Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 11th January 2025.
On Monday 6th January, Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Presentation Brother’s College, Cork with two teams at the end of their joint training camp in Portugal.
The Presentation Brother’s College, Cork team won the 1stxv game by 45-5and won the 2ndxv game by 27-26.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution 1stxv team points came through an unconverted try from Ethan Edgar.
The Presentation Brother’s College team scored their points through tries from Ronan Byrd, with a hattrick, Deckie Fitzgerald, James O’Leary, Eddie Dooley and Daniel Murphy. Daniel added the extras to five of the tries.
Both teams were delighted to have International Rugby Referee, Andrew Brace, on hand to referee the game.
The first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Final games took place on Tuesday 7th January when Regent House School played Coleraine Grammar School in a game the Regent House School Medallion team won by 37-17
On Wednesday 8th January, four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Trophy Round of Sixteen games should have taken place when Banbridge Academy 3rdxv was scheduled to have played Methodist College, Belfast 5thxv, Ballymena Academy 3rdxv was scheduled to have played Omagh Academy 3rdxv, Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv was scheduled to have hosted Wallace High School 3rdxv and Regent House School 3rdxv was scheduled to have hosted Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv.
However, four frozen pitches ensured these games were postponed and will hopefully be reorganised as soon as possible.
On the same afternoon, Campbell College, Belfast travelled to the UCD Belfield Bowl in Dublin where they played Clongowes Wood College.
The Clongowes Wood College team won the game by 22-10.
Conor Keogh scored two tries for the Clongowes Wood College team with Thomas Strickland running in for a third try.
Joshua Grant kicked two successful conversions as well as one penalty goal.
The Campbell College, Belfast team scored two unconverted tries from driven mauls with Ethan Kennedy touching down for both tries.
On Thursday 9th January, Rathfriland High School was due to have hosted Lurgan College in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Final game.
However, the prevailing weather conditions at the time ensured this game did not take place.
On Friday 10th January, Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock was scheduled to have hosted Carndonagh Community School in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Trophy Round of Sixteen game. However, a pitch availability problem arose and this game has been rescheduled to take place the following week.
At the same stage of the same competition, Royal School, Armagh 3rdxv should have played Sullivan Upper School 3rdxv but the game was postponed.
Later that afternoon, Antrim Grammar School was scheduled to have played Omagh Academy at the Meadowbank Stadium in Magherafelt.
However, that game plus another game involving Rainey Endowed School and Ballyclare High School at Rainey RFC, was not played due to frozen pitches.
On Saturday 11th January, Friends’ School, Lisburn should have played Larne Grammar School in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl Round of Sixteen qualifier game.
This game was postponed due to the weather conditions.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Trophy Round of Sixteen, Foyle and Londonderry College 3rdxv should have played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 3rdxv.
This game was another one of many to fall foul of the weather conditions
As well as Danske Bank Ulster Schools competition games due to have been played on Saturday 11th January, quite a few 1stxv friendly games were scheduled also to take place.
However, only two games survived the frozen pitches.
Portadown College played Foyle and Londonderry College in a game the Portadown College team won by 24-0.
Sammy Walsh, Sam Ward, with a brace and Harvey Creaney were the Portadown College try scorers.
Danny Guy was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
In the second game, Sullivan Upper School and Ballymena Academy played out a three-session training game which both sets of players and coaches found useful in terms of preparation for their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round of Sixteen games scheduled to take place on/before Saturday 25th January.
The 1stxv friendly games involving Belfast High School and Grosvenor Grammar School. Cambridge House Grammar School and Bangor Grammar School, Dromore High School and Belfast Royal Academy, Down High School and Banbridge Academy, Lurgan College and Limavady Grammar School, Methodist College, Belfast and Regent House School and Royal School, Dungannon and Enniskillen Royal Grammar School were all cancelled.
