Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 2nd December 2023
It was a busy week of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 games in the lead up to a range of 1stxv games played midweek, on Friday 1st December and on Saturday 2nd December.
However, the prevailing weather conditions did impact on most of the 1stxv games scheduled for Saturday 2nd December.
On Monday 27th November Limavady Grammar School played Ballyclare Secondary School in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield.
The Limavady Grammar School team won this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round 2 game by 10-0.
Later that evening Larne Grammar Schools played the Ulster Clubs’ U18 team on the 3G pitch at the Meadowbank Stadium in Magherafelt.
The Larne Grammar School team came through, at the end of the game, with a 29-5 victory.
Piers Turkington from Ballyclare RFC scored the unconverted try for the Ulster Clubs’ team.
Ryan McDowell, Luke Farquhar, Charlie Patterson, who performed impressively throughout the game, Jonny Dallas and Thomas Patton scored the Larne Grammar School tries. Will Millar and Ethan Duncan each added one successful conversion kick.
At the same time, the Ulster Clubs’ U17 team played a Sullivan Upper School “Senior Select” U16xv in a very closely contested game the Sullivan Upper School team won by 26-24.
The Ulster Clubs’ team scored four tries through Harvey Hoey, Carrickfergus RFC, Isaac Stubbs-Carton, Coleraine RFC, Sam Craig, Ballymena RFC and Sam Kidd, Banbridge RFC. Isaac Stubbs-Carton was also successful with two of his conversion kicks.
The Sullivan Upper School points came through a hattrick of tries from their “Man of the Match” flanker, Matthew McGinty, and one try from hooker, Alfie Steenson. Full back, Finn Moraghan, was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Strabane Academy recently played the Letterkenny RFC U18 team in a game the Strabane Academy team won by 38-10.
The Strabane Academy team scored six tries with Felix Foley running in for two and Nathan Russell, Reuben Darragh, Cahair McGrath and Lucas Doherty each running in for one try. Hayden Snodgrass was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
The Letterkenny RFC U18 team scored two unconverted tries through Chris McCann and Jamie O’Carroll.
On Tuesday 28th November Banbridge Academy played Antrim Grammar School in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield.
Antrim Grammar School won this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 game by 24-17.
On Wednesday 29th November six Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup 2nd Round games took place.
Ballyclare High School played Coleraine Grammar School and recorded a 28-0 victory.
Dromore High School played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and, despite going behind early on, the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team won the game by 50-10.
Down High School played Banbridge Academy and, following a very closely contested encounter, it was the Banbridge Academy team that won the game by 20-19.
Rainey Endowed School played Limavady Grammar School and won the game by 40-0.
Regent House School played Belfast High School and won the game by 47-7.
Royal School, Dungannon played Foyle and Londonderry College and, on the back of great performances from players such as Alex Welton, the Royal School, Dungannon team recorded a 38-19 victory.
On the same afternoon Down High School was scheduled to have hosted Bangor Grammar School at 1stxv level at Ballynahinch RFC. However, due to particular circumstances this game did not take place and will be re-scheduled for another date.
On Thursday 30th November Dalriada School played Belfast High School in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 2nd Round game.
The Dalriada School team won this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 game by 24-0.
On Friday 1st December Sullivan Upper School played Regent House School at Belmont, home of CIYMS RFC.
This was a very closely contested encounter from which the Sullivan Upper School team emerged as 14-12 winners.
Hooker, Joss Davidson, and prop, Nathan Noble, were the Sullivan Upper School try scorers. Harry McKeown added the extras to both these tries.
The Regent Houst School team scored their points with one try apiece from David Hunter and Nathan Bell to which Evan McGonigle added one successful conversion.
Both teams, and their coaches, would like to thank Chris Shields, and all at CIYMS RFC, for the use of facilities and hosting the game.
On Saturday 2nd December the five remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 2nd Round games were scheduled to have taken place.
Cambridge House Grammar School was unable to play Foyle and Londonderry College due to a frozen pitch.
This Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 game should be scheduled to be replayed not later than Wednesday 6th December.
Grosvenor Grammar School played Bangor Academy and won the game by 40-0.
Larne Grammar School played Royal School, Dungannon with the Royal School, Dungannon team recording a 40-11 victory.
Portadown College played Lurgan College and won the game by 31-5.
Regent House School entertained Dromore High School and won the game by 38-12.
Following the results coming through from the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games, the draws were made for the 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
The results of the draws are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 3
1/Friends’ School, Lisburn v Regent House School
2/Royal School, Armagh v Omagh Academy
3/Down High School v Royal School, Dungannon
4/Grosvenor Grammar School v Antrim Grammar School
5/Coleraine Grammar School v Bangor Grammar School
6/Enniskillen Royal Grammar School v Limavady Grammar School
7/Dalriada School v Rainey Endowed School
8/Cambridge House Grammar School/Foyle and Londonderry College v Portadown College
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 3 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 6th January, with the option of playing before the Christmas break.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Round 1
1/Dromore High School v Wellington College, Belfast
2/Cambridge House Grammar School/Foyle and Londonderry College v Bangor Academy
3/Lurgan College v Larne Grammar School
4/Belfast High School v Bye
5/Banbridge Academy v Bye
6/Ballyclare Secondary School v Bye
7/Ballymoney High School b Bye
8/Strabane Academy v Bye
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Round 1 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 6th January, with the option of playing before the Christmas break.
The one remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 game also took place on Saturday 2nd December.
Portadown College played Bangor Grammar School in this game with the Bangor Grammar School team recording a hard-earned 19-15 win.
Once all the results of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 2 games were known, the draws took place for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 3 games as well as the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy Round 1 games.
The results of these draws are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 3.
1/Royal School, Armagh v Campbell College, Belfast
2/Sullivan Upper School v Royal School, Dungannon
3/Banbridge Academy v Belfast Royal Academy
4/Bangor Grammar School v Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
5/Ballyclare High School v Wallace High School
6/Royal Belfast Academical Institution v Friends’ School, Lisburn
7/Regent House School v Ballymena Academy
8/Rainey Endowed School v Methodist College, Belfast
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Round 3 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 16th December 2023.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy Round 1.
1/Limavady Grammar School v Coleraine Grammar School
2/Grosvenor Grammar School v Dalriada School
3/Belfast High School v Antrim Grammar School
4/Larne Grammar School v Dromore High School
5/Portadown College v Omagh Academy
6/Foyle and Londonderry College v Bye
7/Down High School v Bye
8/Bangor Academy v Bye
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy Round 1 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 16th December 2023.
As well as the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup matches played on Saturday 2nd December, quite a few 1stxv friendly games were scheduled to have taken place.
Unfortunately, most of these games were cancelled due to frozen pitches.
Antrim Grammar School was due to have hosted Dalriada School and Larne Grammar School in a three- way tournament blitz but the games did not take place due to frozen pitches,
Ballyclare High School was unable to play Lurgan College due to frozen pitches at the Rashee Road venue.
Ballymena Academy hosted Wallace High School and won an entertaining game by 23-12.
The Ballymena Academy team scored their points through a hattrick of tries from “Man of the Match”, Ben Neely with Robbie Coleman adding one successful conversion n ad two successful penalty kicks.
Rio McDonagh and Matthew Dickson each scored a try for the Wallace High School team with Lewis Stevenson adding one successful conversion.
Belfast Royal Academy and Coleraine Grammar School did not play due to frozen pitches at Roughfort.
Campbell College, Belfast and Methodist College, Belfast did not play due to a frozen pitch.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and Royal Belfast Academical Institution did not play due to frozen pitches in Enniskillen.
Friends’ School, Lisburn did not play Grosvenor Grammar School due to frozen pitches at the Magheralave Road venue.
Omagh Academy did not play Foyle and Londonderry College at the Campsie Playing Fields due to frozen pitches.
At the same time, a three-school blitz tournament, involving extended squads from Omagh Academy, Foyle College and Strabane Academy 1stxv, was unable to be played at the Campsie Playing Fields.
Rainey Endowed School and Royal School, Armagh did not play due to frozen pitches in Magherafelt.
Royal School, Dungannon and Banbridge Academy did not play due to frozen pitches at the Royal School.
Once the results of the 1st Round games in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup were known, the draw took place for the 2nd Round games in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup.
The results of the draw are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Round 2
1/Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv play Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv
2/Royal School, Armagh 4thxv play Wallace High School 3rdxv
3/Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv play Royal School, Armagh 3rdxv
4/Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock play Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 3rdxv,
5/Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv play Methodist College, Belfast 3rdxv
6/Campbell College, Belfast 3rdxv play Regent House School 3rdxv
7/Ballymena Academy 3rdxv play Ballyclare High School 3rdxv
8/Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv play Down High School 3rdxv
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Round 2 games MUST be played on/before Saturday 9th December 2023.
