Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 8th October 2016
There was one game played on Friday 7th October in the lead up to a full list of friendly fixtures played on Saturday 8th October.
Two games played on Saturday 1st October saw Sullivan Upper School defeat Belfast Royal Academy by 27-5 and Cambridge House defeat a Grosvenor Grammar School team by 19-7.
Rory Kirkpatrick scored two tries for the Sullivan Upper team as well as converting two tries and one penalty. Rory Jemphrey and Stephen Moore each scored one try for the Sullivan Upper team. James McMahon Beattie scored a consolation try for the Belfast Royal Academy team.
In the Cambridge House v Grosvenor Grammar School game the Grosvenor “A” xv led by 7-0 at the break before the Cambridge House team went on to dominate the second half and score nineteen points. The Grosvenor try came from Josh Malcolm when he picked the ball from the base of a scrum before scorching away to score the try. Jack Kennedy added the conversion.
At the start of the second half Cambridge House scored from a scrum when James Bovill made a break and put Aaron Stirling in under the posts to score a try. James added the extras to bring the scores level at 7-7. Grosvenor continued to attack but good pressure from the Cambridge midfield resulted in a loose pass being kicked through by Aaron Stirling who won the footrace and dived over the line to score his second try of the game. The conversion was unsuccessful but the Cambridge House team has a 12-7 lead. The third Cambridge House try came from a strong scrum which gave a good platform from which to attack. Tom Wharry, the Cambridge House scrum half, broke through a gap and put James Bovill away for a try under the posts. James converted his try to increase the Cambridge House lead to 19-7. Despite some powerful direct play from Grosvenor in the closing minutes the Cambridge House defence remained strong which secured their 19-7 victory.
Omagh Academy played a “SelectXV” against a spirited Strabane Academy team in a midweek fixture. The Omagh Academy team won the game by 12-0 with Ben Johnston and Finn Small scoring tries, one of which was converted by Adam Giles.
Rainey Endowed School hosted Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in a fixture played on Friday 7th October. The closely contested game ended with the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team winning the game by 7-3. All the points came in the first half with Adam Hunter striking a penalty to give the Rainey ES team a 3-0 lead. Enniskillen RGS responded with a William Dowson try, which was converted by Reece Smyton, to secure their 7-3 victory.
There were a number of friendly fixtures played on Saturday 8th October.
Regent House hosted a Campbell College, Belfast team that got back to winning ways when they recorded a 36-0 victory against the Regent House team. The Campbell College team had built up a 17-0 lead by the interval with tries from Rex Tinsley and Ben Webb, both of which were converted by Will Davis. Will was also successful with a penalty kick.
Campbell College scored three tries in the second half with James Nelson, Dan Kerly and Ben Webb all crossing the whitewash. Will Davis was accurate with two more conversions to secure the 36-0 victory for the Campbell College team.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Coleraine Grammar School in a game the Belfast Inst team won by 27-10. Simon Jackson scored two tries for the Belfast Inst with Ethan Field, James Hume and Joe Finnegan, a player it seems cannot stop scoring tries, each scoring one. David Little added one conversion.
The Coleraine Grammar School points came from two Andrew White tries. While the Coleraine GS team was defending for long periods of time during the game there were standout performances from backrow players, Hugo Mawhinney and Peter Wisener, with Andrew White and Thomas Lavery impressing in the Coleraine GS backline.
Belfast Royal Academy hosted Wallace High School in a closely contested game the Wallace High School team won by 19-17. Jonny Hunter, Gary Dillon and Josh Cardosi each scored a try for the Wallace High School team with Matthew Pentland kicking two conversions.
Tom Gilpin and Conor McAuley each scored a try for the Belfast Royal Academy team with Conor adding two conversions as well as a penalty.
Friends’ School, Lisburn and Grosvenor Grammar School played out a closely contested game from which the Friends’ School team emerged as 20-18 winners with a successful last minute penalty kick. Friends’ started well with structured play and pace from their backs creating holes in the Grosvenor defence. This led to an early penalty in the Grosvenor 22m area which Adam Scholfield took advantage of when he took a quick tap and scored a try in the corner. Ben McCaughey converted the try to give his team a 7-0 lead. Grosvenor used their dominance in the maul to score an unconverted try shortly after this with Reuben Harris getting the touchdown to reduce the deficit to 7-5. Clever phase play, alongside some smart kicking, from the Friends’ School team resulted in Ben McCaughey making use of scrappy ball from a ruck to score a try. Ben added the conversion to increase the Friends’ School lead to 14-5. Just before the break Daniel Martin converted a Grosvenor GS penalty to leave the Friends’ School team with a 14-8 lead at the break.
The second half saw a change of momentum with Jos McConkey gliding through a static Friends’ defence to run in unopposed for a try. Daniel Martin added the extras to leave his Grosvenor GS team with a one point lead. Ben McCaughey converted a penalty for the Friends’ School team to put them into a 17-15 lead. Daniel Martin then converted a Grosvenor GS penalty for them to take an 18-17 lead with little time remaining. The last minute of the game saw Friends’ School apply pressure in the outside channels but unable to get across the line. However, they did eventually force the Grosvenor team into conceding a penalty on the touchline. Up stepped Ben McCaughey to coolly slot his kick over the crossbar and between the uprights to secure a close fought 20-18 victory for the Friends’ School, Lisburn team.
Cambridge House hosted Antrim Grammar School in a game the Antrim GS team won by 17-0. The Antrim team had taken a 7-0 lead in the first half when their 2nd Row and captain, Dean McCrory, touched down for a try which was converted by Callum Hull.
The second half saw the Antrim Grammar School team dominate proceedings with Callum Hull kicking a penalty and then converting a Dylan McGreevy try. Standout players for the Antrim Grammar School team in this game included prop forward, Jack Francis and open side flanker, Dylan Woods.
A depleted Dromore High School team, missing some eight regulars, played the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv in a game the Belfast Inst team won by 25-7. Peter O’Connor scored a try for the Dromore High School team which was converted by Reuben Cobb.
Down High School hosted Portadown College in an entertaining game the Down High School team won by 36-7. Portadown College took an early 7-0 lead when their 2nd Row forward, Andrew Taylor, touched down for a try under the Down High School posts. Matthew Neill added the conversion. The Portadown College team was in attack mode for long periods of the first half but came up just short on a number of occasions. Just before the break good work from Ulster U19 forward, Zac Ward, presented Marcus Graham with a try scoring opportunity. Marcus showed great strength and evasion skills to touch down for the try, which he converted, to leave the scoreboard reading 7-7 at the interval.
The early phases of the second half were fairly evenly contested but once Down High School took a 12-7 lead through an unconverted try from William Annett there was no stopping them. Ronan Patterson scored four tries in the final quarter of the game, with Harry Hitchens adding two conversions, to secure the 36-7 victory for the Down High School team.
Lurgan College defeated Banbridge Academy by 34-0 with the Lurgan College team scoring five tries in the process. Lewis Lawson scored an unconverted try to give the Lurgan team a 5-0 lead. Banbridge Academy came close to scoring on a number of occasions with only great scramble defence from the Lurgan College defence keeping them out. Scott Wilson settled the Lurgan nerves when he kicked a penalty to increase their lead to 8-0. Victor MacKenzie then added to his growing reputation when he ran in for an unconverted try to leave the Lurgan College team with a 13-0 lead at the interval.
Lewis Lawson scored a try from a driven maul close to the Banbridge Academy line in the opening stages of the second half. Scott Wilson added the conversion to increase the Lurgan College lead to 20-0. Lewis then completed his hat trick with a try, which Scott Wilson converted, to see his team into a 27-0 lead. Reuben McCreery then made a great midfield break and finished with a try. Scott Wilson added the conversion which ensured the Lurgan College team finished as 34-0 winners at the end of the game.
Belfast High School hosted Ballyclare High School in a game the Ballyclare High School team won by 21-12. Belfast High School took a 5-0 lead when Scott McDowell ran in for an unconverted try. Ballyclare High School responded with a Jack Black try, which Adam Clarke converted, to see the visitors into a 7-5 lead at the break.
Jonny Crockett then scored a try, which Adam Clarke converted, to increase the Ballyclare High School lead to 14-5. This became 21-5 when Adam Clarke converted an Aaron Playfair try. Belfast High School finished on a high when Scott McDowell scored his second try of the game, which Simon White converted, to leave the final score reading 21-12 in favour of the Ballyclare High School team.
Omagh Academy hosted the Royal School, Dungannon team in a game the Omagh Academy team won by 17-10. The Omagh Academy team took an early 3-0 lead when Kyle Beattie was successful with a penalty kick. The RS Dungannon team recovered from this early set back and scored a try through James Gamble, which Luke McMullan converted, to take a 7-3 lead. Omagh then recovered when their impressive captain and No 8, James Longwell, picked from the base of a scrum and powered his over for a try. Kris Beattie added the extras to see his team into a 10-7 lead at the break.
The second half was closely contested with Luke McMullan converting a RS Dungannon penalty to level the scores at 10-10. Omagh Academy then took a 17-10 lead when Neil Logan took full advantage of an Omagh “catch and drive” at a lineout to touch down for a try to which Kris Beattie added the conversion. The RS Dungannon team might have got something out of the game when they pressurised the Omagh Academy line with the last play of the game. However, the Omagh defence held firm which ensured the Omagh Academy team finished as 17-10 winners at the end of this entertaining game.
Dalriada School hosted a rampant and dominant Sullivan Upper team in a game the Sullivan Upper team won by 62-12. For Sullivan Upper Rory Kirkpatrick scored two tries and kicked six conversions, Ruairi Meharg scored two tries, Stephen Moore scored two tries, with Rory Jemphrey, Cameron Gillanders, Michael Houston and Dan Braniff all touching down for one try each.
The Dalriada points came through second half tries from Andrew Hutchinson and Ewan Rodgers with Thomas Hunter adding one conversion.
Bangor Grammar School had to work hard for their 21-14 win over a gallant Limavady Grammar School team. Limavady GS took a 7-0 lead when Guratap Sandhu ran in for a try which was converted by Jim McCartney. Bangor GS responded with a Matthew Agnew try, which was converted by Daniel Young, to level the sores at 7-7. From the re-start a series of Limavady mistakes put the Bangor GS team onto the front foot. The home team took a 14-7 lead when Lewis Brett touched down for a try which Daniel Young converted. Limavady GS might have reduced the deficit just before the break only to see a penalty kick rebound off the upright.
Fifteen minutes into the second half Bangor GS seized the initiative and extended their lead to 21-7 when Daniel Young converted an Aaron Sexton try. The Limavady team rallied through good work from players such as James Howe and David Brown. Positive game management from James Howe put the Limavady GS team into the Bangor GS “Red Zone”. Sean Butcher made a great break through the Bangor GS midfield and a clever off-load but Ben Riley in for a try. Jim McCartney converted the try to reduce the arrears to 21-14. The final few minutes of the game saw the Limavady Grammar School team go all out at the Bangor Grammar School defence. However, they could find no way through and the Bangor Grammar School finished the game as 21-14 winners.
The Royal School, Armagh scheduled game against Blackrock College was cancelled.
The Match of the Day was played on the pristine Pirrie Park Paddock Pitch where Methodist College, Belfast hosted Ballymena Academy in the annual Allen Young Memorial Trophy game. The game finished with the Ballymena Academy team as 13-5 victors but the Methodist College team made them work hard for their win. The Methody team was in control during the opening phases of the game but could find no way through a resilient Ballymena Academy defence in which Angus Kernohan, Bruce Houston and their midfield colleagues were prevalent. Midway through the first half the Ballymena Academy team took advantage of a Methody player being sent to the “Sin Bin” The resultant penalty was converted by Bruce Houston to put his team into a 3-0 lead. Ballymnena Academy then scored a superb try just before the break when an Angus Kernohan led attack finished with an inside pass to Bruce Houston led to Bruce touching down for an unconverted try which gave the Ballymena Academy team an 8-0 lead at the interval.
The second half saw the Methody team take the game to Ballymena with players such as Matty Loane, Cameron Kelly and the impressive Ben Crangle all getting through a lot of work. A clever midfield break led the way for the Methodist College pack to lay siege on the Ballymena Academy line. A number of powerful forward surges were finished off when Conor “WGB” Kelly touched down for a try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Methody team had reduced their deficit to 8-5. The Ballymena Academy team took the game deep into the Methody 22m area and it was that man, Angus Kernohan, who secured the 13-5 victory for the Ballymena Academy team when he took the ball, following a strong Ballymena Academy scrum, straightened his attack line and ran in for an unconverted try.
Post-match both teams were congratulated on their performances during an entertaining game and the Allen Young Memorial Trophy was presented to the victorious Ballymena Academy team by Bryan Young, former Ballymena Academy, Ulster and Ireland prop.
