Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 1st October 2022
The second set of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup fixtures took place on Wednesday 28th September.
In Group A Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Ballymena Academy and won the exciting game by 26-17.
In Group B Methodist College, Belfast played their close rivals from Campbell College, Belfast in a game the Campbell College team won by 40-0.
Sullivan Upper School hosted the Royal School, Armagh team in a very close encounter which the Sullivan Upper School team won by 31-28.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Plate competition Coleraine Grammar School conceded their game against Rainey Endowed School.
Regent House School played Ballyclare High School in the second of their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Plate games. The Regent House School team won the game with a convincing 45-7 victory.
On the same afternoon Friends’ School, Lisburn played a 1stxv game against Royal School, Dungannon and it was the RS Dungannon team that emerged from the game as 36-17 winners.
The Friends’ School team scored three tries through Joel Barron, who touched down for a brace, and Angus Crawford. Samuel Dillon was successful with one of his conversions.
The Royal School, Dungannon team scored seven tries through Alfie Lewis, who ran in for a hat trick, Matthew Burrows, Cameron Cummings, who scored two and Jacob Clarke who was successful with five of his conversion kicks.
Cambridge House Grammar School hosted Grosvenor Grammar School in a late afternoon kick off on September 28th.
The Cambridge House team was delighted to record their first win of the season with a 34-14 victory.
The Cambridge House Grammar School points came through two tries from Danny Hill and one try apiece from Jack Gault, Jamie Watt, Craig Galloway and Jacob Oliver. Dan Chestnutt was successful with two conversions.
The Grosvenor Grammar School points came through two tries from Adam Lowey and Charles Campbell. Ross Millar added the extras to both of the tries.
There was one 1stxv friendly game played on Friday 30th September when Down High School hosted the Royal School, Armagh team.
The game finished with the Royal School, Armagh team emerging as 31-5 winners.
The Down High School unconverted try was touched down by Matthew Foster.
The Royal School, Armagh team had “Man of the Match” Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ player, Finn Fenhert, to thank for a hat trick of tries. Ashton Clarke and Josh Lowey each ran in for one try with Josh Watterson adding the extras to three of the five tries.
As well as the one remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup second Group A game, some eleven 1stxv fixtures were played on Saturday 1st October
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup Group A game Belfast Royal Academy hosted Wallace High School and it was the Wallace High School team that came away with a 29-0 victory.
At 1stxv level Antrim Grammar School played a Methodist College 3rd/4thxv “Select” team in an exciting game the Antrim Grammar School team won by 28-22.
The Antrim Grammar School team used their extended squad and scored four tries in the process. Joshua Harvey ran in for two tries with Jack McNeilly and Rory McLornan each touching down for one try. Alexander Lynn was successful with one conversion as well as two penalty kicks.
Following a celebration of 150 years of schoolboy rugby at Royal Belfast Academical Institution on Friday 30th, an occasion which gathered together current and former members of staff, Ulster Schools’ Cup winners and Irish International players for an evening of reminiscence, Ballyclare High School hosted the current Royal Belfast Academical Institution team in a game the Belfast Inst team won by 26-10.
The teams were level at half time with the scoreboard reading 7-7. Josh Eagleson scored a goal for the Belfast Inst team with Angus Catherwood touching down for a Ballyclare High School try which was converted by Joel Flynn.
The second half saw the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team control both territory and possession for long periods of time. One try from Bryn Ward and two tries from Alex Place, alongside two conversions from Alex, secured the twenty six points for the visitors.
The Ballyclare High School team got some reward for their endeavours when Joel Flynn converted a penalty opportunity to leave the final score reading Ballyclare High School 10 Royal Belfast Academical Institution 26.
Ballymena Academy played Coleraine Grammar School in a very competitive game from which the Ballymena team emerged as 15-8 winners at the end of the game.
The impressive Tristan Ferguson scored a try, conversion and penalty for the Ballymena Academy team with Callum Mustoe touching down for an unconverted try.
Coleraine Grammar School scored their points through a try from Zach McCartney and a penalty from Matthew Curry.
Belfast High School played Bangor Grammar School and won the game by 24-17.
Adam Bennett touched twice for the Belfast High School team with Aaron Mitchell and Daniel Bennett each touching down once. Daniel added the extras to one of the tries with Archie Cruickshank adding the extras to another.
Jack de Largy scored two tries for the Bangor Grammar School team with Nathan Semple touching down for a third. Luke Mingout was successful with one of his conversions.
Belfast Royal Academy played Sullivan Upper School and won the game by 23-7.
Peter Richardson scored two tries with Scott Baxter and Frank Davis each scoring one try. Frank was successful also with one penalty kick.
The Sullivan Upper School try scorer was James McMonigle with Harry McKeown adding the conversion.
Campbell College, Belfast travelled to Dublin to play their annual fixture against Blackrock College. The end of game saw the excellent Blackrock College team emerge with a totally comprehensive victory.
The Dalriada School team was missing quite a few players when they hosted a Royal Belfast Academical Institution Senior “Select” xv in a game the Belfast Inst team won by a comfortable margin.
Dromore High School played Regent House School at the Barban Hill venue and won the game by 43-19.
The expansive style of play adopted by the Dromore High School team was rewarded with seven tries. Adam Lyttle, Kyle Stirling, Keevan Cochrane, Callum Bradley, Sam McElroy, Levi Naga and Ethan Dickson were the Dromore High School try scorers. Ethan Mount and Joshua Quigley each added the extras to two of the tries.
The Regent House School points came through tries from Evan McGonigle, Shay Duckett and Ethan Spratt. Zach Campbell was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Banbridge Academy and recorded a comfortable 47-5 victory.
A superb performance from Tadhg Hambley laid the foundations for the Enniskillen RGS victory. Tadhg scored two tries as well as kicking six conversions. Sam Carrothers, Tim Harte, who scored a brace as well, Jake Woods and Aaron Seaman were the other try scorers for the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team.
The Banbridge Academy team got some reward for their endeavours when their impressive hooker, Connor Magee, scrambled over the whitewash for an unconverted try.
Omagh Academy played Methodist College, Belfast in a game the Methodist College team won by 52-0.
Omagh Academy players such as Callum Doherty, Conrad Hale, Allister Crawford and James Fleming performed well throughout the game but, despite coming close to scoring on a number of occasions, they were unable to find a way past a resolute and well-organised Methodist College defence.
Jacob Kelly and Ryan Kidd each scored two tries for the Methody team with Josh Stevens, Ben McFarlane, Lewis Doherty and Matthew Scott each scoring one try. Ben was successful also with six of his conversion kicks.
Rainey Endowed School played Portadown College in their annual Vinny Doyle Memorial Cup game on the 25th Anniversary of Vinny’s death.
The Rainey Endowed School team continued with their impressive recent run of good form and retained the cup with a 42-26 victory. Nathan Overend put on a Man of the Match performance with three tries for the Rainey ES team. Matthew Booth scored two tries with Jayden Shiels running in for one try. Owen O’Kane had a great game off the tee with six successful conversions.
The Portadown College points came through tries from Tyler Jackson, Joshua Herron, Isaac Finch and Max Boyce. John Speers was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
