Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 4th October 2014.
There were two midweek fixtures played on Wednesday 1st October prior to a full list of school friendly fixtures played on Saturday 4th October.
Omagh Academy hosted Portora Royal School at the Campsie Playing Fields on Wednesday afternoon.
The Omagh team was determined to record their third win out of their last four games and they achieved their objective with a 17-9 victory.
Despite being short a number of front line players the Omagh Academy won the game after a sluggish start. They found themselves 6-5 down at halftime. Adam Lendrum kicked two penalties for his Portora RS team to give them a 6-0 lead. The Omagh Academy team responded with their half back pairing of Fintan Lagan and Stuart Ballantine making good use of the wind to put their team deep into Portora RS territory. Following a smart lineout move, followed by a series of rucks, James Longwell crashed over the Portora RS line to touch down for his first senior try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Omagh Academy team had reduced the deficit to 6-5. Both teams went into attack mode for the remainder of the first half but there were no further scores.
The Omagh Academy team started the second half strongly and got reward for their hard work when their pack set a great platform from an attacking scrum. Andrew Monteith and Adam Stephenson combined well to send Adam into the corner where he touched down for a try. The conversion kick was missed but the Omagh Academy team now had a 10-6 lead. The Omagh team now played with a renewed confidence and Adam Stephenson side stepped his way over the Portora line to score a try under the posts. Stuart Ballantine added the extras to put his team into a 17-9 line. The Portora RS team responded positively but could only add a third Adam Lendrum penalty to see the final score reading 17-9 in favour of the Omagh Academy team. For the Omagh Academy team Jonny Anderson, Keane Davidson and young debutant player, Peter Smyth, all impressed with their performances throughout the game.
Meanwhile, the Omagh Academy 2ndxv played out a 29-0 victory against their Portora Royal School counterparts with tries from Christopher Hemphill, Mitchel Anderson, Oscar Nelson and a brace from Dale Booth. Kyle Beattie added two conversions.
The Royal School, Armagh team hosted their rivals from the Royal School, Dungannon and continued their recent good form with a 19-15 victory.
In a closely contested game the RS Dungannon team took a 5-0 lead when, following a period of continual pressure on the RS Armagh defence, Matthew Smyth ran in for an unconverted try having taken advantage of a shortage of defenders on the blindside of a ruck. Following an RS Dungannon mistake the RS Armagh hooker, Jack Sleator, ran in for an unconverted try to draw the score level at 5-5. The Dungannon team then started to control both territory and possession. They scored two tries through Aaron Perry and Adam Cranston having broken through the home defence in the wide channels. Neither try was converted but the RS Dungannon team had secured a 15-5 lead at half time.
The second half saw the home team dominate the game for large parts of the proceedings. The RS Armagh pack won a lineout and their pack drove the resultant maul towards the RS Dungannon line. Jonny Nelson was on hand to score the try which was converted by Jack Campbell to reduce the deficit to 15-12. Then a penalty, awarded to the RS Armagh team, was taken quickly and Jack Sleator ended up scoring his second try of the game. Jack Campbell was successful with his conversion kick which ensured it was the Royal School, Armagh team that celebrated their hard earned 19-15 victory at the end of the game.
Friends’ School played a Methodist College “Select” xv in as midweek fixture that finished in a 0-0 draw.
Banbridge Academy got back to winning ways when they hosted Portora Royal School on Saturday 4th October.
The County Down team controlled the game for long periods of time before emerging as 26-3 winners. The Banbridge academy team had built up a healthy 19-3 first half lead with tries from their centre, Rhys Mackey, winger, Stevie Reddick and prop forward, Tom Lyttle. Daniel McElderry was successful with two conversions. In response, the Portora RS team converted a penalty through the trusty boot of Adam Lendrum.
The Banbridge Academy team continued to control the game in the course of the second half. Midway through the second half a second try from Rhys Mackey, which was converted by Daniel McElderry, sealed the game for the home team with a comfortable 26-3 win.
It was a very inexperienced Rainey Endowed team that travelled to play Portadown College in the annual Vinny Doyle Memorial Trophy game, a game the home team won by 20-14.
The Portadown College team worked hard in the first half but had only a Niall Davidson penalty to show for their endeavours in the course of the first half. Was their 3-0 lead at the break going to be enough?
The Rainey Endowed team started the second half strongly and raced into a 14-3 lead with tries from their captain, Todd Smyth, and his namesake, Calvin Smyth. Lorcan Quinn was successful with both conversions. The Rainey team seemed comfortable with their 14-3 lead going into the last seven minutes of the game! However, the young Rainey team seemed unable to close the game out and allowed the Portadown College team to run in three late tries, one of which was converted, to secure a well-earned 20-14 victory at the end of the game. The tries were scored by Jacob McKeeman, Henry Clarke and Niall Davidson with Niall converting Jacob’s try.
Carrickfergus Grammar School hosted Omagh Academy in an exciting encounter which the Carrickfergus GS team won by 32-17.
The Carrickfergus GS team had opened up a 15-10 lead by half time with the pace and panache of Christian Robinson causing all sorts of problems for the Omagh Academy defence. The vision of the Carrickfergus GS outhalf, David Carse, provided the opportunities for Christian to score three first half tries, none of which was converted, to give his team a 15-0 lead coming up to the interval. However, the home team allowed the Omagh Academy team to mount something of a revival coming up to the break. Stuart Ballantine was successful with a penalty and then converted an Adam Stephenson try to reduce the deficit to 15-10 at the break.
David Carse kicked an early second half penalty to increase the Carrickfergus GS lead to 18-10. Good work from Kris Berry, Adam Urquhart and David Stuart set full back, Fionn McCormack, up for another Carrickfergus GS try. David Carse converted the try to put his team into a 25-10 lead. The Carrickfergus GS captain, Jake Porter, then got in on the scoring act when he ran in for a fifth Carrickfergus GS try. David Carse converted the try to give his team an unassailable 32-10 lead. The Omagh Academy team responded positively and scored a try through the hard working Fintan Lagan. Stuart Ballantine converted the try which left the final score reading 32-17 in favour of the Carrickfergus Grammar School team.
Cambridge House hosted Grosvenor Grammar School and, despite a spirited performance from the Cambridge House team, found there was little they could do to prevent the Grosvenor GS team finishing the game as 24-7 winners.
The Grosvenor GS team started the game well and displayed a determination to spread the ball wide at every opportunity. Winger, Thomas Quinn, scored an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead ten minutes into the game. From the restart, that lead was extended to 12-0 when Gareth Lammey went over for a try which was converted by Daniel Martin. Shortly after this, Jonah McDowell took advantage of a loose Cambridge House kick, to gather the ball and outpace a number of despairing defenders to touch down for a try. Daniel Martin converted the try to secure a 19-0 lead for his Grosvenor GS team. Just before the break, the Cambridge House team scored a converted try through Sam Nicholl, following a series of picks and drives from their forwards in which Henry Spiers played a leading role, to reduce the arrears to 19-7 at the halftime break.
Both teams were guilty of a lot of second half mistakes and there was little flow to the game. That was until Mark Johnston produced a moment of magic to neatly off-load the ball to Jonah McDowell who ran in for an unconverted try in the corner to secure a 24-7 win for his Grosvenor Grammar School team. However, with ten Year 12 players on their team, the Cambridge House team can take a lot from the game, especially the performances of players such as Reuben Russell and Travis Boyd.
Ballyclare High School seemed a little “rusty” when they took on the might of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team.
The Ballyclare HS team was guilty of missing a lot of midfield tackles and giving away an intercept try which ensured the Belfast Inst team emerged from the game as 34-0 winners.
Meanwhile, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 2ndxv celebrated the return of Calum McLaughlin to the senior playing ranks when they recorded a huge win against their Ballyclare High School counterparts.
Campbell College hosted Blackrock College in a game the Dublin visitors won by 19-7. The Campbell College team put on a very spirited performance in the first half and had built up a well-deserved 7-5 lead by the break.
Despite good performances from players such as Daniel Kealey and Jack Howard, the Campbell College team did not get enough in terms of field position in the second half. The Blackrock College team scored two second half converted tries to secure their 19-7 victory.
The Lurgan College team was short of four of their regular starting xv when they played, and defeated, Wellington College by 20-5.
There was little to separate the teams in the first half with the Wellington College pack ruling the set pieces and Lurgan College backline looking dangerous with any ball they got. The Lurgan College second row forward, Ryan Emerson, scored the first try of the game when he finished off a flowing Lurgan College move involving both their forwards and backs. Scott Wilson converted the try to put his team into a 7-0 lead. Back came the Wellington College team and they scored an unconverted try to reduce the arrears to 7-5 at the break.
The second half saw the Lurgan College team having to thwart the Wellington College attacks for long periods of time. However, in the final quarter of the game the Lurgan College pack managed to gain some parity with their Wellington College counterparts, mainly through the efforts of Thomas Neill and Matthew Laird. Scott Wilson converted a penalty opportunity to increase the Lurgan College lead to 15-5. With Jonny Hunter now controlling the game, the Lurgan College team found themselves in great attacking positions. Scott Wilson took advantage of some poor Wellington College defending and ran in for two unconverted tries to ensure the well-deserved 20-5 victory for his Lurgan College team.
Methodist College sent their “Select” xv to Newtownards to play Regent House in a game the Methody team recorded a 27-18 victory.
The Methody team had opened up a 17-10 lead at the end of the first half having scored two tries through Year 12 players, Kane Doherty and Connor Rainey. Paul Kerr converted both tries as well as a penalty opportunity. In response, the Regent House team scored two unconverted tries through Jonny Harris and Matthew Stannex.
The second half saw the Regent House team control the game for long periods of time. They took an 18-17 lead, with just minutes to go, following a penalty from Taylor Nutt and an unconverted try from Alistair Deering. However, the Methody team displayed tremendous determination when Paul Kerr capped a fine individual performance by converting a penalty opportunity and then going on to score a converted try thus ensuring his team ran out as 27-18 winners.
Coleraine Academical Institution played a Ballymena Academy team, still missing a number of key players, at the Castlerock Road venue.
However, this situation gave the opportunity for some of their extended squad players to impress in a game the Coleraine AI team eventually won by 10-8. In an evenly contested first half both teams had the opportunity to score points but both defences came out on top. Calum Smyth converted a penalty opportunity, early in the game, to put his Coleraine AI team into a 3-0 lead. This was reciprocated by the Ballymena Academy team when, midway through the first half,Josh McIlroy converted a penalty kick to draw the score level at 3-3, a scoreline that remained until the break.
In the forty-fifth minute of the game, the debutant Ballymena Academy winger, Ryan Malcolm, took advantage of good work from Craig Hanna and Tom Alexander, to show strength and determination before touching down for a try in the corner. Josh McIlroy missed narrowly with his touchline conversion kick but the Ballymena Academy team had an 8-3 lead. The Coleraine AI team responded positively and took the game to Ballymena. They forced the Ballymena Academy team into giving away a number of needless penalties. From one of these penalties, the Coleraine AI captain, Peter Bonnar eventually barged his way over the Ballymena line to touch down for a try to draw the score level at 8-8. Up stepped Calum Smyth who held his nerve to convert the try and give his team a narrow 10-8 victory at the no-side whistle.
Royal School, Armagh travelled to Down High School on the back of some recent good performances.
However, they ran up against a confident Down High School team which went on to win the error strewn game by 16-11. Joseph Bingham gave his Down HS team a 3-0 lead when he successfully converted a penalty opportunity. Jack Campbell drew the score level at 3-3 when he converted a penalty kick for his RS Armagh team. The home team then took a 10-3 lead when Zac Ward made the most of an overlap to touch down for a try. Joseph Bingham was successful with his conversion. Chris Jennings reduced the arrears to 10-8 when he took advantage of some poor Down High School defence to score an unconverted try just before the halftime break.
The start of the second half saw the Down HS team take control of the game and they increased their lead to 16-8 when Joseph Bungham was successful with two penalty opportunities. Down High School had chances to score more points but the opportunities were denied by knock-ons and poor decision making. The RS Armagh team then converted a penalty kick through Jack Campbell to reduce the deficit to 16-11. The final few minutes proved to be tense from a Down High School perspective as the RS Armagh team went all out to win the game. However, the Down High School held on to their 16-11 lead to win the game.
Sullivan Upper, with Fergus Jemphrey playing a leading role, recorded a 54-0 victory against Belfast Royal Academy.
The Sullivan Upper team had been hit badly with injuries and had six players making their 1stxv debuts. The Sullivan Upper team dominated the game with Fergus Jemphrey running in five tries and Ryan Spence, Jules Storey and Zach Bertinshaw touching down for one try each. Callum Jeffrey was successful with six conversions while Ryan Spence kicked one conversion attempt.
The Belfast High School team has started the season in a very positive manner and travelled to Bangor Grammar School hoping to record another win.
In a tight, tense game, it was the Belfast High School team that emerged as 12-7 winners. The Belfast High School team took a 3-0 lead, just five minutes into the game, when Joel McBride converted a penalty opportunity. The Bangor GS team responded positively and spent long periods of time camped in the High School 22m area. However, they could not find a way through the Belfast High School defence. Indeed, it was the High School team that secured the next points when Joel McBride successfully converted a penalty kick to give his team a 6-0 lead at the break.
The Bangor GS team started the second half strongly and scored a fine try when their scrum half, Shaun Fair, outwitted the High School defence to touch down for the five points. Jamie Fulton added the extras to put his team into a 7-6 lead. Banghor Grammar School now took control of the game and thought they had increased their lead only for a potential try to be disallowed. The Belfast High School team then went on the attack and Ethan Rock took advantage of some slack Bangor GS defence to score a try close to the posts. Joel McBride converted the try to put the High School team into a 13-7 lead. Back came the Bangor Grammar School attack but the Belfast High School defence held firm to ensure it was the High School team that recorded a hard-earned but well-deserved 13-7 win.
Limavady Grammar School travelled to play a Wallace High School team that has started the season in a most positive manner.
This recent good form continued for the Wallace High School who won the game by 53-0. Having opened up a 22-0 lead by halftime, the Wallace High School controlled all aspects of the game in the second half and went on to score thirty one more points. In total, the Lisburn team scored nine tries with Adam Heaps and Andre Irvine scoring two tries each. Paddy Ferguson, Ben Pentland, Ikenna Nzewi, Gary Chan and Jonny Stewart each scored one try. Philip Hyland was successful with four conversion kicks.
Antrim Grammar School hosted Dalriada in a game from which the Antrim Grammar School team emerged as 20-0 winners.
