Berry touched down for one try each while Marc Ellison was successful with four out of five conversion kicks.
Wellington College defeated Portadown College by 24-17 but, unfortunately, no report was received on this game.
Next Saturday, 6th December, sees the start of a week when rugby playing schools in Ulster will get involved in raising money for the IRFU Charitable Trust. This Trust has always been extremely well supported by all the schools in Ulster in years gone by and the Schools’ Committee is hopeful this staunch support will be continued by all our rugby playing schools.
