Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 11th November 2023.
With the half term break having finished quite a few fixtures were played, on Monday 6th, Wednesday 8th, Friday 10th and Saturday 11th November.
On Monday 6th November a Foyle and Londonderry College “Senior Select” xv played Strabane Academy in an exciting game the Strabane Academy won by 26-15.
The Foyle College team scored three unconverted tries through Kaine McClelland, Shay Grimmes and James McMorris.
The Strabane Academy team try scorers were Cahair McGrath, Tom Logue, with two, and Felix Foley. Hayden Snodgrass was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
On Wednesday 8th November Bangor Grammar School played Ballyclare High School and won the game by 21-7.
Ballyclare High School had taken an early 7-0 lead when Ethan Norwood ran in for a try, which was converted by Harry Thompson.
Bangor Grammar School responded with a try from Taylor Lockhart, which was converted by Adam Bickerstaff, to leave the scores level reading 7-7 at the interval.
Bangor Grammar School went on to control a good percentage of both territory and possession for the remainder of the game. They got rewarded for their endeavours with a second try from Taylor Lockhart, one try from Cal Banyard, and more two conversions from Adam Bickerstaff, which secured their deserved 21-7 victory.
Royal School, Armagh hosted Wallace High School at the College Hill venue in a game that saw the Wallace High School team continue with their recent run of good form with a 33-7 victory.
The Royal School, Armagh team scored their points with a try from the impressive Jamie Rafferty, which was converted by Tom Nicholson.
The Wallace High School team scored five tries in the course of the game. Harry Lightbody, Noah Lucas, Alexander Stevenson, Michael McCavery and Ben Moore scored the tries to which Lewis Stevenson added four successful conversions.
On the same afternoon the five Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 1 games took place.
Banbridge Academy played Larne Grammar School and recorded a 27-5 victory.
Dalriada School played Limavady Grammar School in a high scoring, close encounter the Limavady Grammar School team won by 20-19.
Foyle and Londonderry College played Antrim Grammar School and won the game by 40-0.
Grosvenor Grammar School played Belfast High School in a game the Belfast High School team won by 35-7.
Omagh Academy hosted Portadown College in a game from which the Portadown College team emerged as 17-8 winners.
All the schools involved in these Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 1 games were delighted to have had the games refereed by members of the USRFR.
Once all the results from the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup were collated, the draw for the second round took place at Banbridge Academy.
The results of the draw are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 draw.
Down High School v Banbridge Academy
Rainey Endowed School v Limavady Grammar School
Regent House School v Belfast High School
Portadown College v Bangor Grammar School
Dromore High School v Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
Royal School, Dungannon v Foyle and Londonderry College
Ballyclare High School v Coleraine Grammar School
Friends’ School, Lisburn v Bangor Academy 1stxv
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 2nd December.
On Friday 10th November Belfast High School hosted Banbridge Academy in a game the Banbridge Academy won by 45-7.
Robbie McMinn scored the Belfast High School try which was converted by Archie Cruickshanks.
The Banbridge Academy try scorers were Dan Hutchinson, Noah Bell, who touched down for two, Elijah Dempsey, who also scored two, Ryan Hanna and Fergus Always.
Andrew Jackson added the extras to three tries with Dan Hutchinson adding two successful conversion kicks.
Grosvenor Grammar School played Coleraine Grammar School in a game the Coleraine Grammar School team won by 48-7.
The Grosvenor Grammar School points came through a try from Stefan Buick which was converted by Ross Millar,
The Coleraine Grammar School points came through a hattrick of tries from James McMillan and one try apiece from Joe Colley, Miles Johnston, Zack McCartney and Matthew Lennox.
“Man of the Match” James McMillan was also successful with six conversions with Clark Logan converting one try.
On Saturday 11th November quite a number of 1stxv games took place.
At 1stxv level Antrim Grammar School played Carrickfergus Grammar School and Cambridge House Grammar School in a three-way blitz format which allowed all three schools to use extended squads in preparation for two forthcoming Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games, as well as one friendly fixture, on Saturday 18th November.
For Antrim Grammar School players such as Jack McNeill, Alexander Lynn, Owen Creighton, Jake Quigley, Eoin Byrne and Adamas Blazasukas stood out with their performances.
The Cambridge House Grammar School team had good performances from players such as Josh Dobbin, Justin Mark, Henry Kyle, Scott Steele and Paddy Roberts.
For the Carrickfergus Grammar School team players such as Ellis Branagh, Adam Magill, Dawson Taylor, Colin Campbell and Joshua Olawatula impressed with their performances.
Ballymena Academy travelled to play Belvedere College in Dublin and came away with an excellent 14-8 victory.
Owen McDermott scored an unconverted try for the Belvedere College team and Finn Byrne converted one penalty kick opportunity.
Stevie Bristow was the “Hero of the Day” with a brace of tries for the Ballymena Academy team with Robbie Coleman adding both conversions.
Belfast Royal Academy played Campbell College, Belfast and won this hard-fought encounter by 14-0.
The Belfast Royal Academy team took an early 7-0 lead when Josh Manson scorched in for a try which was converted by Connor McVicker.
The BRA team continued to control both territory and possession for long periods of the game. The Belfast Royal Academy team secured their deserved 14-0 victory when Ryan Calwell ran if for a try which was converted by Conor McVicker.
Dalriada School played Friends’ School, Lisburn in a game that saw the Friends’ School, Lisburn team emerge as 19-12 winners.
The Dalriada School points came through tries from Ben Kirk and Stevie McCamphill, one of which was converted by Paddy Campsie.
Despite being behind early in the game the Friends’ School, Lisburn team recovered well. They scored three tries through Joel Barron, Ryley Murphy, who took full advantage from an outstanding break out of defence from Rob Henderson, and a second from Ryley Murphy close to the end of the game. Ross Glover was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
The scheduled game involving Dromore High School and Rainey Endowed School was subject to a cancellation.
Down High School played Regent House School at Ballymacarn Park, home of Ballynahinch RFC, in a game the Regent House School team won by 24-12.
The Down High School points came through two tries from Alex Watson with one successful conversion kick from Josh McCaughey.
The Regent House School team scored four tries through Jack Sharpe, Sam McClements, Lewis Robinson and Matthew Callaghan. Evan McGonigle added the extras to two of the tries.
Both teams would like to thank Ballynahinch RFC for the use of facilities and hosting the game on an excellent playing surface.
Larne Grammar School hosted a Royal Belfast Academical Institution Senior “Select” xv and won the game by 43-19.
Ryan McDowell, Tom Patron and Ethan Anderson each scored two tries for the Larne Grammar School team with Daniel Halliday touching down for one try. Ethan Duncan added four successful conversion kicks.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution “Select” xv points came through tries from Luke Nelson, Jacob Boal and Jonah Park with Jamie Beattie adding two conversions.
Limavady Grammar School played Omagh Academy in a very closely contested game the Omagh Academy team won by 17-16.
Callum Watts scored a try for the Limavady Grammar School team with Cooper McCausland adding one successful conversion as well as three successful penalty kicks.
The Omagh Academy team scored three tries through Harry McIlwaine, Andrew Beggs and Gareth Short. Sam Busby added the extras to one of the tries.
Lurgan College played Portadown College in a game the Portadown College team won by 26-0.
John McQuitty, John Speers and Lucas McClements, with two, were the Portadown College try scorers with John Speers adding three successful conversions.
Despite losing the game players such as Daniel Wilson, Ben Maxwell and Pedro Melo impressed with their performances for the Lurgan College team.
Methodist College, Belfast played Sullivan Upper School, at Pirrie Park, in an exciting game the Sullivan Upper School team won by 19-10.
The Methodist College team scored two unconverted tries through Oliver Gartley and Michael Armstrong.
The Sullivan Upper School team played an expansive game and scored their points with tries from centre, Harry McKeown, wing, Max Readman and fullback, Ryan Drain. Harry McKeown was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution hosted Clongowes Wood College from Clane in Co Kildare with the Clongowes Wood College team, coached by former Royal Belfast Academical Institution pupil, Matthew Wright, emerging as 21-14 winners.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team scored two tries through Alex Place and James Kerr with Alex successfully converting both tries.
The Clongowes Wood College team scored two tries through Ross Adams and Sasha Byrne with Ross Doyle adding one successful conversion as well as three penalties.
Royal School, Dungannon hosted Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in an exciting game that finished as a 19-19 draw.
This was almost literally a “game of two halves” with the Royal School, Dungannon team building up a 19-0 lead by the break, only for the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team to do something likewise with their performance in the course of the second half.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team scored their three second half tries through Cameron Smith, Paddy Williams and Jake Smith. Paddy Williams was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
The Royal School, Dungannon points, in the first half, came through a brace of tries from Nathan Hamilton, one try from John Carroll and two successful conversions from James Gibson.
