Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 5th October 2013.
Limavady Grammar School played a game recently against Matthew Flinders School from New South Wales in Australia.
The game was played in perfect conditions at the Ballyquin Road venue. Matthew Flinders received the kick off and, after strong running from their forwards; they spread the ball wide, catching the Limavady defence napping at this very early stage in the game. This led to a try, which was unconverted, but the Australian visitors had a 5-0 lead. From the restart the Limavady defence seemed to have wakened up with good tackles halting the Matthew Flinders attack. Scott McLean converted a penalty to reduce the arrears to 5-3.The Limavady team, now with their heads up, quickly worked their way back into the opposition half before, once again, being awarded a penalty that Scott McLean converted to put his team into a 6-5 lead. In a game that was becoming more and more physical up front, the Limavady team looked to exploit the Matthew Flinders defence in the wide channels. Joel McBride scored a converted try in the corner from a set piece play. Shortly after this, Scott McLean ran in for a try which he converted to leave the Limavady Grammar School team with a healthy 20-5 lead at half time
The second half started as the first had ended with both teams adopting a very physical approach with strong running from both forwards and backs. Once again, from another set piece play, Joel Stirling found himself outpacing the outside backs of the Matthew Flinders team to put the ball down under the posts. Scott McLean converted the try to put Limavady GS into a 27-5 lead. The next Limavady try came from the forwards after their hard work in a rolling maul enabled Brendan Ferguson to touch the ball down on the line and, again, this try was converted by Scott McLean to put the Limavady team into a 34-5 lead. Matthew Flinders kept fighting until the end and received some reward for their endeavours with an unconverted try close to the end of the game. This left the final score at 34-10 in favour of the Limavady Grammar School team with Scott McLean being awarded “Man of the Match” following a superb performance from both hand and boot.
Next up for the Flinder’s School team was a midweek visit to Ballymena where the Australian team was hosted by the Ballymena Academy team.
This game was to prove even more difficult for the Australian visitors as the Ballymena Academy team ran out as convincing 54-12 winners.
Portadown College played Portora Royal School in a midweek game that ended with honours even in a 17-17 draw.
Royal School, Dungannon welcomed Jack Milligan back from Ulster U19 duties when they hosted the Royal School, Armagh team.
Despite playing a try scoring role and impressing with his performance, Jack was unable to prevent the Royal School, Armagh team winning the game by 35-5. The Armagh visitors took a 5-0 first half lead with an unconverted try from Kyle Faloon. This extended to 8-0 early in the second half when Kyle Faloon was successful with a penalty opportunity. The RS Dungannon team replied with a Jack Milligan try following good work from their impressive No 8, Marcus Nelson. The try was not converted but the arrears had been reduced to 8-5. However, the RS Armagh team now took control of the game and scored further tries from Kyle Faloon, Jonny Nelson, Philip Matthews, Mervyn Brown and James Irvine. Kyle added one conversion to leave the Royal School, Armagh team as deserved 35-5 winners.
Last weekend Methodist College, Belfast played in a triangular tournament with Belfast Royal Academy and the Cathedral School from Cairns in Australia.
The Methody team won their game against the Cathedral School by 36-0 and by 43-0 against the Belfast Royal Academy team. Players such as Michael Lagan, Connor Kelly, Connor McKee, Josh Bingham and Conall Boomer returning from representative Age Grade games marked their returns by getting amongst the points in the course of the tournament.
On Saturday 5th October the Methodist College team travelled to play Regent House, a team that has struggled, at times, to find consistency in the opening games of the season.
In the course of a controlled training game, in which both teams were without Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ representatives, the Methody team had good displays from players such as Rory Cairns, Daniel Coulter and Louis Trainer. The controlled game scenario proved to be a useful exercise for both squads of players as well as their coaches with the Methodist College team running in a number of tries in the course of the morning.
Rainey Endowed School collected their second trophy in a week when they defeated Portadown College by 46-20 in their annual Vinny Doyle Memorial Cup game.
The Rainey team had built up a 15-13 lead by halftime with tries from Anton Lupari and Eunan Shaw. Kieran Lynch added one conversion as well as a penalty. In response, the Portadown College team scored a converted try as well as two penalties.
The Rainey Endowed team scored second half tries through Mark Rooney, Kieran Lynch, Samuel Hawe, Andrew Nicholl and Conall Murphy. Kieran Lynch added three conversions. The Portadown team scored one converted second half try.
Grosvenor Grammar School recorded a 31-7 win against a very determined Cambridge House team.
The Ballymena boys started well and took a 7-0 lead before the Grosvenor team got into the game. James Cartilage then scored aun converted try for his Grosvenor team to reduce the arrears to 7-5. Just before the interval, the Grosvenor team took a 10-7 lead when Jonah McDowell scored an unconverted try in the corner.
Grosvenor started to build the pressure early in the second half and Zac Smith took advantage of good work from Mark Johnston to run in for a try under the posts. Andrew Toland converted the try to give his team a 17-7 lead. Straight from the kick off the Grosvenor team got good field position in the Cambridge House 22m area. Hooker, Alex Cullen sold an outrageous dummy and ran in from twenty metres to score a try. Andrew Toland converted the try to increase the Grosvenor GS lead to 24-7. Sam Purdon then secured the victory for the Grosvenor GS team with a try which Andrew Toland converted to leave the final score reading 31-7 in favour of the Grosvenor Grammar School team.
Omagh Academy recorded an impressive 36-5 victory against Carrickfergus Grammar School at the Campsie playing fields.
The Omagh team had taken a 12-0 lead by halftime with tries from Stuart Ballantine, from the kick-off, and James Catterson, Stuart Ballantine was successful with one conversion.
The second half saw the home team dominate with tries from Josh McKinley, Jack Mitchell and Lloyd Kane. Stuart Ballantine added three conversions as well as a penalty. In response, the Carrickfergus Grammar team scored a second half try by taking advantage of some slack Omagh Academy defence to leave the final score reading 36-5 in favour of the Omagh Academy team.
Banbridge Academy travelled to play Portora Royal School and came away with a hard earned 28-19 victory.
The Banbridge team had opened up a 21-0 lead at the interval with tries from Sam McCracken, David Houston and Nathan McKinley. Daniel McElderry was successful with all three conversions.
The home team mounted something of a comeback early in the second half when they scored three tries, two of which were converted. However, a fourth Banbridge try, scored and converted by Daniel McElderry, secured the 28-19 for the Banbridge Academy team.
Lurgan College hosted Wellington College in a high scoring game from which the Lurgan College team emerged as 39-36 winners.
CLICK HERE for I XV & Medallion action shots from both schools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
James Patterson scored a penalty in the second minute to give the Lurgan team a 3-0 lead. Wellington replied with an unconverted try four minutes later to give them a 5-3 lead. Five minutes later Nick McCann touched down for a Lurgan try which James Patterson converted to give his team a 10-5 lead. Back came Wellington College with a converted try to take a 12-10 lead. James Laird scored a Lurgan College try which was converted by James Patterson to see the home team into a 17-12 lead. Wellington College kicked a penalty just before the interval to leave the Lurgan College team 17-15 ahead at the break.
This was increased to 22-15, shortly after the restart, when Jamie Hunter touched down for an unconverted try. James Patterson added a penalty to take the score to 25-15. Jordan McIlwaine then added to his impressive scoring record with a try which James Patterson converted to put the Lurgan College team into a 32-15 lead. Curtis Doak then scored a try which was converted; again by James Patterson, to give the home team a 39-15 lead. The Wellington College team finished with a flourish by running in three converted tries but it was a case of “too little, too late” for the visitors as the Lurgan College team held on to finish as 39-36 winners.
Larne Grammar School recorded their first win of the season when they travelled to play Friends’ School and came away with a 24-13 win.
The Larne Grammar School team scored four tries, two of which were converted, in the course of the game. In reply the Friends’ School team scored tries through Kyle Andrews and Arthur Wilson with James McGuicken adding a penalty. Despite losing the game, players such as Zac Finlay, Russell Dickson and James McGuicken played well for the Friends’ School team.
Foyle and Londonderry College got back to winning ways when they defeated, Royal School, Dungannon by 14-10.
The Foyle team opened the scoring with a try from Robbie House, which Alex McDonnell converted, to give them a 7-0 lead. The RS Dungannon team replied with an unconverted from Archie Hanna to reduce the arrears to 7-5. The Foyle College team then increased their lead to 14-5 when Alex McDonnell took advantage of some slack RS Dungannon to run in for a try which he converted. The RS Dungannon team responded with an unconverted try from Stuart Moore to take the score to 14-10, in favour of the Foyle College team, at the interval.
Despite the best intentions of both teams to attack at every opportunity in the second half it was the defences that came out on top to leave the Foyle and Londonderry College team as 14-10 winners at the no side whistle.
Dalriada School hosted a Wallace High School team that had recorded an excellent in their last outing against Campbell College.
The confident Wallace High School players found themselves in a position of having to work hard before they were able to emerge from this game with a narrow 10-9 win. Timmy Emmerson gave Dalriada a 6-0 lead with two penalty kicks. Wallace reduced the arrears to 6-5 when they scored an unconverted try only to see Timmy put his Dalriada team into a 9-5 lead with another well struck penalty. However, it was not to be a famous win for the Dalriada team as the Wallace side rallied to score another unconverted try and win the game by 10-9.
Following their midweek win against the visiting Australian School team, a game in which Jonathan McKeown and Marcus Rea shone, the Ballymena Academy team hosted Coleraine Academical Institution.
The conditions at the Galgorm Road venue were perfect and so it was somewhat surprising that neither side seemed to be able to settle into any significant period of attacking pressure. Most of the game was contested in the middle third of the field and the few line breaks that were made often resulted in the attacking player becoming isolated. Ballymena’s points came from the trusty boot of Marcus Rea, who confidently slotted two penalty attempts. As the second half progressed, Coleraine looked more likely to score the first try of the morning. Following an extended period deep in the Ballymena 22, the Coleraine pack generated several phases of quick ball to force their way over in the corner with Marc O’Neill awarded the touch down. The touchline conversion attempt was unsuccessful and the final whistle sounded with the score 6-5 to Ballymena Academy.
Sullivan Upper travelled to Roughfort to face a Belfast Royal Academy, a side who welcomed back their representative players.
Sullivan had seven 1st xv players watching on the sidelines, some through injury and others being rested. Sullivan went into a 22-3 lead at the interval before emerging as 48-3 winners. Tries came thick and fast with players such as Fergus Jemphrey, Harry Harper, Chris Jordan and Mark Adair among the scorers. Mark Adair added a number of conversions as well as scoring a great individual try with a break out from his 22m area.
