Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round UP Saturday 22nd September 2018
There was a number of midweek friendly schoolboy fixtures played prior to a full list of games on Saturday 22nd September.
On Tuesday 18th Lurgan RFC hosted the annual Gary Clarke Tournament featuring teams from Banbridge Academy, Lurgan College, Friends’ School, Lisburn and Portadown College. The Friends’ School team played out a scoreless draw with Lurgan College, defeated Banbridge Academy by 12-5 with Reece Malone and Ross Shields getting on the scoresheet. In the final the Friends’ School team played Portadown College who won the tournament with a 14-7 last play victory. Jack Harte scored the Friends’ School try which was converted by Reece Malone.
Banbridge Academy had Andrew Denvir and Ross Crockford to thank for the points scored in the course of their games played during the tournament.
On Wednesday 19th September the re-scheduled game involving Coleraine Grammar School and Regent House School was cancelled due to the prevailing weather conditions.
The same weather circumstances impacted upon the Larne Grammar v Ballyclare High School game which was scheduled for Wednesday 19th September.
On Friday 21st Omagh Academy played Banbridge Academy at Mellon Park, home of Omagh Accies RFC. The Omagh Academy team recorded an impressive 59-0 victory and scored eight tries in the process. Ryan Armstrong scored a first half hat trick and Jake McKay touched down twice. Will Stewart, Michael Marechaux and Niall Alexander each scored one try and Will Stewart completed the scoring with eight successful conversions as well as a penalty.
Both team would like to thank the Omagh Academicals RFC for use of their facilities and hosting the game.
On Saturday 22nd September there was almost a full list of fixtures played.
Ballyclare High School hosted Wesley College, Dublin at the Rashee Road venue in a game the Wesley College team won by 38-15. The Ballyclare High School points through tries from Adam Clarke and Ethan Crawford as well as one conversion and one penalty from Mark Jackson.
Ballymena Academy played Bangor Grammar School in a game which was a classic “Game of two halves” The Bangor Grammar School team had built up a 14-5 lead by the interval with tries from Conor Lusty and Gareth Beggs, both of which were converted by Rhys Larmour. In response, The Ballymena Academy team scored an unconverted try through Harry Andrews.
The second half saw the Ballymena Academy team come into the game with a more workmanlike performance. They scored four converted tries to finish as 33-14 winners. Frankie Andrews, Craig Simpson, Ross McKay and Jonny Cochrane scored the tries, all four of which were converted by Ross McKay.
Amongst the supporters attending this game was the current President of the Irish Rugby Football Union, and former King’s Scholar, Ian McIlrath. Ian took time out of his hectic schedule to attend, not only the Ballymena Academy v Bangor Grammar School game, but also the Cambridge House Grammar School v Dalriada School game. Ian’s presence at both these games was greatly appreciated by all those playing as well as those supporting the games.
Belfast High School played Portadown College in an entertaining game which finished with a 43-24 victory for the Portadown College team. The Belfast High School points came through tries from Jack Ferguson and Cameron McKimm, both of whom touched down twice. Aaron Douglas was successful with two conversions.
The Portadown College points came through tries from captain, Dylan Nelson, who touched down twice, Marshall Clint, Elliott McKew, Tom Symington, Caleb Collins and Jordan McAteer. Adam Speers was successful with four conversions.
Cambridge House played Dalriada School in a game the Dalriada School team won by 31-0. The Dalriada School team scored five tries through Henry Ross, James McCormick, Thomas Hunter, Peter McConnaghie and Jack Murdoch. Jmaes McCormick added the extras to three of the tries.
Down High School played Sullivan Upper School and suffered their first set back of the season when they went down by 28-3. Thomas Leitch and Shay Storey scored first half tries for the Sullivan team with Connor McKee adding the conversions. Greg Hutley converted a penalty opportunity for the Down High school team to leave the half time score reading 14-3 in favour of the Sullivan Upper team.
Second half tries from Thomas Leitch and Shay Storey, both of which were converted by Connor McKee, secured the 28-3 victory for the Sullivan Upper School team.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Royal School, Armagh in a game the Enniskillen RGS team won by 11-7. In a closely contested game it was the RS Armagh team that started strongly with some great attacks mounted from both set piece and broken field plays. However, with captain, Alex Parke, leading the way the Enniskillen RGS defence kept their line intact in the opening stages of the game. The Enniskillen team then started to put some phases together and, just before the break, Calum Smyton went over for an unconverted try to give the home team a 5-0 lead at the break.
Early second half pressure from the Enniskillen RGS team forced the RS Armagh team into conceding two penalties. Eddie Keys converted both the penalties to increase the Enniskillen RGS lead to 11-0. The Royal School, Armagh team got some reward for their endeavours when, with five minutes remaining, Josh King, ran in for a try, which Charlie Worth converted, to leave the final score reading Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 11 Royal School, Armagh 7.
Foyle and Londonderry College hosted the Rainey Endowed School team in a game the Rainey Endowed School team won by 28-0. The Rainey ES team had taken a 21-0 lead into the break with tries from Ross Speers, Jonathan Drennan and Bryan Hall. Jonathan Drennan was successful with all three conversions.
Both teams made use of extended squads in the second half. The Rainey Endowed School team scored one further try through Ross Speers. Jonathan Drennan added the extras to secure the 28-0 victory for his team.
Grosvenor Grammar School played Royal School, Dungannon in their annual Chico Cup competition and ended up on the wrong side of a 40-0 scoreline.
The Royal School, Dungannon scored their points through two Luke McMullan tries, with Adam McFarland, Jordan Redmond, Peter Busby and Conal Rice each touching down for one. Luke McMullan was successful with five conversion kicks.
Limavady Grammar School played Carrickfergus Grammar School in a game the Limavady School team won by 16-10. Ross McLaughlin and Ethan Squires touched own for unconverted tries for the Limavady Grammar School team and Jamie Clements was successful with two penalty kicks,
The try scorers for the Carrickfergus Grammar School team were Liam Kaprigiannis-Green and Joshua Armstrong. Adam Doherty and Daniel Curley impressed also for the Carrickfergus Grammar School team.
Lurgan College played Antrim Grammar School in an entertaining game the Lurgan College team won by 27-12. The Lurgan College team had built up a 15-12 lead by half time through unconverted tries from Ewen Mulligan, who scored twice, and Ben Marsden. The Antrim Grammar School points came from four successful Callum Hull penalty kicks.
The Lurgan College team pulled away in the second half and scored two tries through Peter Hutchinson and Alex Dickson. Josh Best was successful with one conversion kick to secure the 27-12 victory for the Lurgan College team.
Methodist College, Belfast hosted Belfast Royal Academy in an exciting game the Methodist College team won by 33-13. Methody captain, Kevin McNaboe, scored two tries with Chris Larmour, Tom O’Doherty and Max Lyttle each touching down for one try. Ethan McIlroy was successful with two penalty kicks as well as one conversion.
For the Belfast Royal Academy team Harry Warke kicked two penalties as well as converting a try scored by Adam Keed.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Belfast Metropolitan College and recorded a comprehensive 64-0 victory. The Belfast Inst team used 1st and 2ndxv players in the course of the game during which they scored ten tries. Marco Manso, Tom Lavery, Stuart Cameron, Robin McIlveen, and Bradley McNamara, who touched down twice, all scored tries in the first half. Robin McIlveen was also successful with four of the conversions.
The second period saw the Belfast Inst continue to dominate possession as well as territory. They scored four more tries through Jack Leathem, Jack Truesdale, Hugo Ellerby and Adam Byrne. Robin McIlveen added a further three conversions to secure the 4-0 win for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution players.
Wallace High School played Campbell College, Belfast in a game the Lisburn team won by 31-14. The Wallace High School team scored five tries, three of which were converted, in the course of the game.
The Campbell College points came through tries from Kieran Richardson and Conor Rankin, both of which were converted by Conor.
