Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 24th October 2015
There were three midweek fixtures played on Wednesday 21st October in the lead up to a reasonably full list of fixtures on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th October.
Wallace High School hosted Ballyclare High School in a game the Wallace High School team won by 31-0. Despite repeated requests for information no report was received on this game.
Banbridge Academy travelled to Dublin to play their annual fixture against the Dublin Catholic University School. In what was probably their best performance of the current season the Banbridge Academy team lost the closely contested game by 13-12. The Dublin CUS team scored an unconverted try in the first half, as well a penalty, to take an 8-0 lead into the half time break.
That lead was extended to 13-0 when the Dublin CUS team scored their second unconverted try of the game five minutes after the restart. Midway through the second period of play the Banbridge outhalf, Ben Thompson, scored a fine individual try. Ben added the conversion to reduce the arrears to 13-7. Seven minutes from the end of the game the Banbridge Academy hooker, Timmy Beattie, scored an unconverted try following some excellent work from his pack. With the scoreline now reduced to 13-12 in favour of the Dublin CUS team the Banbridge Academy team scented victory. However, despite the best efforts of players such as John Wilson, Ben Thompson and Jonny Russell they could not find a way through the CUS defence and it was the Dublin team that celebrated their close victory at the end of the game.
Bangor Grammar School hosted Campbell College, Belfast in a game from which the Campbell College team returned home as 36-7 winners. The Bangor Grammar School team played into the wind in the first half and held the upper hand in the opening exchanges. The Bangor GS took a 7-0 lead when Charlie Blair made the most of a loose Campbell College pass and intercepted the ball to run in for a converted try. Following this bright start to the game the Bangor GS team was unable to build on it. They displayed a lack of accuracy in key areas of the pitch which allowed the Campbell College team back into the game. Campbell scored three first half tries through Jonny Haldane, who touched down twice, with one try from Ryan Meharg. These scores all came from first phase plays. Two of the tries were converted by Malcolm Corrie, to give the Campbell College team a 19-7 at the break.
The second half saw the Campbell College team score three more tries. James Nelson scored one try with Jamie McCartney touching down twice. Malcolm Corrie added one more conversion to secure the 36-7 victory for the Campbell College team.
The Ballyclare High School Medallion squad travelled to Portugal to play against an Argronomia Regional U16 team. In a closely contested game the Ballyclare High School Medallion team lost by 12-7. The squad then went on to participate in an U16 Blitz Tournament where they lost 12-5 against Direito and, in a 3rd/4th place play-off against Argronomia, once again the score was 12-7 in favour of the local team.
Rainey Old Boys’ Rugby Club was the venue for the game featuring Rainey Endowed School and Limavady Grammar School on Friday 23rd October. The game, which the Rainey Endowed team won by 32-0, was played under floodlights and attracted an enthusiastic group of supporters for both teams. The Rainey Endowed School team had to work hard in the opening exchanges but built up a first half lead of 8-0 with a try from Richard Winder and a penalty from Lorcan Quinn.
The second half saw the Rainey Endowed team dominate the game for long periods of time. They scored four more tries through Cameron Stewart, Lorcan Quinn, Neal Hastings and Matthew Smyth. Lorcan Quinn added two conversions to ensure the 32-0 victory for the Rainey Endowed School team.
Both teams, as well as their coaches and supporters, would like to thank the Rainey Old Boys’ RFC for the provision of their excellent facilities and for hosting this game.
On Saturday 24th October Lurgan College hosted a Down High School team that won the game by 44-7. The Down High School had taken a 10-0 by the end of a scrappy first half which saw both teams struggle to come to terms with the difficult conditions. Paddy Browne kicked a penalty to put the Down HS team into a 3-0 lead. Paddy then took advantage of good work from Robin Wilson, following a driven maul, to run in for a try. He converted the try to put the Down HS team into a 10-0 lead, a lead they held until the break.
The Down HS team displayed greater composure in the second half. The Lurgan College team was on the attack in the early stages of the second half but a stray pass was intercepted by Marcus Graham who outpaced the Lurgan defence to score a try. Paddy Browne converted the try to increase the Down High School lead to 17-0. A penalty from Paddy Browne increased that lead to 20-0 before Zac Ward dummied his way over the Lurgan College line to score a try. Paddy Browne added the conversion to increase the Down HS lead to 27-0. Zac was soon on the end of some good work from Harry Hitchens to score his second try of the game. Another successful conversion from Paddy Browne increased the Down High School lead to 34-0. Lurgan College then got some reward for their endeavours when Ryan Emerson was sent away for a try in the corner following some positive play from Harry Simpson, Lewis Lawson, Richie Hull and Robbie Norton. Jamie Patterson converted the try to reduce the arrears to 34-7. However, two more unconverted tries from Down High School sealed the 44-7 victory for the visitors. Robin Wilson spotted a gap to stretch out and score the first and then the “try of the day” came from Marcus Graham. A Lurgan College attack was turned over in the Down High School 22m area. The ball was released to players in space, transferred through eight sets of hands and finished off by Marcus Graham in the corner.
Coleraine Grammar School hosted Banbridge Academy in a game the Coleraine team won by 22-0. The Coleraine team took an early 7-0 lead when Hugo Mawhinney ran in for a try which was converted by Calum Smith. Ten minutes later the Coleraine GS lead increased to 12-0 when Gabriel Mawhinney touched down for an unconverted try. There were no further scores in the course of the first half.
The Banbridge team found themselves in a defensive role for long periods in the second half and they worked hard to frustrate the Coleraine GS attack. However, there was little they could do to prevent the Coleraine Grammar School running in two unconverted tries through Ryan Gillan and Matthew Norris. These scores secured the 22-0 win for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
For the Coleraine team Year 12 players, Hugo Mawhinney and Andrew White stood out with their performances while Ethan Cromie and Jonny McIntosh impressed with their performances for the Banbridge Academy team.
Friends’ School, Lisburn, following two recent losses, got back to winning ways with a 46-25 victory against Belfast High School. The Friends’ School team made their intentions clear from the start of the game. Shortly after the kick-off George Pringle was put away to score an unconverted try and give his team a 5-0 lead. The Belfast High School team responded immediately and converted a penalty opportunity to reduce the Friends’ School lead to 5-3. Strong running from Ross Gillespie, following a clever off load from Curtis Dundas, finished with an unconverted try for the Friends’ School team to take a 10-3 lead. Belfast High School responded when a series of plays, involving both forwards and backs, finished with an unconverted try in the corner. This try reduced the deficit to 10-8. Curtis Dundas showed great strength and pace to touch down for an unconverted try in the corner and increase the Friends’ School lead to 15-8. Then Adam Scofield took advantage of strong play from his forwards, following a lineout, to run in for another unconverted try and increase the Friends’ School lead to 20-8. Just before the interval the Belfast High School team reduced the arrears to 20-11 when they converted a penalty opportunity.
Bradley Mulholland, making a welcome return to the Friends’ School team following a recent lay-off, made a significant impact when he came on as a replacement player in the second half. Great vision from George Pringle sent Bradley away for a try, which was converted by Ross Gillespie, to increase the Friends’ School lead to 27-11. Curtis Dundas then made a telling midfield break which was finished off by Tom Le Selleur with a try under the posts. Ross Gillespie added the conversion and the Friends’ School team now had a 34-11 lead. This became 34-18 when the Belfast High School team scored a converted try. The Friends’ School team responded with a break from Bradley Mulholland which was finished off by Curtis Dundas when he touched down over the line. Ross Gillespie added the extras to put the Friends’ School team into a 41-18 lead. Once again, the Belfast High School team displayed great character and they entered into the “try fest” with a converted try to leave the scoreboard reading 41-25 in favour of the home team. The final score of this entertaining game came when George Pringle and Bradley Mulholland combined to put Bradley away for his second try of the game. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Friends’ School team had got back to winning ways with their 46-25 victory at the end of the game.
Grosvenor Grammar School continued their recent run of good form with a 25-5 victory against Portadown College. The Grosvenor GS team went on the attack from the kick off. They got an early 7-0 lead when James Cartlidge crashed over the Portadown line to score a try which Jonah McDowell converted. This became 10-0 a short time later when Jonah was successful with a penalty kick. The Portadown College team then recovered from their slow start and took advantage of some slack Grosvenor GS play. Michael Orr spotted a gap in the Grosvenor defence and finished off with an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to 10-5 at half time.
The Portadown College team controlled the game in the opening stages of the second half but could find no way through for a score. Against the run of play Ben Davison pounced on a kick through from Mark Johnston to run in for an unconverted try and increase the Grosvenor GS lead to 15-5. The Grosvenor GS then started to become more accurate in their execution of the basic handling skills. Good handling from his inside backs put Ethan Fitzsimmons in for an unconverted try, his first of the season for the 1stxv, to increase the Grosvenor Grammar School lead to 20-5. Their 25-5 victory was secured when Jack Kennedy finished off a sniping run from the base of a ruck to touch down for an unconverted try.
Omagh Academy travelled to play Royal School, Armagh determined to maintain their unbeaten run of results against schools from Ulster. They did manage to maintain their impressive start to the season when they came away with a 17-5 victory. The RS Armagh team was in the ascendancy in the opening exchanges of the game but could find no way through a resolute Omagh Academy defence. The Omagh pack started to grow into the game and became dominant at set piece time. Their half backs, Danny Ritchie and Kyle Beattie, took advantage of this with some astute territorial kicking to put the home defence under pressure. From a lineout deep inside the RS Armagh 22m area, following a penalty, the Omagh pack displayed great discipline before their captain, Matthew Clyde, touched down for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. The Academy pack remained on top for the remainder of the half but could only manage one more try. Once again, it was that man, Matthew Clyde, who forced his way over the RS Armagh line to touch down for a try, this time from the base of the scrum. The conversion was missed but the Omagh Academy had built up a 10-0 lead by the interval.
The second half saw both teams make a lot of basic errors which prevented any real continuity to the game. The RS Armagh team did manage to turn an Omagh ball over and William Hazelton touched down for an unconverted try to reduce the arrears to 10-5. Luke Hanson, Deane Kane, Nathan Sides, Jonny Anderson and Matthew Clyde got through a lot of work in both attack and defence for the Omagh Academy team. It was Nathan Sides who secured the 17-5 victory for Omagh Academy with a try, which Kyle Beattie converted, in the closing stages of the game.
In a disjointed game involving Portora Royal School and Foyle and Londonderry College, the Portora Royal team emerged as 12-0 winners. Connor Keys scored their first try of the game when he ran a great line from his centre position to touch down for a try. Reece Smyton converted the try to give the Portora RS team a 7-0 lead, a lead they held until half time.
The second half saw the return, post injury, of Robert Balacoune , their Ulster U19 winger. Robert was instrumental in creating the opportunity for Angus Keys to score the unconverted try that secured the 12-0 win for the Portora Royal School team. Robert fielded a kick deep in his half and was successful with his counter attack strategy. A clever off-load to Angus Keys gave Angus the space to finish the move off with the unconverted try.
Royal School, Dungannon hosted Belfast Royal Academy in a game the Dungannon team won by 10-7. In a closely contested first half both teams had opportunities to points on the board but neither team succeeded. That was until the latter stages of the first half when Joseph Cashel touched down for a try following a sustained period of RS Dungannon pressure. The conversion kick was missed but it was the home team that took a 5-0 lead into the break.
Early in the second half that lead was extended to 10-0 when a clever box kick from Adam Evans was gathered by Angus Monk who finished off with an unconverted try. Midway through the second period Belfast Royal Academy got themselves back into the game. A quickly taken penalty, and good awareness from the players involved, finished with a converted try and the scoreboard now reading 10-7. The Belfast Royal Academy team launched a series of all-out attacks in the final quarter of the game. However, the Royal School, Dungannon team held on for their 10-7 win.
The “Match of the Day” was played on the Pirrie Park Paddock Pitch where Methodist College, Belfast played their close rivals from Royal Belfast Academical Institution. Played in cool conditions, in front of a big crowd of supporters, it was the Belfast Inst team that emerged as 8=7 winners after a closely contested encounter. The Belfast Inst team started the game strongly with Michael Lowry and James Hume asking questions of the home defence. However, the Methody defence was in no mood to give anything away. The Belfast Inst team spurned a number of penalty opportunities and it looked as if the first half was going to remain scoreless. However, on the stroke of halftime , Mark Keane, playing on the wing for the Belfast Inst team, scored an unconverted try to put his team into a 5-0 lead at the interval.
The second half saw the Methodist College team dominate the games in terms of both territory and possession for long periods of time. Ten minutes from the end of the game some excellent back play was finished off by Kane Doherty when he scored a try for the MCB team. Jonny Jordan added the conversion to give the Methodist College team a 7-5 lead. The Belfast Inst team rallied and a break from scrum half, Rhys O’Donnell, led to a penalty awarded against the Methody team. James Hume stepped up to coolly convert the penalty which ensured it was the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team that recorded an 8-7 win at the end of the game.
The Sullivan Upper team was missing a number of regular players when they hosted St Munchin’s College from Limerick in a cross-provincial fixture. The Sullivan Upper team put on what was probably their best performance of the season and recorded a 33-26 victory. They scored five tries through Rory Jemphrey, Rory Kilpatrick, Ruari Meharg, Andy Weir and Peter Baker. Rory Kilpatrick was successful with four conversion kicks.
The National Age Grade U18 and U19 Camps are scheduled to take place at Rockwell College in Cashel over the half term break. A number of Ulster Schools’ players were selected to attend these camps. At U19 level Anton Lupari, Marcus Rea, Jonny McKeown, Zac Jordan, Josh Jordan and Robert Balacoune were selected with Calum Reid, Alexander Clarke, Tom O’Toole, Matthew Dalton, Jonny Stewart, James Hume and Chris Jordan selected to attend the U18 Camp.
