Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 12th February 2022
On Monday 7th February Foyle and Londonderry College travelled to the Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt where they played out a 3×25 minutes games against the Ulster Clubs’ U18 team.
Both teams used extended squads with each player being assured of at least 35 minutes on the pitch.
The Foyle College team won the first session by 12-0 with tries from Cahir McKay and Nathan Hamill-Gormley. Adam Killeen added one conversion.
A lot of changes to the team and the second session was won 12-0 by the Ulster Clubs’ team. JF Burns and Niall McLaughlin, both from Coleraine RFC, each scored a try with JF adding one conversion.
The final session saw both teams score one goal each. Ben Neilly, also Coleraine RFC, scored a try for the Ulster Clubs to which JF Burns added the conversion.
Finn Curtis scored the Foyle and Londonderry College try with Adam Killeen adding the conversion.
On Wednesday 9th February Dromore High School 2ndxv and Bangor Grammar School 2ndxv played in their previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy semi-final game.
Dromore High School won the game by 17-7 and, as winners, will now play Limavady Grammar School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy at Cambridge House Grammar School on Saturday 26th February at 10-30am.
Also, on Wednesday 9th February Ballyclare High School 3rdxv hosted Wallace High School 3rdxv in the semi-final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate.
This was a very closely contested game which the Ballyclare High School team won by 13-12.
The Ballyclare High School 3rdxv team will now play a Campbell College 3rd/4thxv team in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate on 26th February. This Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate final will take place at the Belfast Royal Academy playing fields at Roughfort at 10-30am.
One friendly game took place on Wednesday 9th when Methodist College, Belfast fielded a Senior “Select” xv against an Antrim Grammar School U17 team.
The experienced Methody team, with Fergal Black displaying outstanding form by scoring all their points, won the game by 28-10 but the young Antim Grammar School team gained a lot of positive experience from the game.
The Antrim Grammar School team scored their points with two unconverted tries from their impressive prop, Ben Mawhinney, following good work from fellow forwards Joel McLaughlin and Ethan Ashe.
In the Antrim Grammar School back division Boris Lestiansky, Ethan Wilson and Peter Kane impressed with their willingness to work hard in both attack and defence,
On Thursday 10th February Dalriada School played Larne Grammar School in their postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate quarter-final game.
The Larne Grammar School Medallion team won the game by 19-0.
The Larne Grammar School Medallion team, as winners of this game, will now travel to play Rainey Endowed School in the semi-final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate on/before Saturday 26th February.
On Friday 11th February Friends’ School, Lisburn played Portadown College in the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy semi-final games.
Despite being 5-0 down at the break, to an unconverted Sam Netherton try, the Portadown College team went on to win the game by 26-10.
The Portadown College had launched a series of first half attacks but the Friends’ School defence, with Tom McCormick, Alex Murphy, Angus Crawford, Finlay Crawford and Jude McMullan to the fore, was dominant and the Friends’ School team was delighted to take the 5-0 lead into the break.
However, the more experienced Portadown team controlled most of the territory and possession in the second half. Tries from Jamie Jackson, Ethan Hodgen, Josh Herron and captain, Dylan Martin, alongside three conversions from Adam Neill, saw the Portadown College team into a 26-5 lead.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn team did get some reward for their second half endeavours when Ethan Mehaffey touched down for an unconverted try to leave the final scoreboard reading Friends’ School, Lisburn 10 Portadown College 26.
This game was superbly refereed by Mark Orr who was refereeing his second game of competitive schoolboy rugby within 48 hours. Mark had previously refereed the Dromore High School v Bangor Grammar School Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy semi-final on Wednesday afternoon.
Meantime, at Osborne Park on Friday 11th February, Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv played Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup.
This was a very closely contested final from which the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv (Colts) emerged as 19-15 winners.
Following the game David Napier, representing the Ulster Branch of the IRFU, presented the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup finalist medals to players from both teams and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup to the captain of the winning team.
David congratulated the players from both teams for reaching the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup and playing so well in the final. He thanked the referee, Nathan Lamont, and his team of officials, for their control of the game, Belfast Inst for hosting the game and the Danske Bank for their interest in, and continuing sponsorship off, all the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ competitions.
On Saturday 12th February four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup and four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield quarter-final games took place.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Ballyclare High School hosted Methodist College, Belfast in a game the Methodist College team had to work hard before coming away with a hard-earned 21-6 victory.
The Ballyclare High School team took a 3-0 lead when Callum Cochrane converted a penalty opportunity.
The Methodist College team then scored a try through Lorcan Hanratty, which was converted by Ben McFarlane, to take a 7-3 lead into the break.
Early in the second half a successful Ben McFarlane penalty increased the Methody lead to 10-3.
An Alex Darrah penalty then reduced the Ballyclare High School arrears to 10-6.
Two further Methody penalties, and a last minute unconverted try from Chris Bradley, secured the 21-6 for the Methodist College, Belfast team.
Campbell College, Belfast played Dromore High School and had to work very hard before securing a 26-8 victory.
The Campbell College team scored four tries through Darragh Hanlon, who touched down for a brace, Peter Cave and Zac Solomon. Peter was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Dromore High School, without their talisman captain, Max Brush, performed tremendously well throughout the game. Nathan Hook kicked a first half penalty with Matthew Heasley crossing the whitewash for an unconverted try in the final ten minutes of the game.
Sullivan Upper School played Royal Belfast Academical Institution and put on a very spirited performance before succumbing to the strength and power of the Belfast Inst team by 38-13.
Josh Storey scored the Sullivan Upper School try with Harry McKeown adding one conversion as well as two penalties.
Bryn Ward, Myles Lowe, Rory Stewart, Oliver Clarke, Jamie Beattie and Jacob Boyd scored the Royal Belfast Academical Institution tries to which Josh Eagleson added four conversions.
Wallace High School played Ballymena Academy and had to work very hard before emerging from the game with a 12-7 victory.
Two Cameron Doak tries, one of which was converted by Matthew Halliday, accounted for the Wallace High School points.
The Ballymena Academy points came through a try from Daniel Vercoe Rodgers which was converted by Tristan Ferguson.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield Coleraine Grammar School played Foyle and Londonderry College and recorded a comfortable 52-0 victory.
The Coleraine Grammar School team scored eight tries through Harry Hughes and Rory Telfer, who each touched down for two, Benjy Logan, Joshua Stewart, Toby McClarty and Noah Gordon. Rory Telfer completed a “Man of the Match” performance with six successful conversions.
Down High School played Omagh Academy and won the game by 33-18.
Ryan Connolly, Rhodri Philips, Reuben McKibbin, Fionn Carey and Cameron McCaughey scored the Down High School tries to which Rhodri Philips added four conversions.
The Omagh Academy team scored three tries through Joshua Robinson, Conrad Hale and Joshua Kyle. Andrew Johnston was successful with one penalty kick.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School hosted Royal School, Dungannon in what turned out to be an eleven try thriller which the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 40-33.
Ben McLaren, Paul McConkey, Karl Bothwell with two, and Luke Smyton were the try scorers for the Enniskillen Royal Grammar Schol team. Tadhg Hambly was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
Jacob Clarke, with two, James Girvan, Alex Kennedy, Adam Scott, with a “Man of the Match” performance, and John Carroll scored the Royal School, Dungannon tries to which Jacob Clarke added five conversions.
The game involving Regent House School and Royal School, Armagh was postponed until Wednesday 16th February at 10-30am.
There were games played in both the semi-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy competitions.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl Belfast High School played Grosvenor Grammar School and recorded a 21-10 victory.
The Belfast High School team scored a penalty try, an unconverted try from Adam Bennett and three penalties from Cameron Banford.
The Grosvenor Grammar Schol points came through a try from Jude Anderson and a conversion and penalty from Ben Johnston.
Rainey Endowed School played Bangor Grammar School and won the game by 19-7.
Odhran Harney, with a brace, and Nathan Overend scored the Rainey Endowed School tries with Louis Regan adding two successful conversions.
Rory Christie scored the Bangor Grammar School try with the impressive Ben Gibson adding the conversion.
The final of this competition will take place at a neutral venue on/before Saturday 5th March.
In the second of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy semi-final games Lurgan College entertained Cambridge House Grammar School and won the game by an impressive 38-12.
Charlie Williamson, with two, John Patience, Peter Bird, with two and Sam Stevenson were the Lurgan College try scorers. Peter Bird completed a “Man of the Match” performance with four successful conversions.
The Cambridge House Grammar School points came through tries from Jacob Oliver and Joshua Dobbin with Ben Robinson adding the extras to one of the tries
The final of this competition will take place at Banbridge Academy on Saturday 5th March at 10-30am
Once the results of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup quarter-final and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield quarter-final games were known the draws for the semi-finals of these competitions took place.
The draws took place at Sullivan Upper School and the draw for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-finals was made by Richard Caldwell, Managing Director of the Danske Bank, and Mr Chris Peel, Principal of Sullivan Upper School.
The results of the draw are as follows:-
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Semi-Finals
1/Royal Belfast Academical Institution v Methodist College, Belfast
2/Campbell College, Belfast v Wallace High School
The first team listed in both these games will have use of the Home Changing Rooms at the Kingspan Stadium on semi-final days.
The winners of the first semi-final will have use of the Home Changing Rooms at the Kingspan Stadium at the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup final on Thursday 17th March at 3-00pm.
The first semi-final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup will be played at the Kingspan Stadium on Tuesday 1st March at 2-30pm.
The second semi-final of the Danke Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup will be played at the Kingspan Stadium on Wednesday 2nd March at 2-30pm.
The draw for the semi-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield was made by Richard Caldwell, Managing Director of the Danske Bank sponsors, and Ms Janet Williamson, Principal, Royal Belfast Academical Institution.
The results of the draw are as follows:-
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield Semi-Finals
1/Royal School, Dungannon v Down High School
2/Regent House School/Royal School, Armagh v Coleraine Grammar School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield semi-finals are scheduled to be played on/before Saturday 26th February.
