Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 19th October 2019
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Wednesday 16th, Friday 18th October and Saturday 19th October saw twelve games take place in the newly formatted Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ League/Cup games. Twenty four teams competed in the twelve games on Wednesday 16th, Friday 18th and Saturday 19th October. Each of the twenty four teams will play three league games over three weekends in October, November (16th) and December (7th) with the six league winners, and four highest placed runners up, joining the six schools who are exempted from the league games, in the last sixteen of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. Those six schools are Ballymena Academy, Campbell College, Belfast, Methodist College, Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Royal School, Armagh and Wallace High School. The remaining teams will be joined by the winners and runners up of the Tier 4 competition to compete in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl competition.
On Wednesday 16th October one League B game took place when Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Down High School. The Down High School team recorded an emphatic 40-0 victory in the course of the game. The Down High School team had built up a 26-0 lead by the break through tries from Jakob Cross, Stephen Campbell, who took advantage of a great break by Joe Charles, and two from Jonny Graham. Luka Walsh was successful with three of his first half conversions.
The Foyle and Londonderry College players displayed great commitment in the course of the game with players such as Craig Doherty, Finn McDonnell, Callum Gillen, Eddie Campbell and Brendan Higgins to the fore. However, there was little they could do to prevent Aidan McCauley and Matthew Reynolds taking full advantage of good skills from Matthew Edgar and Ross Graham before they touched down for one try each. Two Luka Walsh conversions secured the 40-0; six try victory, for the Down High School team.
On Friday 18th October one League E game took place when Belfast High School entertained Belfast Royal Academy. Following a closely contested first half the Belfast Royal Academy team took a 7-0 lead into the break before going on to win the game by 38-7. Adam Gooderham scored the try which was converted by Jack Davis.
The second half saw the Belfast Royal Academy team take control of more territory and possession. They scored five more tries through Louis West, Ollie Parkes, who touched down twice, Jack Davis and Ryan Jameson. Three more Jack Davis conversions secured the 38 points for the Belfast Royal Academy team.
The Belfast High School team displayed great commitment as well as no little skill throughout the game. They got some reward for their endeavours when Scott Dennis touched down for a try, which was converted by Aaron Douglas, leaving the final scoreboard reading Belfast High School 7 Belfast Royal Academy 38.
On Saturday 19th October the remaining ten league games took place.
In League A Rainey Endowed School played Dromore High School in a game the Rainey Endowed School team won by 22-10. The Rainey team had built up a 10-3 lead by the break with a try from Sean Drain and a conversion and penalty from Ross Speers. Luke Allison kicked a first half penalty for the Dromore High School team.
The second half was a closely contested affair with the Dromore High School team scoring a try through Ryan Rodgers which was converted by Luke Allison. However, two Rainey tries from Daniel Barfoot and Marc Scott, one of which was converted by Ross Speers, secured the 22-10 victory for the Rainey Endowed School team.
Friends’ School, Lisburn hosted Limavady Grammar School, a team that had been in a rich vein of form in the course of their recent games. However, it was the Friends’ School team that dominated proceedings in the course of this game which the Lisburn team won by 45-0. The Friends’ School team scored four first half tries through Joe Anderson, Ethan Terris, Reece Malone and Jack Harte. Three Reece Malone conversions saw the Friends’ School team take a 26-0 lead into the half time break.
The Friends’ School team continued in attack mode in the course of the second half. Despite the Limavady Grammar School team defence working hard there was little they could do to prevent Fergus McEwen, Reece Malone and Ethan Terris touching down for three more tries. Two of these tries were converted by Reece Malone which secured the 45-0 victory for the Friends’ School, Lisburn team.
In League B the “Tie of the Day” took place at Regent House School when their near neighbours and close rivals from Bangor Grammar School were the visitors. The Bangor Grammar School team controlled the game for long periods of play and emerged eventually as 36-0 winners.
The visitors had built up a 24-0 first half lead with tries from Robbie Grant, Jack Nesbitt, Alistair McConnell and Cameron Stewart. Angus Christie was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
The second half saw Angus Christie continue to have a major impact on the eventual outcome of the game. He scored an unconverted try and then added the conversion to a try from Paddy McLarnon which secured the 36-0 win for the Bangor Grammar school team.
In League C the Ballyclare High School team hosted Omagh Academy in a game the Ballyclare High School team won by 36-17. The Ballyclare High School points came through tries from Jack Gamble, who scored a hat trick, Robert Reid, Alex Darragh and Scott Wilson. Mark Jackson was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
The Omagh Academy team displayed great resilience throughout the game and got reward for their hard work with tries from Matthew Hunter, who took advantage of good work from players such as David Braden, Henry Dunbar and Reece Braden, to touch down twice and Reece Braden who capped a fine personal performance with his try. Jake Reid added the conversions to two of the Omagh Academy tries.
Cambridge House Grammar School played Lurgan College and continued their recent run of good results with a 29-12 victory. Andrew Wilson, Adam Brannigan, Josh Caldwell and Jordan McMullan scored the Cambridge House tries. Josh Caldwell capped a great performance with one successful penalty kick and three successful conversion kicks.
The Lurgan College team contributed a lot to the game and had their impressive forward, Ben Marsden, to thank for two second half tries, one of which was converted from the touchline by Harry Bird.
In League D Dalriada School hosted a Sullivan Upper School team that was keen to get back to winning ways following a number of recent defeats. The Sullivan Upper School team did get back to winning ways and won the game by 36-7.
Paddy Steele scored a try for the Dalriada School team to which Aaron Gervais added the conversion.
The Sullivan Upper School team scored tries through Luke McCabe, Thomas Leitch, George Saunderson, Harry Sheridan and Zac Moraghan. Zac added one successful penalty kick alongside four successful conversions.
Strabane Academy played Grosvenor Grammar School in an exciting game the Grosvenor Grammar School team won by 22-5. The Grosvenor team had built up a 12-5 lead by the break with two tries from Ethan Robinson, one of which was converted by Adam Moore. In response Eoin McSorley touched down for an unconverted try for the spirited Strabane Academy team.
Two unconverted tries in the second half from Josh Patterson and Harry Graham secured the 22-5 victory for the Grosvenor Grammar School team.
The second of the League E games took place on Saturday 19th when Banbridge Academy played Coleraine Grammar School. The Coleraine Grammar School team proved too strong for the home team and won the game by 64-7. Callum Wallace and Ryan O’Kane each scored two tries for the Coleraine Grammar School team with Tom Curry, Nathan Osborne, Rory Telfer, Cameron Leighton, Cameron Wallace and Shaw Fleck each touching down for one try. Harry Caskey capped a stand out performance with seven successful conversions.
The Banbridge Academy team got some reward for their endeavours throughout the game when Alex Porter touched down for a try which Harry Patterson converted.
In League F Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Portadown College in a game the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team won by 83-0. The Enniskillen RGS team scored thirteen tries in the course of the game. Sam Balfour scored four of the tries with Callum Smyton and Robbie Mills touching down for two tries each. David Stinson, Matthew Bothwell, Neil Rutledge, Sam Milligan and Taine Haire completed the try scoring list for the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team with one try each. Eddie Keyes was successful with six conversion kicks and George Foster was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Royal School, Dungannon entertained Larne Grammar School in a game the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 61-5. Star performer for the RS Dungannon team was Jack Girvan who scored two tries and kicked three conversions. Logan McIlravie, Michael Tate, James Girvan, and Adam Junk also scored two tries each for the Royal School, Dungannon team with Jonny McCammond touching down for one.
The Larne Grammar School team got some reward for their contribution to the game when Steven Dickey touched down for an unconverted try. Jack Withers, Tom Megan and Caelan Campbell also impressed with their performances for the Larne Grammar School team.
In a friendly 1stxv game Methodist College, Belfast hosted the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team on the pristine Pirrie Park Paddock Pitch. Following a very close encounter the Methodist College, Belfast team emerged as 12-5 winners. The first half was evenly contested with Jack Leathem scoring an unconverted try for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team and Harry McCartney scoring an unconverted try for the Methodist College, Belfast team to leave the scoreboard reading 5-5 at the interval.
The second half saw the Methodist College team dominate both territory and possession for large parts of the game. Their positive approach was rewarded with a second try from Harry McCartney, which was converted by Callum Davidson, to secure the hard earned 12-5 victory for the Methodist College, Belfast team..
Wallace High School travelled to play Belvedere College in Dublin and, after a free flowing game, the Wallace High School team game out on the wrong side of a 38-33 score line. Reuben Crothers scored two tries as did Nathan Doak who was playing his first schools’ game of the season following his heroics with the Ulster A team in the course of their recent successful Celtic Cup campaign. James McNeight scored a fifth try for the Wallace High School team and Nathan Doak added four successful conversion kicks.
