To follow INTOUCH RUGBY on Facebook CLICK HERE to Follow InTouch Schools & Clubs Rugby in Ulster & Lifestyle Specials page on Facebook CLICK HERE for TWITTER CLICK HERE
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 24th March 2018
The annual O’Kane U14 Tournament took place at Ballymena Academy with many young players from a variety of schools enjoying the occasion. The O’Kane U14 Plate was won by Dromore High School while Ballymena Academy defeated Sullivan Upper School to win the O’Kane Trophy.
The annual NEBSSA U13 Rugby Tournament took place with Coleraine Grammar School defeating the Ballymena Academy team in a closely contested final.
Royal School, Armagh met Campbell College, Belfast in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup on Monday 19th March. Campbell College, Belfast won the hard fought game against Royal School Armagh by 19-13. Campbell won through their excellent defensive display and that was clear from the start as they repeatedly held out waves of Armagh attacks early on. Armagh had the first shot at points when Zac Thompson missed a penalty before Campbell took the lead on half-time when scrum half Dara Gaskin spotted a gap and dived over the line for an unconverted try to take a 5-0 lead into the interval. .
Their Royal School, Armagh opponents struck back two minutes into the second half when Zac Thompson kicked a penalty after some great running from centre, Matthew Reaney, to reduce their deficit to 5-3. Campbell College full back, Conor Rankin scored Campbell’s second try when Dara Gaskin charged down a kick from Romain Morrow and the full back raced onto the loose ball and took it over for the try, which he converted. To give his team a 12-3 lead. Zac Thompson then converted another penalty for Armagh to make it a 12-6 one score game heading into the closing stages. Campbell College then seemed to have clinched it five minutes from time when winger, Will Davis, powered over under the posts for the try, which Conor Rankin converted, to extend the Campbell College lead to 19-6. Replacement scrum half, Ben Lavery, then scored a brilliant try for the RS Armagh team one minute time. Zac Thompson added the extras to see the scoreboard reading 19-13 going into the final minute of the game. Following the restart the Armagh team spilt the ball, the referee blew the no-side whistle and it was the Campbell College, Belfast team that celebrated their hard-earned but, ultimately well-deserved, 19-13 victory.
The Royal School Armagh
(1-8): Jack Chapman, Jack Treanor (Captain), Jonny Agnew, Archie McAlpine, Samuel King, Aaron Woods, Graham Crawford, Ryan O’Neill
(9-15): Alex Johnston, Romain Morrow, Nicholas Jennings, Matthew Reaney, Zac Thompson, Oliver Webb, Michael Campbell.
Replacements: Sam Rainey, Adam Edgar, Jude Roberts, Ryan Finlay, Josh King, Ben Lavery, Callum Whiteside, Peter Taylor.
Campbell College
(1-8): John McKee (Captain), Harry Jenkins, Patrick McAlpine, Oisin Kiernan, John Harrison, Jack Stinson, Sam Robinson, Tobi Olaniyan;
(9-15): Dara Gaskin, Oscar Yandall, Rex Tinsley, Ben Power, Jamie Macartney, Will Davis, Conor Rankin
Replacements: John Gildea, Matthew Carlisle, Matthew Poor, James Johnston, Jamie Brennan, Lucas Yandall, Harry Owens, Kieran Robertson.
On Tuesday 20th March Campbell College, Belfast 4th xv played Sullivan Upper 3rdxv in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate. Following an exciting game it was the Sullivan Upper School 3rdxv that emerged as 26-10 winners.
Following the game, former Ulster and Ireland full back, Philip Rainey, presented the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate finalists medals to the players from both teams and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate to the captain of the winning Sullivan Upper Schoolteam. Philip congratulated both teams on reaching the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate Final and providing such an exciting game of schoolboy rugby for the spectators to watch. He thanked the referee and his assistants for the positive manner in which they controlled the game, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of Ulster Schools’ Rugby and thanked the staff and officials at CIYMS RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate Final.
The pristine Pirrie Park Paddock Pitch was the venue for the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield Final when Down High School played Ballyclare High School on Wednesday 21st March. This high scoring final ended with the Ballyclare High School team winning the game by 34-28.The Ballyclare High School team had built up a 17-14 lead by half time with tries from Josh Young, Owen Lockhart and Ross Herron. Adam Clarke added one conversion. In response the Down High School points in the first half came from two Ronan Patterson tries both of which were converted by Greg Hutley.
The Ballyclare High School team scored three more tries in the second ahlf with Josh Young touching down for his second, Adam Campbell scoring one and Ross Patterson making the most of an intercept. Adam Clarke added one conversion. The Down High School points in the second half came through tries from Andrew McCoubrey and a third of the game from Ronan Patterson. Greg Hutley was successful with both conversions.
Following the game, former Ulster Branch President and member of the IRFU, Gerry Drennan, presented the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield finalists medals to the players from both teams and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield to the captain of the winning Ballyclare High School team, Josh Young. Gerry congratulated both teams on reaching the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield Final and providing such an exciting game of schoolboy rugby for the large crowd of spectators to watch. He thanked the referee and his assistants for the positive manner in which they controlled the game, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of Ulster Schools’ Rugby and thanked the Principal, Governors, Nick Wells and the staff at Methodist College, Belfast for the provision of facilities and hosting the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield Final.
On Saturday 24th March a Ballyclare High School/Ballyclare RFC combined U18 team hosted the Helensburgh RFC U18 squad in a 3×25 minute games session at Ballyclare RFC. This proved to be a most enjoyable game for all the players involved with the Ballyclare team winning the first game by 31-7, losing the second game by 10-5 and drawing the third game 5-5.
