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Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 29th December 2018
Despite schools being closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays there were still quite a few games played over the holiday period.
On Wednesday 26th December there was a veritable feast of School and Club Age Grade Rugby at City of Derry RFC when three of the Foyle and Londonderry College teams played against the City of Derry RFC Age Grade teams.
A combined Foyle College U13/14 team played against the City of Derry RFC U14 team and kicked the day off with a 29-14 win.
The Foyle College Medallion xv then played the City of Derry U16 team and won the game by 24-7. Peter Donnell scored two tries for the Foyle College team with Andrew Chambers and Noah Guthrie each running in for one try. Callum Cullen added the extras to two of the tries.
The Foyle College 1stxv was next up to play when they featured against the City of Derry RFC U18 team. The Foyle College team, having built up a 12-0 lead by the break, went on to win the game by 29-7. A Keelin Coyle try and conversion, alongside a Tom Adair try, gave the school team their first half points.
The second half saw the Foyle College team score three more tries through Sam Milligan, William Finlay and Ben Galbraith. Another Keelin Coyle conversion secured the 29-7 win for the Foyle and Londonderry College team.
Over the weekend of Friday 28th and Saturday 29th December a number of school teams found themselves short of a number of key players due to their involvement with Ireland Age Grade teams that had eleven players from Ulster involved.
On Friday 28th December Belfast Royal Academy hosted Campbell College, Belfast at Roughfort. Despite being 17-0 behind going into the final quarter of the game the Belfast Royal Academy team displayed great commitment by staging a comeback and going on to win the game by 19-17. The Campbell College team was missing a number of their regular starters but took their 17-0 lead through tries from the impressive Ben Rainey and James Johnston with Dara Gaskin adding two conversions as well as one penalty.
The Belfast Royal Academy team, also missing a couple of key players, hit a purple patch in the final quarter of the game. Tries from Daniel Logan, Ollie Parkes and Ryan Jameson, to which Daniel added two conversions, were sufficient to secure an impressive 19-17 win for the Belfast Royal Academy team.
On Saturday 29th December Ballymena Academy played Wallace High School in a game the Ballymena Academy team won by 30-12. The Ballymena Academy team had built up a 23-5 lead by the interval through two penalties from Josh Drain, an unconverted try from James Wright, a try from Paddy Browne, which was converted by Josh Drain, and an unconverted try from Dean Millar who took full advantage of an outstanding break from Paul Gocher. In response the Wallace High School points in the first half came from an unconverted try scored by Scott Wilson.
The Ballymena Academy team extended their lead to 30-5 in the second half when a clever kick pass move was finished off by Matthew Corr who touched down for the try with Josh Drain adding the extras to the try. In the final few minutes of the game Luke Allison finished off a similar move for the Wallace High School team. A successful Jack Dillon conversion left the final score reading Ballymena Academy 30 Wallace High School 12.
Banbridge Academy hosted Lurgan College in a game the Lurgan College team won by 43-15. The Banbridge Academy points came through two tries from Andrew Denvir, one conversion from Andrew as well as a penalty from Jack Dorman.
The Lurgan College team points came through an unconverted try from Luke Forsyth, an Alex Dixon try, which was converted by Harry Bird, a Jon Woods try, converted by Harry Bird, a Harry Bird try which he converted, an unconverted try from Jon Woods, a Ben Marsden try, converted by Harry Bird and an unconverted try from try from Harry Bird.
Dromore High School played Grosvenor Grammar School in a very close game the Dromore High School team won by 24-21. The Dromore High School team points came through tries from Caleb Harper, who touched down twice, and Cameron Owens. Rhys Dale added three conversions as well as a penalty.
Izzy Young, James McMaster and Josh Patterson scored the tries for the Grosvenor Grammar School team with Adam Moore adding three successful conversion kicks.
Friends’ School, Lisburn and Sullivan Upper School played out a ten try thriller from which the Sullivan Upper team emerged as 38-26 winners. The Friends’ School, Lisburn points came through tries from Reece Malone, who touched down twice, Jack Harte and Harry Reid. Reece Malone was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
The Sullivan Upper points came through tries from Jonny Moore, Ben Holley, Shay Storey, Rory Houston, who touched down twice, and Peter Camlin. Zac Moraghan added the extras to four of the Sullivan Upper School tries.
The Methodist College, Belfast team played an Ulster U19 team in a game the Methodist College team won by 31-5. Chris Larmour touched down for a hat trick of tries for the Methodist College team with Kevin McNaboe and Robbie Armstrong each touching down for one try. Ethan McIlroy was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
The Rainey Endowed School hosted Omagh Academy in a game the Rainey Endowed School team won by 29-8. Adam McCrum scored two tries for the Rainey Endowed School team with Tim Campbell, Bryan Hall and Ross Speers each scoring one try. Harry Evans added the extras to two of the tries.
The Omagh Academy points came through a penalty from Will Stewart alongside an unconverted try from Philip Rainey who took full advantage of a well-organised driven maul following an Omagh Academy lineout.
Royal School, Dungannon hosted a Portadown College team that had put together some impressive results in recent games. However, despite this recent run of good form there was little the Portadown College team could do to prevent the Royal School, Dungannon team from winning this game by an impressive 38-7. The RS Dungannon team scored six tries through Luke McMullan, Adam Junk, Logan McIlravie, Louis Johnston, Charlie Conroy and Peter Nicholl. Luke McMullan added three conversions with Jack Girvan adding one.
The Portadown College team scored their consolation try through Dylan Nelson with Adam Speers adding the conversion.
