Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 20th January 2024.
It was to have been a busy week of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup, Plate and Trophy 1/4 Final games, one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final game, Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen games and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl and Trophy games, in the lead up to a number of 1stxv friendly games played on Saturday 20th January.
Unfortunately, the severe weather conditions experienced in various parts of the province ensured that quite a few of these games were not played.
Despite the fact two of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate 1st Round games are awaiting completion, the draw for the 1/4 Finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate was sent to all schools on Monday 15th January.
The results of the draw are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate 1/4 Final draw.
1/Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv v Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv
2/Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 3rdxv v Methodist College, Belfast 5thxv/Royal School, Armagh 4thxv
3/Methodist College, Belfast 3rdxv v Campbell College, Belfast 4thxv.
4/Ballyclare High School 3rdxv v Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv/Regent House School 3rdxv.
One game took place on Monday 15th January when Ballyclare Secondary School played Lurgan College in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
The Lurgan College Medallion team won the game by 24-7 and now progress to the 1/2 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
On Tuesday 16th January, the Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv was to have played Royal School, Armagh 3rdxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup. Unfortunately, this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final game was postponed due to frozen pitches at Roughfort.
On the same afternoon, Omagh Academy was to have hosted Rainey Endowed School in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl. Unfortunately, this game fell victim to frozen pitches at Campsie.
Later that evening, Campbell College, Belfast played Stewart’s Melville College in the excellent Orium Indoor Centre in Edinburgh.
Following a fast, physical contest, with both teams determined to play positive rugby with the ball in hand, it was the Stewart’s Melville team that emerged as 24-5 winners.
Joel Bennet, Conall Burns, Taylor Gray and Jack Mayer scored the Stewart’s Melville tries with Howie Offord adding two successful conversions.
Alongside good performances from Campbell College, Belfast players such as Cal McKinney, James McConnell and Henry Ralston, Josh Bunting touched down for an unconverted try.
On Wednesday 17th January, the Friends’ School, Lisburn 2ndxv was to have played the Royal School, Dungannon 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate. This was another game that fell victim to the prevailing weather conditions.
On the same day, the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen games was to have been played when Royal School, Dungannon should have hosted Dalriada School. This game was also postponed due to frozen pitches.
Meanwhile, in Strabane, Strabane Academy should have played Bangor Academy in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Final. Once again, this was another game that was postponed due to frozen pitches.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution travelled to Dublin to take part in a training game session with the St Michael’s College SCT. This exercise proved to be beneficial for both teams as they prepare for their respective cup campaigns.
On Friday 19th January, the Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv was scheduled to have played the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup. Unfortunately, frozen pitches at Pirrie Park ensured this game did not take place
Later that evening, CIYMS RFC was to have been the venue when the Campbell College, Belfast 2ndxv was scheduled to have played the Wallace High School 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup. Once again, a frozen pitch caused this game to be postponed.
In the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate the Rainey Endowed School 2ndxv was scheduled to have played the Royal School, Armagh 2ndxv under the lights at Rainey Old Boys’ RFC. Unfortunately, this was another game that had to be postponed.
Meanwhile, at the University of Ulster grounds at Jordanstown, the Belfast High School 2ndxv was to have played the Foyle and Londonderry College 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy. This game was also postponed due to a frozen pitch.
On Saturday 20th January, the Belfast Royal Academy 2ndxv should have played the Sullivan Upper School 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup. This game also fell victim to the prevailing weather conditions.
At the same stage of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup, Regent House School 2ndxv hosted Royal Belfast Academical Institution 2ndxv in a closely contested game the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 2ndxv team won by 22-19.
Three of the four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate games were scheduled to have taken place and two survived the weather conditions.
Ballyclare High School 2ndxv should have played Ballymena Academy 2ndxv but this game was postponed.
Banbridge Academy 2ndxv played Bangor Grammar School 2ndxv and won the game by 17-0.
Friends’ School, Lisburn 2ndxv played Royal School, Dungannon 2ndxv in a game the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 27-15.
In the 1/4 Final games played in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy, Dromore High School played Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 42-17.
Bangor Academy 1stxv played Dalriada School 2ndxv and won the game by 41-0.
Omagh Academy 2ndxv should have hosted Coleraine Grammar School 2ndxv but the pitch at Campsie was frozen.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen the eight games should have taken place. However, only three of these games survived
Ballyclare High School was scheduled to have played Foyle and Londonderry College but the Rashee Raid pitches were frozen.
Snow covered and frozen pitches at Ballymena Academy ensured their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen game against Royal Belfast Academical Institution was postponed.
The Belfast Royal Academy Medallion was unable to play the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School Medallion due to a frozen pitch at Roughfort.
Campbell College, Belfast hosted Methodist College, Belfast and recorded a 17-0 victory.
The Coleraine Grammar School Medallion was unable to play the Royal School, Armagh Medallion due to unplayable pitches in Coleraine.
Regent House School played Antrim Grammar School and won this closely contested game by 10-5.
Royal School, Dungannon had rescheduled to play their previously postponed game against Dalriada School but the game, once again, lost out to a frozen pitch.
Wallace High School played Sullivan Upper School and it was the Sullivan Upper School team that emerged as 22-8 winners at the end of the game.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Finals, Down High School played Portadown College.
Portadown College won this game by 17-0.
Grosvenor Grammar School played Bangor Grammar School in a game the Bangor Grammar School team won by 21-5.
Limavady Grammar School was to have hosted Friends’ School, Lisburn but this was another game which was postponed due to frozen pitch conditions.
Omagh Academy played Rainey Endowed School in a game which finished as a 24-24 draw.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Final, the three games scheduled to have taken place, with Ballymoney High School playing Banbridge Academy, Dromore High School playing Belfast High School and Strabane Academy playing Bangor Academy, were all postponed.
At 1stxv level, quite a few games were scheduled to have taken place on Saturday 20th January but no full games took place.
Dromore High School played out a training session with Down High School while Friends’ School, Lisburn hosted a training game with Royal School, Dungannon
