Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 25th November 2023.
On Monday 20th November the Belfast Royal Academy 2ndxv team played the Ulster Clubs’ U18 team at the Meadowbank Stadium in Magherafelt.
Following an entertaining game, which both sets of players thoroughly enjoyed playing on the 3G surface, the Ulster Clubs’ U18 team emerged as 29-5 winners.
Tyrese Dunlop, Ballymena RFC, scored two tries for the Ulster Clubs’ team, with James Orr, Ballymena RFC, Lorcan McLarnon, Rainey RFC and Lorcan Caffrey, Virginia RFC, each scoring one try. James Orr added two successful conversions.
The young Belfast Royal Academy 2ndxv gave a good account of themselves throughout the game and got some reward for their endeavours when Hadwyn Hughes ran in for an unconverted try.
The previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage A game, featuring Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and Royal School, Armagh, was played on Wednesday 22nd November.
Following a closely contested encounter it was the Royal School, Armagh team that took control of the Group A standings with a hard-earned, but well deserved, 25-17 victory.
Cameron Smith scored two tries for the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team with James Trotter adding the extras to both tries. James was also successful with one penalty kick.
The Royal School, Armagh team scored three tries through Tom Nicholson, Harry Dougan and Cameron Cummings. Evan Hughes was successful with two conversions as well as two penalty kicks.
This hard-earned victory puts the Royal School, Armagh team in a commanding position at the top of Group A of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games with nine points and one game remaining.
On the same afternoon one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 game took place as well as two Round 1 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup games.
In the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd xv Cup Friends’ School, Lisburn 2ndxv hosted the Bangor Academy 1stxv.
This was another close encounter with the Friends’ School, Lisburn team emerging as 22-17 winners.
In the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Methodist College, Belfast 5thxv hosted the Royal School, Armagh 4thxv in a game the Royal School, Armagh 4thxv won by 31-19.
On the same afternoon, Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock hosted the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv and won the game by 22-15.
One 1stxv friendly game took place on Wednesday 22nd when Coleraine Grammar School hosted Royal School, Dungannon in a high scoring game the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 43-22.
The Coleraine Grammar School team scored four tries through James McMillan, who touched down twice, Jack McCartney and Joel Madden. Jordan McAuley added one successful conversion.
On the back of excellent performances from players such as Matthew Wallace and Ethan Burke, the Royal School, Dungannon team ran in six tries. Jacob McNutt, Sam Dougherty, Mark Patterson, Calum Crooks, Matthew Smith and Ethan Burke scored the tries to which Jack Evans added five conversions as well as one successful penalty kick.
Wellington College, Belfast recently played out a very close encounter with a Royal Belfast Academical “Senior Select” xv which the Belfast Inst team won by 19-12 with the last play of the game.
Max Downing and Leon Sardia each scored a try for the Wellington College, Belfast team with Ethan Whyte adding one conversion.
Cameron McCracken was the hero of the hour for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team with his last play of the game try scoring exploits.
On Thursday 23rd November Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv hosted Campbell College, Belfast 4thxv in the first round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup.
At the end of this very closely contested game the final scoreboard read Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv 21 Campbell College, Belfast 4thxv 19.
On the same afternoon, Bangor Grammar School hosted Friends’ School, Lisburn in a 1stxv friendly game. which the Friends’ School, Lisburn team won by 31-7.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn team lead by 17-0 at the break and went into the final stages of the 31-0 ahead before the Bangor Grammar School team got some reward for their endeavours throughout the game when Oliver Rudd ran in for a try, which was converted by Adam Bickerstaff.
The Friends’ School team scored three first half tries through Conor Harvey, Ryley Murphy and Samuel Dillon. Harry Moore added the conversion to one of the tries.
The Friends’ School team continued in the second half where they left off in the first half. Conor Harvey ran in for his second try of the game with Paddy Donaghey touching down for another Friends’ School try. Harry Moore added the conversions to both these tries.
On Friday 24th November three 1stxv friendly games were played.
Ballymena Academy hosted Kirkham Grammar School from Lancashire in a game the Kirkham Grammar School team eventually won by 27-12.
The Ballymena Academy team had built up a 12-10 lead by the break with tries from Sean McKay and Callum Mustoe, one of which was converted by Robbie Coleman.
The Kirkham Grammar School team scored two unconverted tries, in the first half, with Sebbi Krippner and Jack Austin awarded the touchdowns.
The Kirkham Grammar School team took a 17-12 lead, early in the second half, when Monty Loggenberg ran in for a try, which was converted by Rhyse Hulse.
The game was evenly matched until the final few minutes on the game. A Rhyse Hulse penalty, closely followed by an Ollie Cooke try, converted by Rhyse Hulse, then secured the hard-earned 27-12 victory for the Kirkham Grammar School team at the no-side whistle.
Banbridge Academy played Grosvenor Grammar School in an evening game at Rifle Park, home of Banbridge RFC. Both teams used this fixture as an opportunity to play an extended number of senior players.
The Banbridge Academy team won the game by 54-14 scoring eight tries in the course of the game.
Fergus Alway scored two tries with Joey Mackrell, Peter Lewis, Elijah Dempsey, Daniel Hutchinson, Noah Bell and Andrew Jackson scoring one try apiece. Jonny McCrum was successful with five conversion kicks while Harry Wan added the extras to two of the Banbridge Academy tries.
The Grosvenor Grammar School team scored two tries through Stefan Buick and Noah Price with Ross Millar adding both conversions.
Both teams would like to thank Banbridge RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Glenstal Abbey from Limerick and emerged from a very closely contested encounter as 12-7 winners.
Robbie Patterson and Thomas Williamson scored the Foyle College tries with Darwyn Nutt adding one successful conversion.
The Glenstal Abbey points came through a try from Sean Roche which was converted by Ben Tucker.
Both schools played a fixture at Medallion/JCT level which the Foyle and Londonderry College team won by 41-15.
On Saturday 25th November one Round 1 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup game was to have taken place when Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv was scheduled to play Limavady Grammar School 3rdxv.
The eventual outcome of this game is that the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv progress to the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup.
Quite a number of 1stxv friendly games took place on Saturday 25th November.
Ballyclare High School played Dalriada School in a game the Dalriada School team won by 29-12.
Ballyclare High School scored two tries through Danny Graham and Josh McColgan with Harry Thompson adding one successful conversion.
The Dalriada School team scored five tries in the course of the game, with the fifth try coming at the end of the last play of the game.
Ben Kirk, Ben Stewart, Matthew Fox and Zach McIlhagga, with two, were the try scorers with Paddy Cramsie adding two successful conversions.
Cambridge House Grammar School played Dromore High School and won the game convincingly by 53-7.
The Cambridge House Grammar School team scored nine tries with Paddy Roberts, Danny Hill and Scott Steele each scoring two tries and Justin Mark, Cameron Curry and Kyle Wakefield scoring one try apiece. Paddy Roberts completed a fine all-round performance with four successful conversion kicks.
The Dromore High School points came through a try from Joel Johnston which was converted by Luke Dillon.
Down High School played Portadown College at Ballymacarn Park, home of Ballynahinch RFC.
This turned out to a very high scoring encounter which the Down High School team won by 40-31.
The Down High School team scored six tries through Ryan Halpin, Alex Carville, Lewis Connolly, Josh McCaughey, Ben Cassidy and Matthew Douglas. Josh McCaughey added the extras to five of the Down High School tries.
The Portadown College team scored five tries with Tom Neill claiming a hattrick and Jack Todd and Jamie Jackson touching down for one try each. Danny Guy added three successful conversion kicks.
Both teams would like to thank Ballynahinch RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
Methodist College, Belfast played Wallace High School and won the very closely contested game by 14-12.
Jack Tindal and Joe Thompson each scored a try for the Methodist College team with Jack adding both conversions.
The Wallace High School team scored two tries through Quinn Armstrong and Harry Lightbody with Lewis Stevenson adding one successful conversion.
Omagh Academy played Rainey Endowed School in a high scoring encounter the Rainey Endowed School team won by 50-15.
The young Omagh Academy team added considerably to the game and got rewarded for their hard work when Jamie Mitchell and Gareth Short each touched down for a try to which Sam Busby added one conversion as well as one penalty kick.
Tom Pitts scored two tries for the Rainey Endowed School team with Owen O’Kane, George Stone, Charlie McConville, Jack Downey, Joel Clarke and Ben Bell each running in for one try. Owen O’Kane was successful with five of his conversion kicks.
Regent House School played Belfast Royal Academy and made the Belfast Royal Academy team work hard for their eventual 34-24 victory.
The Regent House School team controlled both territory and possession and, forty-five minutes in the game, had built up a 24-5 lead.
However, all credit to the Belfast Royal Academy team who scored five tries, alongside two conversions, in the final third of the game.
Matthew McBride, with a brace, Hayden Hamilton and Tom Bell scored the Regent House tries with Evan McGonigle adding two successful conversions.
The Belfast Royal Academy team scored six tries through Ethan Pavlovic, Aaron Brolly, Max McKitterick, James Murray, Ryan Calwel and Alex French. Frank Davis added five successful conversion kicks.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution entertained Royal School, Armagh and won the game by 41-6.
Alex Place, Ben McCausland, Frazer Cunningham, James Clark, with two, Zak Molyneaux and Regan Lath Amou scored the Royal Belfast Academical Institution tries to which Alex Place added three successful conversions.
The Royal School, Armagh points came through two penalty kicks from Evan Hughes.
As well as playing a range of fixtures against teams from Royal School, Armagh Royal Belfast Academical Institution put out a “Senior Select” xv against Lurgan College.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team won this game by 28-0 with tries from Jacob Dowie, Luke Nelson, Jacob Boal and Jonah Park. Jamie Beattie was successful with all four conversions.
Despite losing the game players such as Daniel Wilson, Ben Maxwell, Pedro Melo and Tom Stevenson impressed with their performances for the Lurgan College team.
Following the completion of the Round 1 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield games, the draw took place for the Round 2 games at Dromore High School.
The results of the draw are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2
1/ Dalriada School v Belfast High School
2/Limavady Grammar School v Ballyclare Secondary School
3/Cambridge House Grammar School v Foyle and Londonderry College
4/Regent House School v Dromore High School
5/Larne Grammar School v Royal School, Dungannon
6/Grosvenor Grammar School v Bangor Academy
7/Portadown College v Lurgan College
8/Banbridge Academy v Antrim Grammar School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 2nd Round games MUST be completed on/before Saturday 2nd December 2023.
