Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 14th December 2019
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On Monday 9th December Wallace High School played Sullivan Upper School at Malone RFC in a floodlit game the Wallace High School team won by 43-12. The Wallace High School team scored seven tries with Ben Carson and Scott Wilson each touching down for two and Jack Dillon, Cameron Doak and Nathan Doak each scoring one. Nathan Doak capped a fine personal performance with four successful conversions.
Harry Sheridan and George Saunderson scored the Sullivan Upper School tries to which Adam Whiteside added one conversion.
Both teams would like to thank Malone RFC for the use of facilities and hosting the game.
On the same day Methodist College, Belfast hosted the Ipswich Grammar School team from Brisbane, Australia, one of the top schoolboy teams in Queensland. The Methodist College team had built up a 14-7 lead by the break before going on to win the game by 26-7.
In the course of the first half Louis Montgomery and Lorcan Hanratty scored tries for the Methody team to which Callum Davidson added the conversions. The Ipswich Grammar School points came through a converted try from Kyle Corbyn.
In the second half tries from Ryan Doyle and Callum Doherty, alongside one conversion from Callum Davidson, secured the 26-7 win for the Methodist College, Belfast team.
On Tuesday 10th December Omagh Academy hosted Banbridge Academy in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield competition. The Omagh Academy team won the game by 24-7.
Following these games there was one final Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl League game played on Wednesday 11th December, alongside a number of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and 2ndxv Cup games 2nd Round games played midweek, in the lead up to a good list of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 2nd Round games, Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup games and 1stxv friendly games played on Saturday 14th December.
In the final game of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl League competition played on Wednesday 11th December Wellington College, Belfast hosted Carrickfergus Grammar School. The Wellington College team won the game by 48-8 ensuring they finish top of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl League table. The Wellington College, Belfast try scorers were Harry Garrett, who touched down twice in the opening ten minutes of the game, Chris Campbell, Tom Stanfield, who also scored two, Chris Beattie and Dylan Harris, who scored a brace in the final five minutes of the game. Tom Stanfield was also successful with four of his conversion kicks.
The Carrickfergus Grammar School team, which was hit by a severe “bug” prior to the game, scored their points through an unconverted try from Matty Baxter and a penalty from Josh Dimbleby.
This Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl League group stage itself is the first step of a 2-step process to define the final two entrants into the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl proper. All of the schools are now seeded following the completion of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl League group stage and move into the ‘Play-off’ stage on Saturday 11th January 2020.
Game 1 will see Wellington College, Belfast play Antrim Grammar School on Wednesday 8th January.
Game 2 will see Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock play Carrickfergus Grammar School.
Both these games are scheduled to take place on/before Saturday 11th January.
The winners of these play-off games will then advance into the last 16 of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl competition, scheduled for 25th January 2020, where they will join Rainey Endowed School, Limavady Grammar School, Dromore High School, Regent House School, Foyle and Londonderry College, Dalriada School, Strabane Academy, Banbridge Academy, Belfast High School, Lurgan College, Omagh Academy, Larne Grammar School, Royal School, Dungannon and Portadown College.
In the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Down High School 2ndxv played Limavady Grammar School 2ndxv and won the game by 45-21.
Larne Grammar School 2ndxv played Wallace High School 2ndxv in a game the Wallace High School team won by 40-0.
Rainey Endowed School 2ndxv played Royal School, Dungannon 2ndxv in a game the Rainey Endowed School team won by 50-12.
Regent House School 2ndxv played Coleraine Grammar School 2ndxv in a game that finished as a 17-17 draw. The replay has been scheduled for Tuesday 17th December.
Grosvenor Grammar School 2ndxv played Bangor Grammar School 2ndxv in a game the Bangor Grammar School team won by 49-7.
On the same afternoon Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 1stxv travelled to Dublin to play the King’s Hospital 1stxv in a high scoring game the Enniskillen RGS team won by 47-26.
The King’s Hospital team scored four tries, three of which were converted, in the course of the game.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team scored seven tries through Stephen Balfour, David Stinson, Aaron Crawford, Taine Haire, Matty Bothwell, who touched for two, and Callum Smyton. Eddie Keyes was successful with six conversions.
There was on Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 2nd Round game played on Thursday 12ththe 2nd when Larne Grammar School hosted Foyle and Londonderry College in a game the Foyle and Londonderry College team won by 40-0.
On Saturday 14th December there were two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup 2nd Round games played.
Omagh Academy played Portadown College in a game the Omagh Academy team won by 10-0. Meanwhile at the Barban Hill venue Dromore High School hosted Belfast Royal Academy in a game the Dromore High School team won by 24-0.
In the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield the Ballyclare Secondary School v Carrickfergus Grammar School game was postponed and has been re-scheduled for Tuesday 17th December.
Bangor Academy played Friends’ School, Lisburn and won the game by 10-0.
Dalriada School played Portadown College and won the game by 12-10.
Limavady Grammar School played Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 10-7.
Regent House School played Cambridge House Grammar School and recorded a 17-10 victory.
Some 1stxv friendly games were played on Saturday 14th December.
The “Match of the Day” was played at Campbell College, Belfast where the Ballymena Academy team and the Campbell College, Belfast team played out a 27-27 draw. The Campbell College, Belfast team had built up a 15-0 lead, twenty minutes into the game, through a penalty from Jack Bonner, an unconverted try from Tom Robinson and a try from Arthur Johnston which was converted by Jack Bonner. The Ballymena Academy team responded to this early setback and scored a try through Conor Louw which was converted by Ross McKay. No further scores in the course of the first half ensured it was the Campbell College, Belfast team that turned round at the interval with a 15-7 lead.
A James Wright try, converted by Ross Mc Kay, alongside a Ross McKay penalty, put the Ballymena Academy team into a 17-15 lead early in the second half. An unconverted try from Zac Solomon then restored the Campbell College lead to 20-17. Josh Drain then scorched in for a try, converted by Ross McKay, to give the Ballymena Academy team a 24-20 lead going into the final phase of the game. Ross McKay extended that lead to 27-20 with a well struck penalty and it looked as if the Ballymena Academy was going to win the game. That was until the last play of the game when Danny Williamson crossed the whitewash and touched down for a try. Jack Bonner was delighted to add the extras which ensured the game finished, with honours even, as a 27-27 draw.
Foyle and Londonderry College played Banbridge Academy in a game that finished with the Banbridge Academy team recording a well-deserved 27-5 victory. The Banbridge Academy team took a 5-0 lead into the halftime break with an unconverted try from Jonny Martin.
The Banbridge Academy lead was extended to 10-0, five minutes after the restart, when Matthew Daly ran in for an unconverted try. Five minutes later a converted try from the impressive Banbridge Academy scrum half, Harry Patterson, saw the score board reading Foyle College 0 Banbridge Academy 17. However, the Foyle and Londonderry College team did get some reward for their commitment and effort when Josh Milling touched down for an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to 17-5. The Banbridge Academy team then secured their 27-5 win in the last ten minutes of the game when Jake Houston, who played the first half in the centre and the second half as a flanker, touched down for an unconverted try, which was closely followed by an unconverted try from Ulster U19 prop, Adam Hanna, who put in an excellent performance from the No 8 position.
Cambridge House Grammar School played Larne Grammar School in a game the Larne Grammar School team won by 19-12. Stuart Donald and Rhys Ervine scored the Cambridge House tries, one of which was converted by Jordan McMullan.
The Larne Grammar School team was buoyed before the game with their hard working flanker, Caelan Campbell, returning to the fray having made a full recovery from a shoulder injury. Caelen, along with players such as Jack Withers and Glenn Carson, paved the way with their performances for their captain, Steven Dickey, to score two tries and Callum Adair to score one try. Two Euan Glenn conversions secured the 19-12 victory for the Larne Grammar School team.
Omagh Academy hosted Portadown College in a hard fought encounter which finished as a 0-0 draw.
Rainey Endowed School played Coleraine Grammar School and recorded an impressive 26-5 victory. The game was played in difficult conditions but it was the Rainey Endowed School team that controlled both territory and possession for long periods of the game. A first half try from Marc Seffen, converted by Ross Speers, gave the Rainey Endowed School team a 7-0 lead at the interval.
The Coleraine Grammar School team started the second half well but a break away try from Joel Bell, which was converted by Matthew Thom, put the home team into a 14-0 lead. Midway through the second half the Coleraine GS team did eventually get some reward for their endeavours when Nathan Ogbourne touched down for an unconverted try to reduce the arrears to 14-5. The Rainey Endowed School team then responded to this in a positive manner. Tries from Reuben Bell and Sean Drain, one of which was converted by Ross Speers, secured the 26-5 win for the Rainey Endowed School team.
The scheduled game featuring Regent House School and the Royal School, Dungannon fell victim to flooded pitches at the Circular Road venue
Sullivan Upper School played the Royal School, Armagh team in a wind impacted game that was literally a “Game of Two Halves”
The game finished as a 21-21 draw with the Royal School, Armagh team scoring three first half tries through Sam Rainey, Charlie Worth and Ross Taylor. Three successful conversions from Ethan McAtarsney secured the 21-0 lead for the Royal School, Armagh team at the break.
The second half saw the Sullivan Upper School team control affairs and they scored three tries through Harry Baird, George Saunderson and Thomas Leitch. Three successful conversions from Adam Whiteside ensured the game finished as a 21-21 draw.
Wallace High School hosted Bangor Grammar School in a game the Wallace High School team won by 38-12.
Harvey Patterson, Cameron Doak, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson, Scott Wilson and Jack Dillon scored the Wallace High School tries to which Nathan Doak added four conversions.
The Bangor Grammar School points came through a try from Rory Christie, which was converted by Angus Christie, and an unconverted try from Cameron Stewart.
Lurgan College, Ballymena Academy 2ndxv and Campbell College, Belfast 2ndxv played out a triangular round robin series of game at Campbell College. The Lurgan College team defeated Ballymena Academy by 10-0 with unconverted tries from Luke Forsythe and Harry Bird.
In the game against Campbell College a line break from their impressive No 8, Ben Marsden, paved the way for an Angus Cunningham try. The Harry Bird conversion gave the Lurgan College team a 7-0 lead. However, the Campbell College team hit back when they turned a Lurgan College ball over close to their line and ran a counter attack the length of the pitch to finish with a converted try which secured a 7-7 draw.
The Ballymena Academy 2ndxv played Campbell College, Belfast 2ndxv in the final game which the Campbell College team won by 7-0.
