Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 28th November 2015 by Barney McGonigle !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There were Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup matches, as well as two 1stxv friendly matches, played on Wednesday 25th November, in the lead up to a number of fixtures played on Saturday 28th November. A Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 1 replay took place on Thursday 26th November.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv defeated their Royal School, Armagh counterparts by 33-0. Meanwhile the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4th xv travelled to Ballymena Academy where they recorded a 45-0 victory in the same competition. Due to an injury crisis at St Columb’s College their game against Dalriada 3rdxv was forfeited with Dalriada progressing to the next round draw. St Columb’s College will have the opportunity for further games in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate competition.
Rainey Endowed School played Omagh Academy in a midweek game on the 4G pitch at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena with the Rainey Endowed team recording a 37-12 win. The Rainey team enjoyed territorial advantage, as well as possession, for large parts of the first half. They had built up a 25-3 lead by the break with two tries from Neal Hastings and one try each from Anton Lupari and Michael Lynn. Lorcan Quinn converted one of the tries and was successful with a penalty kick. The Omagh Academy points in the first half came from the trusty boot of Kris Beattie who hit a superb drop goal midway through the first period of play.
The second half saw a more evenly contested game but it was the Rainey team that extended their lead to 30-3 when Lorcan Quinn touched down for an unconverted try shortly after the restart. With pride on the line the Omagh team was desperate to salvage something from the game. Nathan Sides and Matthew Clyde started to get some front foot ball and it was not long before the Omagh team scored a try. Nathan Sides finished off some good work from his pack and scored a try, which Kris Beattie converted, to reduce the deficit to 30-10. Timmy McKeown and Glen McKinley came on as replacement players for the Omagh Academy team and impressed with their commitment and endeavour. However, there was little they could to prevent the Rainey back line from creating the opportunity for Michael Lynn to score his second try of the game. Lorcan Quinn was successful with the conversion kick to ensure it was the Rainey Endowed School team that celebrated their 37-10 victory after the final whistle.
Campbell College, Belfast hosted their near neighbours from Sullivan Upper under the floodlights at Belmont in a midweek game the Campbell College team won by 55-0. Campbell employed an all-out attacking strategy in the first half and had built up a 31-0 lead by half time. Ben Webb scored two tries with Paddy Beverland, Ryan Meharg and Jonny Haldane touching down for one try each. Jonny Haldane added three conversions.
The second half was played in a more structured manner by both teams. The Campbell College pack was ruling the set pieces and this provided the opportunity for their talented back division to create more difficulties for the Sullivan Upper defence. Ben Webb completed his hat trick with Nicholia Kopleskey, Jack Reid and Jack Barry-Glendinning each scoring one try. Jack was successful with two conversion kicks to ensure the 55-0 victory for the Campbell College team.
Both teams would like to thank CIYMS Rugby Football Club for the use of the fine facilities at Belmont and for hosting the game.
On Thursday 26th November Ballymena Academy 2ndxv travelled to Pirrie Park to play their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd xv Cup Round 1 reply game against Methodist College 2ndxv. Having drawn the first game 5-5 in Ballymena the Ballymena Academy team was under no illusion regarding the enormity of their task. However, following a great display of attacking rugby, the Ballymena Academy team returned home with a 20-0 victory under their belts.
On Saturday 28th November there was a certain amount of disruption to the scheduled fixtures because of the prevailing weather conditions and the fact some schools were hosting examinations. Despite these factors quite a number of games were played.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Royal School, Dungannon recorded an impressive 17-6 victory against Coleraine Grammar School.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Down High School defeated Ballyclare High School by 23-5.
Larne Grammar School defeated near neighbours, Carrickfergus Grammar School, by 27-0. Adam Maguire scored two tries for the Larne Grammar School team with John Hyndman and Barry McFaul scoring one try apiece. Barry McFaul also converted one penalty opportunity as well as two of the tries.
Coleraine Grammar School and Royal School, Dungannon also met at 1stxv level on Saturday 28th November. The Coleraine GS team won that game by 34-7. Hugo Mawhinney scored a try, which was converted by Callum Smith, early in the game to give the Coleraine GS team a 7-0 lead. Thomas Lavery, Hugo Mawhinney and Ali Telfer then ran in for three unconverted tries to increase the Coleraine GS lead to 22-0. The Royal School, Dungannon team got some reward to their first half endeavours when James Gamble scored a try, which Adam Perry converted, to reduce the deficit to 22-7 at the half time break.
The second half saw the Coleraine GS team continue in their try scoring mode. Despite the difficult conditions they scored two more tries through Matthew Norris and Thomas Lavery. Callum Smith converted one try to ensure a 34-7 victory for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
Friends’ School, Lisburn travelled to play Bangor Grammar School in a closely contested game the Bangor team won by 12-10 in the last play of the game. Played in cold and wet conditions a lot of the game was played for long periods of time with both packs of forwards seeking ascendancy. The first half saw both defences having to work hard to resist the opposition attacks with the Bangor GS defence having to work particularly hard to keep the waves of Friends’ School forward attacks at bay in the final five minutes of the half. Both defences came out on top at the end of the first with the score board reading 0-0.
The second half proved somewhat different with the Bangor GS team taking a 7-0 lead almost from the restart. The Bangor GS outhalf, Lewis Brett, dummied his way through the Friends’ School defence to touch down under the posts for a try which was converted by Zack Kerr. Midway through the second period of play Curtis Dundas made a break and took off down the line showing blistering pace to score a try in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Friends’ School deficit had been reduced to 7-5. The last ten minutes of the game were dramatic with continuous Friends’ School turnovers, and pressure on the Bangor Grammar School defence, finished with an Alex O’Brien try in the corner. Once again, the conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Friends’ School, Lisburn team now had a 10-7 lead going into the final few minutes of the game. With the last play of the game the Bangor Grammar School team dramatically scored an unconverted try through Evan Willard-McMillan to secure their 12-10 victory.
On a bitterly cold morning at Grosvenor Grammar School Banbridge Academy were the visitors in a game from which the Grosvenor Grammar School team emerged as 29-0 winners. The Grosvenor GS team started strongly displaying great pace and intensity in their game. Regardless of the conditions they displayed great tenacity with the ball in hand and got their reward early in the game when Jos McConkey exploited a gap in the Banbridge Academy defence and scored a try under the posts. Adam Skelton added the conversion kick to give the home team a 7-0 lead. The difficult conditions proved problematic for both teams but the Grosvenor GS lead was extended to 12-0, just before the interval, when Andrew Boyd crashed over in the corner to score an unconverted try.
At the start of the second half Grosvenor GS maintained their pressure on the Banbridge Academy team and increased their lead to 17-0 when James Cartlidge took advantage of some strong carries from his pack to touch down for an unconverted try ten minutes after the restart. Midway through the second half Mark Johnston cleverly intercepted a loose pass and ran in for a try under the Banbridge posts. Somehow the conversion kick was missed but the Grosvenor team now had a 22-0 lead. Ten minutes from the end of the game Ben Davison finished a good line break off with a try which was converted by Adam Skelton. This ensured a 29-0 win for the Grosvenor Grammar School team.
Despite losing the game the Banbridge Academy team can take some comfort from the positive performances of players such as Jordan Mount, Jonny McIntosh and Ben Russell throughout the game.
Portadown College played an injury ravaged Wellington College team in a game the Portadown team won by 34-0. Despite atrocious weather conditions the Portadown team was able to impose their structure on the Wellington College team for long periods of the game. Early in the game the Portadown flanker, Andrew Taylor, scored the first try when he broke from the side of an attacking ruck to crash over the Wellington College line. The try was converted by Michael Orr to give the Portadown College team a 7-0 lead. Michael Orr scored the next try when, from a period of open play, he spotted a gap in the Wellington defence and sprinted through under the posts. Michael converted the try to put his team into a 14-0 lead. Michael then kicked a penalty a short time later to extend that lead to 17-0. Just before the interval the talented Portadown College centre, Matthew Neill, outwitted the Wellington College defence and scored a try under the posts. Michael Orr added the conversion to extend the Portadown College lead to 24-0 at halftime.
The second half saw the Wellington College team display great determination and commitment in an attempt to break down the Portadown College defence. However, they could find no way through despite coming close on a number of occasions. Portadown College sealed their 34-0 victory when No 8, Stuart Hodgen, bounced his way over the Wellington line for a try. This was followed by a try from full back, Daniel Smith. Neither try was converted but the Portadown College team had secured a well-deserved victory.
Dalriada travelled to play Ballyclare High School on a day which can only described as dreadful with the rain pouring down in very windy conditions. The Dalriada team emerged from the game with a 43-20 victory. Dalriada started off brightly putting the wind advantage to good use. From a line out in the Ballyclare 22m area they built phases and created some space. This enabled their prop, Scott Gamble, to utilise his footwork to beat an oncoming defender and finish the try. Stewart Moore added the conversion to put the Dalriada team into a 7-0 lead. Ballyclare responded well and managed to gain a penalty after good work from their pack. The penalty was converted by Ryan McIlwaine to reduce the arrears to 7-3. Dalriada managed to gain the ball from the restart and pressurized the home defence into conceding a penalty in front of their posts. Stewart Moore converted the penalty to put the Dalriada team into a 10-3 lead. From the restart Dalriada displayed great intent and a clever off-load from Andrew Stevenson led to a line break from Stewart Moore. Quick ball was gained and Ross Fallows cut a great line to score a try to the right of the posts. Stewart Moore converted the try to increase the Dalriada lead to 17-3 The Dalriada team continued to dominate territory and possession. They managed to make their way up into the Ballyclare HS 22m area. Following some effective phase play from the pack Scott Gamble crashed over for his second try of the game. The extras were added by Stewart Moore to give his team a 24-3 lead. Dalriada got possession from the kick off and scrum half, Matthew McConaghie, used the wind to put a big kick in which troubled the Ballyclare HS full back in his own 22m area. A big tackle from Louis Stevenson made the ball available for fly half, Angus Johnston, to use wisely. This created the opportunity for the Dalriada centre, Dennis Posternax, to run a great line to dot the ball down under the opposition posts. Stewart Moore added the conversion to increase the Dalriada School lead to 31-3. From the restart a big hit from Alister Burke enabled the Ballyclare backs to run with the ball. They managed to keep hold of possession and ground down the Dalriada defence to create space for their winger, Andrew McCalmont, to finish with an unconverted try to reduce the arrears to 31-8. Dalriada responded well and managed to make a break from Gavin McCaughern. Scott Gamble then completed his hat trick when he drove over from close range to touch down for an unconverted try which took the Dalriada team into a 36-8 lead at the interval.
The Ballyclare team used the wind well in the second half and managed to get good field position. Their forwards worked hard to drive over from close range for their second try of the game which was scored by Andrew Robson. Ryan McIlwaine kicked the conversion to leave the score board reading 36-15 in favour of the Dalriada team. Dalriada didn’t stop playing though and secured their sixth try of the game after an Angus Johnston break was finished off by Matthew Kernohan. Stewart Moore was successful with the conversion to increase the Dalriada lead to 43-15. Both teams made use of replacement players and the Ballyclare High School team scored their third try of the game when Andrew McCalmont outpaced the Dalriada defence to run in for an unconverted try which left the final score reading 43-20 in favour of the Dalriada team at the end an entertaining game played in dreadful conditions.
Belfast Royal Academy inflicted a 43-5 defeat on Regent House when the two teams met at a very wet and cold Roughfort. The Belfast Royal Academy team controlled all aspects of the game for long periods of time. They had built up a 31-0 lead by half time with tries from No 8, Matthew Dalton, winger, Jack Burton, outhalf, Conor McAuley and winger Conor O’Neill. Full back, Michael Wilson, was successful with all four conversions as well as one penalty.
In the second half Regent House responded with a consolation try from Ali Deering but the Belfast Royal Academy team secured their 43-5 victory with further tries from scrum half, Scott McAuley and blindside flanker, Jude Cowley. Michael Wilson was successful with one of the second half conversion kicks.
The “Match of the Day” was played on the pristine Pirrie Park Paddock Pitch where Methodist College, Belfast hosted Wallace High School. In a closely contested game the Methodist College team eventually emerged as 12-5 winners. Wallace High School had taken a 5-0 lead in the first half when they scored an unconverted try.
A much better Methodist College performance in the second half of the game saw the Methody team score two tries. Good work from Zac Jordan and Josh Jordan, assisted by others, paved the way for Aaron Kilpatrick and Alex Suarez to touch down for one try each. Paul Kerr was successful with one conversion kick to secure the hard earned 12-5 victory for the Methodist College team.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Preliminary Round game between Carrickfergus Grammar School and Strabane Academy will be played at Carrickfergus Grammar School on Saturday 12th December. This game has been scheduled to kick off at 12-00 noon.
