Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 26th October 2024.
On Monday 21st October Ballymena Academy and Campbell College, Belfast provided the opposition for Ulster Clubs’ U17 and U18 teams at the Meadowbank Stadium in Magherafelt.
In the U17 game the Ulster Clubs’ team defeated the Ballymena Academy U16 team by 13-12.
The Ulster Clubs’ points came through two unconverted tries from Ayrton Pienaar and Milo Stafford with Milo adding two penalty goals.
The Ballymena Academy U16 team scored two tries through Oliver Shaw and Zak Topping with Nathan Glenn adding the extras to one of the tries.
In the U18 game the Campbell College, Belfast U17 team won by 28-17.
The Ulster Clubs’ team scored three tries through Jack Robinson, Harry Smyth and Charlie Brown with Jack adding one successful conversion kick.
The Campbell College, Belfast team scored four tries through Henry Costello, with a brace, Laith Hanash and Oli Armstrong. Matty Thompson was successful with all four of his conversion kicks.
On Wednesday 23rd October the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup took place at the Kingspan Stadium when Methodist College, Belfast played Campbell College, Belfast in front of a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
This game turned out to be a ten try thriller from which the Campbell College, Belfast team emerged as 35-29 winners.
The Methodist College, Belfast points came through tries from their impressive captain, Harry Doherty, with two, Michael Melo, with two and Cillian Hall. Rhys Johnston was accurate with two conversion kicks off the tee.
The Campbell College, Belfast team scored their tries through their powerhouse prop, Conor McKinney, with a brace, Jacob Marshall, with a brace and their nippy scrum half, Oliver Larkin. Sam Bowen added three successful conversions with Isaac Hatch adding two.
Following the no side whistle, Laurence Rocke, President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU, accompanied by the Danske Bank Head of Marketing and Communication, Simon Lyttle, presented the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup to the captain of the victorious Campbell College, Belfast team, Dylan Armstrong, along with the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup Finalist medals to members of both squads.
Laurence congratulated both teams, and their coaches, for making it through to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup final, thanked the parents/guardians of the players for their support in the course of the season so farand thanked the referee, Henry Richmond, and his assistants, John Adams, Gary Treanor and David Fergie, for the way in which they controlled the game. Laurence then finished proceedings by thanking the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of Ulster Schools’ Rugby-now in its 20th season.
On the same afternoon, three Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games took place.
In Group A, Regent House School played Down High School under the floodlights at CIYMS Rugby Club.
This game, which Regent House School won by 39-21, attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters who added considerably to the atmosphere.
The Regent House School team points came through tries from Matthew Callaghan, who ran in for a hattrick, Ewan Baker, Ethan Spratt, Toby McSorley and Daniel Moore. Josh Colville added two successful conversion kicks.
The Down High School team scored three tries through Scott Mitchell, Lewis Connolly and Alex Watson with Josh McCaughey converting all three tries.
Both teams, aa well as their coaches and supporters, would like to thank CIYMS RFC for hosting the game and provision of facilities.
In Group D, Omagh Academy played Dalriada School at the Campsie Playing Fields.
Again, a large crowd of supporters had gathered to watch the game which Dalriada won by 42-7.
The young Omagh team worked hard throughout the game with players such as Harry McIlwaine, Philip Crawford, Sam Harper and Jack Adams leading the way. The Omagh Academy team was rewarded for their endeavours when Harry McIlwaine scored the Omagh Academy try which was converted by Sam Harper.
The Dalriada School team scored six tries through Angus Graham, Archie Graham, Issac Moore, with two, Daniel Gibson and Joe Lynas. Alfie King added the extras to four tries with Chris Finney converting the other two tries.
In the same group, Royal School, Dungannon hosted Banbridge Academy on the WK Armstrong Pitch at the Royal School in a very closely contested game the Banbridge Academy team won by 17-15 with almost the last play of the game.
The Royal School, Dungannon points came through tries from Blake Redmond and Josh Ferguson with Blake capping a fine personal performance with one conversion as well one successful penalty kick.
The Banbridge Academy points came through tries from Ryan Hanna, Noah Bell and Myles Mawson with Andrew Jackson adding one conversion.
Grosvenor Grammar School prepared for their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Group Stage game by undertaking a two-match tour to Valencia.
At the same time Larne Grammar School took the opportunity to travel to Portugal where they played two games.
In their first game against the Agronomia RFC U18 team, the Larne Grammar School team recorded a 36-19 victory.
Jonny Dallas, Ethan Duncan, with two, and Thomas Patton, with two, were the Larne Grammar School try scorers. Ethan capped off a fine personal performance with four successful conversions as well as one penalty kick.
In the second game of the Larne Grammar School tour to Portugal, the team played against the RC Montemor U18 team in a game the Larne Grammar School team won by 63-0.
Ethan Duncan scored four tries and hit all nine conversions to finish the game with a grand total of 38 points. The remaining Larne Grammar School tries were scored by Jonny Dallas, with two, Thomas Patton, with two, and Joel Farquhar.
One 1stxv friendly game took place on Wednesday 23rd October when Sullivan Upper School entertained Wallace High School in a game the Wallace High School team won the game by 22-7.
The Sullivan Upper School points came through a try from Nathan Noble which was converted by Hamish Johnston.
For the Wallace High School team, Michael McCavery, Daniel Wilson, Rio McDonagh and Ollie Fitzsimmons each scored one try to which Luke Dillon added one conversion.
On Saturday 26th October, the remaining first round games in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage competition took place.
In Group A, Ballyclare High School hosted Lurgan College in a game that saw Kyle McCallen, Principal of Lurgan College, return to his Alma Mater.
The Ballyclare High School team won the game by 33-5 scoring five tries in the process.
First half tries from Paddy McCleary and Zach Thompson, both converted by James Woodside, gave the Ballyclare High School team a 14-0 lead at the interval.
An Andrew Cooper try, converted by James Woodside, early in the second half, extended that lead to 21-0.
The Lurgan College team responded positively and, on the back of good work from Ben Maxwell, Andrew Bird and Pedro Melo, Daniel Wilson ran in for an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to 21-5.
However, close to the end of the game, tries from Josh McColgan and Luke Beattie, with one conversion from James Woodside, secured the 33-5 win for the Ballyclare High School team.
In Group B, Bangor Grammar School played Rainey Endowed School in a game the Rainey Endowed School team recorded a 40-0 win.
The Rainey Endowed School team scored six tries through Eoin McGuckin, Ross Nugent, Ben Bell, Lorcan McLarnon, Andrew Lipscomb and Max Allen. Owen O’Kane was successful with five of his conversion kicks.
The scheduled game involving Grosvenor Grammar School and Dromore High School saw Dromore High School emerge with 40-0/five bonus points result.
In Group C, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Coleraine Grammar School in a high scoring game the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team won by 38-22.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team started the game strongly and had built up a 24-0 lead by the interval with tries from Seamus Greene, Robbie McItwrath, Alfie Savage and Paul Curry. Sam Paton was successful with two conversion kicks.
A Toby Newman try, converted by Sam Paton, shortly after the restart, increased the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School lead to 31-0.
The Coleraine Grammar School team reduced the deficit to 31-7 when Luke McMillan touched down for a try, converted by Joshua Hawe.
Robbie McIlwrath then scored his second try of the game, which Sam Paton converted, to increase the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School lead top 38-7.
However, the Coleraine Grammar School team finished the game with a flurry.
Three unconverted tries from Luke McMillan, Lewis Marshall and Noah Beggs secured a losing bonus point for the Coleraine Grammar School team with the final scoreboard reading Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 38 Coleraine Grammar School 22.
Meanwhile, Foyle and Londonderry College entertained Bangor Academy in a game that saw the Foyle College team record a six try, bonus point win.
Thomas Williamson and Marcus Smith scored two tries each with Thomas Nelis and William Gamble each scoring one try. Thomas Williamson capped a fine personal performance with five successful conversion kicks.
The Bangor Academy team added a lot to the game and, in particular, with the performances of their backrow trio of Ben Pyam, Frankie Forbes and Steven Boyd.
In Group E, Cambridge House Grammar School played Royal School, Armagh in a game which saw the Royal School, Armagh team record a 40-0 bonus point win.
Harry Dougan, Cameron Cummings, Reuben Campbell, Ryan Hamilton, Zakir Majid and Thomas Dougan scored the Royal School, Armagh tries with Evan Hughes and Adam Alexander adding the conversions.
In Group F, Belfast Royal Academy hosted Portadown College and recorded a convincing 47-7 victory.
Evan Lemon, Aaron Caldwell, Max McKitterick, Ollie Cox, Elias Agbonkpolar, Luke Houston and Hadwyn Hughes scored the Belfast Royal Academy tries with Connor McVicker adding the conversions.
Danny Guy touched down for a late Portadown College try to which he added the conversion.
Friends’ School, Lisburn played Antrim Grammar School and came away from the game with a 29-7 victory.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn team scored a bonus point win with tries from Rylan Murphy, Ethan Salt, Calum Millar, Joel Collins and Gethin Mageean. Ross Glover added two successful conversion kicks.
The Antrim Grammar School team scored their consolation try, through the impressive Jonah Woolley, which was converted by Isaac Lynn.
Coming up to the half term break, the Ballymena Academy Senior squad took the opportunity to travel to Johnstown House in Enfield where a training camp, involving a number of internal games, was held.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution travelled to Dublin 4 where they played Blackrock College in a game the Blackrock College team won by 38-19.
The Blackrock College team scored five tries through Aidan Vetjens, with two, Marcus Cullen, Alex Doorley and Johnny O’Sullivan. Paddy Clancy was successful with all five of his conversions as well as one penalty.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution points came through tries from Blake McClean, George Craigan and Andrew Purcell. Charlie O’Connor added two successful conversion kicks.
