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Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 30th September 2017
Four games were scheduled to have been played during the week in the lead up to a full list of fixtures on Saturday 30th September. However, the games involving Sullivan Upper School and Belfast Metropolitan College as well as Royal School, Dungannon against Royal School, Armagh both fell victim to the weather conditions and the non-availability of players.
On Friday 29th Friends’ School, Lisburn hosted Larne Grammar School in a game the Friends’ School team won by 46-21. The game was played over 3×25 minute sessions so that members of the extended 1stxv squads from both schools could get a run out. The Friends’ School team scored eight tries through Matthew Chapman, Bradley Mulholland, Henry Tolerton, Ben Rowlett-McCormick, Ben McCaughey, Jack Harte, Ross Stewart and Stuart Patterson. Reece Malone added three conversions.
The Larne Grammar School points came through two penalties from Euan Blenn and Jonny Farquhar and three unconverted tries from Jamie Ross, Ben Hamilton and Jamie Slaughter.
On the same afternoon Ballymena Academy and Coleraine Grammar School played out another “try fest” with the Ballymena Academy team winning the game by 65-6 in a try scoring extravaganza. The home team had built up a 31-3 lead by the interval with Mark Thompson scoring two tries and Jonny Foster and Jonny Browne touching down for one try each. Bruce Houston goaled all four tries as well as adding one penalty. The Coleraine Grammar School points came from a Pierce Crowe penalty.
The second half saw the rampant Ballymena Academy team run in a further six tries with Alex McKinney touching down twice and Stewart Moore, Jordan Foster, James McClean and Harry Gaston each scoring one. Bruce Houston added two conversions. Pierce Crowe was successful with a second penalty for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
With the Ireland Schools’ Age Grade Inter Provincial series having finished a number of the victorious Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ players will have been available for selection with their school teams for the first time this season on Saturday 30th September.
Belfast High School hosted Bangor Grammar School in a game the Bangor team won by 54-7. Daniel Young, Tom Webb and Colin Lusty each scored two tries for the Bangor GS team with Lee Hatty and Rhys Larmour touching down for one try each. Rhys added two conversions to bring his personal tally for the game to nineteen points.
For the Belfast High School team, captain, Ryan Gibson, scored a try with Brandon McMinn adding the conversion.
Ballyclare High School played the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team in a game the Belfast Inst team won by 38-10. The visitors had built up a 17-0 lead by the break with tries from Jamie Mullan, who scored twice, and Conor McCormick. Robin McIlveen added one conversion.
In the second half the Royal Belfast Academical Institution points came through three tries from Ewan Magee, Niall Armstrong and Max Preston-a player who put in a “Man of the Match” performance. Robin McIlveen goaled all three second half tries. James Nelson scored a second half try for the Ballyclare High School team with Adam Clarke weighing in with a conversion as well as a penalty.
Cambridge House recorded an impressive 24-17 victory against a very spirited Grosvenor Grammar School team when the teams met at the Galgorm Road venue. Jack Wilson scored two tries for the Cambridge House team with James Bovill and Tom Wharry each scoring one. Rory McCandless was successful with two conversion kicks.
The Grosvenor Grammar School points came through tries from Matthew Logan, Jos McConkey and Paddy McGonigle. Jos was successful with one conversion.
Belfast Royal Academy hosted Sullivan Upper School in an exciting game that was played in superb underfoot and overhead conditions. The Sullivan Upper team got off to a flying start and went 15-0 up in the first quarter of the game before going on to win the game by 27-7. Rory Kirkpatrick and Shay Storey scored tries in the opening quarter with Connor McKee adding one conversion as well as a penalty. Another try from Paddy Casement took the score to 20-0 in favour of the Sullivan Upper team at half time.
The Sullivan Upper team extended their lead to 27-0 when Stuart Wicks scored a try, which Connor McKee converted, early in the second half. The Belfast Royal Academy team then staged something of a mini revival during the rest of the second half with players such as Tom Stewart, Brandon Hasson and Daniel Logan leading the way. A series of clever off-loads paved the way for a Tom Stewart try which gave the BRA team some reward for their endeavours. Daniel Logan added the extras to leave the final score reading 27-7 in favour of the Sullivan Upper team.
Down High School hosted the Royal School, Armagh team in a closely contested game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 14-12. The Down High School team had built up a 12-0 lead by the interval through tries from Stuart Campbell and Lewis Finlay. Greg Hutley added one conversion.
The second half saw the Royal School, Armagh team score tries through Matthew Reaney and Jack Treanor, both of which were converted by Zac Thompson.
Wellington College hosted the Strabane Academy team in a game the impressive Strabane team won by 47-5. Jack Kee, Jack Sayers, Ralph Mealiff, David Shaw and Steven Shields each scored one try with Michael Doherty scoring two for the Tyrone team. Ralph Mealiff capped a fine personal performance for the Strabane Academy team with six out of seven successful conversions.
James Milligan scored something of a consolation try for the Wellington College team.
Dalriada School used something of an extended squad of players when they hosted the Belfast Metropolitan College team. The Dalriada School team won the encounter by 45-5. The Dalriada team ran in seven tries in the course of the game. Luke Pollock, Jack Murdoch, Griffin Phillipson, James McCormick, Curtis Pollock, Ross Fallows and Jacob Fleck scored the tries, five of which were converted by James McCormick.
The remainder of the Dalriada Senior squad of players played against the Antrim Grammar School 1stxv in a game the Antrim Grammar School team won by 26-7. Matthew Wright, Callum McComb, Dylan Woods and Chinmay Dakhne scored tries for the Antrim GS team with Ben McDonagh adding three conversions.
The Dalriada points in this game from a converted Luke Pollock try.
Omagh Academy hosted Methodist College, Belfast at the Campsie Playing Fields in a game the Methodist College team won by 32-5. The Methody team had built up a 12-5 lead by the interval with two tries from Chris Larmour, one of which was converted by Louis Lowry. In response the Omagh Academy team scored their unconverted try through good work from Scott Ballentine who put Taine Lagan in for the score.
While the contest between the respective packs of forwards was fairly evenly contested the second half saw the Methodist College backline cause problems for the Omagh Academy team with their ability to attack from all areas of the pitch. Chris Larmour scored two more tries and Connor Scollan also ran in for two tries which secured the 32-5 win for the Methodist College, Belfast team.
The Lurgan College team played the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 2ndxv team in a closely contested game the Lurgan College team won by 12-10. It was a very competitive game with the Lurgan College team taking a 5-0 lead into the break through an unconverted try from Peter Jackson.
The Belfast Inst team then scored two unconverted tries early in the second half to take a 10-5 lead. The Lurgan College team rallied and secured their 12-10 win in injury time. Peter Jackson made a telling break but was held up just short of the line. A clever off-load to the support player, Rory Burns, put Rory in for a try. Josh Best converted the try to see his team celebrate their hard earned win at the end of the game.
The Carrickfergus Grammar School team played the Lurgan College 2ndxv in a game the Carrickfergus team won by 41-5. Daniel Curley scored two tries for the Carrickfergus GS team with Jack Doherty, Jack Leathem, Iain Dick, Daniel Alderdice and Jackson Smyth each scoring one try. Daniel Curley was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
The Rainey Endowed School team hosted Portadown College in their annual Vinny Doyle Memorial Cup game in Magherafelt. The Rainey Endowed team won this exciting game by 31-22. The Rainey Endowed school team points came through tries from Adam McCrum, Bryan Hall, Peter McErlean, Jonathan Drennan and Jonah Hastings. Harry Evans converted three of the tries.
The Portadown College points came through tries from Brett Fleck, Adam Speers and Scott McDowell. Adam added one conversion as well as a penalty.
Campbell College, Belfast took on the might of the Blackrock College 1stxv in a game the Blackrock College team won by 38-12. The Campbell College points came through tries from Conor Rankin and Jack Megarry, one of which was converted by Oscar Yandall.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School defeated Banbridge Academy by 48-0 when the teams met at the Loughshore Road venue in Enniskillen. Alex Holder scored a hat trick of tries with Jack Rutledge scoring two and Reece Smyton, Ewan Haire and Robbie Mills running in for one try each. Ewan Haire was successful with four conversion kicks.
The Banbridge Academy team was unfortunate not to have scored on a number of occasions with players such as Tom Flanagan, Stuart Totten, Adam Hana and Timmy Beattie all coming close.
Limavady Grammar School played Wallace High School in a game the Wallace High School team won by 39-0. Ben Carson scored a hat trick of tries with Jack Dillon, Jack Ferguson, Jason McNeight and James Peters each touching down for one. Jack Dillon added two conversions.
Foyle and Londonderry College and Royal School, Dungannon postponed their game which has been re-scheduled to take place on Wednesday 4th October.
