Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 24 th December 2022
On Monday 19 th December three of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Group Stage Cup
previously postponed fixtures, as well as two previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster
Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 3 games and one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup
match, took place.
Dromore High School and Larne Grammar School met in their Group B previously
postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game.
The Dromore High School team finished the game as 41-0 winners and their bonus point
win ensures that the Dromore High School team finishes as Danske Bank Ulster
Schools’ Cup Group B winners.
Levi Naga and Matthew Heasley both scored a brace of tries for the Dromore High
School team with Ethan Dickson, Sam McIlroy and Ethan Mount each touching down for
one try. Ethan Mount added two conversions while Nathan Hook was successful with
one.
The Larne Grammar School team displayed great commitment throughout the game.
Players such as Ethan Anderson, Ethan Duncan, Jonathan Dallas and Jack Hill all
impressed with their performances.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round of 16 competition the Dromore High
School team will host Down High School on/before Saturday 28 th January 2023.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School hosted Grosvenor Grammar School and recorded a
well-deserved 52-12 victory. This victory ensures that the Enniskillen Royal Grammar
School team will now host the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team in the Danske
Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round of 16 tie on/before Saturday 28 th January 2023.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team scored eight tries during this game. Harry
Kerr, Aaron Seaman, Darragh Love, Karl Bothwell, Ben McLaren, Alex Hetherington,
Clarke Balfour and James Trotter each scored one try. Tadhg Hambly was successful
with six of his conversion kicks.
The Grosvenor Grammar School team provided spirited opposition for the Enniskillen
Royal Grammar School team. They got some reward for their hard work with an
unconverted try from Adam Lowey early in the game and a try through Charles
Campbell, which was converted by Ross Millar, with almost the final play of the game.
Conor Allen was another Grosvenor Grammar School player who impressed with his
performance throughout the game.
On the same afternoon Portadown College hosted Royal School, Dungannon in their
previously postponed Group D Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game.
The Royal School, Dungannon team recorded a 43-5 victory in this game.
The Royal School, Dungannon team controlled both territory and possession for large
parts of the game. They had built up a 24-5 lead by the break with tries from Jacob
Clarke, John Carrol, who touched down twice, and Reuben Gibson. Jacob Clarke was
successful with two of his first half conversion kicks.
The Portadown College team got some reward for their endeavours in the first half of
the game when Sam Ward touched down for an unconverted try.
It was more of the same for the Royal School, Dungannon team in the second half. John
Carroll completed his hat trick of tries with Cameron Cummings and Ben Doyle each
running in for one try. Two further successful conversions from Jacob Clarke secured
the 43-5 victory for the Royal School, Dungannon team.
That result ensured that the Royal School, Dungannon team finished top of the Danske
Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group D. Royal School, Dungannon will now host Ballyclare High
School in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round of 16 competition in a game to be
played on/before Saturday 28 th January 2023.
In the 3 rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Friends’ School, Lisburn
hosted Sullivan Upper School in a game the Sullivan Upper School team won by 43-5.
In the same competition Wallace High School travelled to play Omagh Academy and
returned home with a 41-10 victory to their credit.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv hosted
Campbell College, Belfast 3rdxv in the 2 nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’
3rdxv Cup. The final outcome of the game was a 40-0 win for the Campbell College,
Belfast 3rdxv team
Later that evening two Foyle and Londonderry College teams played against the Ulster
U17 and Ulster U18 Clubs’ teams at the Meadowbank Stadium in Magherafelt.
The Foyle College U16 team played against the Ulster Clubs’ U17 team in a closely
contested game. Despite building up a 14-12 lead by the break the Foyle College team
saw the Ulster Clubs’ U17 team put in an impressive 2 nd half performance and eventually
run out as 19-14 winners.
Adam Woods and Ryan Anthony scored the Foyle College U16 team tries with Thomas
Williamson adding the extras to both.
The Ulster U17 Clubs’ team scored their points through tries from Fiontan Bradley,
Lachlan Maguire and Dan Macabhaird. Darcy Clarke was successful with two of his
conversion kicks.
The Foyle and Londonderry College 1stxv team put in an impressive performance against
the Ulster Clubs’ U18 team and won the game by 14-0. James McKillop and Robbie
Patterson scored one try apiece with Adam Killeen adding the conversions to both tries.
At the end of their warm weather training camp in Portugal, the Methodist College,
Belfast team played the Portugal Rugby Football Union National U20 team.
The Portugal U20 team won the entertaining game by 34-17. The Methodist College,
Belfast points came through tries from Lewis Doherty, Ryan Kidd and Oliver Neill.
David Armstrong was successful with one of the conversion kicks.
On Tuesday 20 th December Royal Belfast Academical Institution 2ndxv played Belfast
Royal Academy 2ndxv in their previously postponed 3 rd Round game in the Danske Bank
Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution 2ndxv team won the game, superbly refereed
by Chris Busby, by 47-19.
On Wednesday 21 st December Lurgan College hosted Limavady Grammar School in their
final previously postponed Group A Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Group game.
The game, which was played in front of a good crowd of enthusiastic supporters, was
won by the Limavady Grammar School with a score line of 32-7.
The Lurgan College points were scored through a Peter Bird try which was converted by
Daniel Parker.
The Limavady Grammar School team scored five tries during the game. Matthew
Armstrong scored two tries as did Ben Nutt. Joe Caldwell dotted down for the fifth
Limavady Grammar School try. Benjamin Howe weighed in with two successful
conversions as well as a penalty goal.
This bonus point victory ensures that Limavady Grammar School have secured top spot
in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group A. As winners of Group A the Limavady
Grammar School team will now travel to play Coleraine Grammar School in the Danske
Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round of 16 game on/before Saturday 28 th January 2023.
Danske Bank Schools' Cup Round of 16
Ballymena Academy v Campbell College, Belfast
Dromore High School v Down High School
Royal School, Dungannon v Ballyclare High School
Coleraine Grammar School v Limavady Grammar School
Sullivan Upper School v Royal School, Armagh
Belfast Royal Academy v Methodist College, Belfast
Wallace High School v Best Group Stage Runner Up
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School v Royal Belfast Academical Institution
All fixtures must be played on or before Sat 28th January 2023.
On the same day Ballymena Academy 2ndxv played Royal School, Armagh 2ndxv in their
previously postponed 3 rd Round game in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup.
The young Ballymena Academy 2ndxv team defeated the more experienced Royal
School, Armagh 2ndxv team by 24-14.
On Thursday 22 nd December Wallace High School played Sullivan Upper School in a
game where both teams used extended squads.
This game, which the Sullivan Upper School team won by 12-0, proved to be a very
useful exercise in giving all the players involved positive game time.
Nathan Noble scored a try for the Sullivan Upper School team, which was converted by
Harry McKeown. Harry then secured the 12-0 victory for his team when he touched
down for an unconverted try.
