Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 30th January 2016
There were several games played midweek in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield, the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup and Plate as well as the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxdxv Plate competitions. These games were played in the lead up to a series of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield, Bowl and Trophy games, as well as one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup game and one Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy game, played on Saturday 30th January.
There was one 1stxv friendly and one 2ndxv friendly game played during the week as well.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield replay, played on Monday 25th January, Limavady Grammar School defeated Larne Grammar School by 33-5. The Limavady Grammar School team will now travel to play Omagh Academy in the next round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield while the Larne Grammar School team will host Dalriada School in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl. On Tuesday 26th January Banbridge Academy hosted Portora Royal School in a replay of their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield game. The Banbridge Academy team registered a 22-7 victory in the game and will now travel to play Coleraine Grammar School in the next round. Portora Royal School will now host Dromore High School in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl competition.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate competition St Columb’s College defeated Coleraine Grammar School by 22-0. The St Columb’s College team will now travel to play Ballyclare Secondary School in the quarter-final of the competition.
There were quite a few Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup and Plate games, as well as one 2ndxv friendly game, played on Wednesday 27th January. In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Royal Belfast Academical Institution defeated Dalriada by 36-3. Royal School, Dungannon and Ballyclare High School met in the same competition with the Ballyclare High School team winning by 26-3. Down High School and Regent House played their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup quarter-final game some weeks ago with the Down High School team recording a 30-5 victory.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate competition Royal School, Armagh entertained Banbridge Academy in a closely contested game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 18-13. Meanwhile, close by in Portadown, the Omagh Academy defeated their Portadown College counterparts by 34-0 in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate game. The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate game involving Sullivan Upper and Belfast High School was postponed due to unplayable pitch conditions. That game has been re-scheduled for Monday 1st February.
Lurgan College hosted Friends’ School, Lisburn in a 2ndxv friendly game the Lurgan College team won by 12-7.
On Friday 29th January the one remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate quarter-final game was played when Methodist College, Belfast defeated Dromore High School by 20-10. The Methodist College team will now travel to play Royal School, Armagh, the current holders of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate, in the semi-final of the competition.
Rainey Endowed School hosted Ballymena Academy at the Meadowbank Sports Arena on Friday 29th January in a 1stxv friendly game. The controlled game ended as a 6-6 draw with Lorcan Quinn converting two penalties for the Rainey Endowed team and Bruce Houston doing likewise for the Ballymena Academy team.
A number of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield games were postponed due to the inclement weather conditions which came in on Saturday 30th January. The Belfast Royal Academy game against Royal School, Dungannon was postponed as the RS Dungannon team was unable to travel. The game has been re-scheduled for Tuesday 2nd February. The Coleraine Grammar School against Banbridge Academy game was also postponed due to travel concerns experienced by the Banbridge Academy players. This game has been re-scheduled for Tuesday 2nd February. The Portadown College against Methodist College, Belfast game was not played due to the inclement weather conditions and will, hopefully, be replayed on Tuesday 2nd February. The Omagh Academy against Limavady Grammar School game is also scheduled to take place on Tuesday 2nd February.
Despite the inclement weather conditions a number of games did go ahead on Saturday morning. In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Ballyclare High School defeated Rainey Endowed School by 20-12, Royal Belfast Academical Institution defeated Friends’ School, Lisburn by 54-3 and Royal School, Armagh defeated Sullivan Upper School by 19-5. In a game played in difficult conditions Peter Taylor scored a first half try for the RS Armagh team. The try was converted by the trusty boot of Benjamin Boyd to give the RS Armagh team a 7-0 lead. The Sullivan Upper team played a full part in an exciting game and their positive approach was rewarded when Oliver Faith scored an unconverted try, just before the break, to reduce the arrears to 7-5 at half time. Second half tries from Ryan O’Neill and Nicholas Jennings, one of which was converted by Benjamin Boyd, secured the 19-5 win for the Royal School, Armagh team. Wallace High School travelled to play Campbell College in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and won the game by 13-0. Joel Dundas scored two tries for the Wallace High School team with Connor Rankin adding a penalty.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl Regent House defeated Ballymena Academy by 5-3 and Bangor Grammar School defeated Down High School by 12-0. The Portora Royal School game against Dromore High School is scheduled to be played on Tuesday 2nd February. The game involving Larne Grammar School in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl should also be re-scheduled for Tuesday 2nd February.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Grosvenor Grammar School travelled to play Antrim Grammar School and won the game by 24-3. The Grosvenor Grammar School will now host Carrickfergus College for a place in the semi-final. Foyle and Londonderry College have already taken their place in their place in the semi-final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy. They played, and defeated, Wellington College, Belfast earlier in the month. The Cambridge House against Lurgan College and Carrickfergus College against Belfast High School games have been rescheduled for Tuesday 2nd February.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup quarter-final Ballymena Academy defeated Bangor Grammar School by 32-0. The Ballymena team had built up a 10-0 lead by the interval with a try from Tiarnan Martin, which was converted by David McCluggage, and a David McCluggage penalty.
The second half saw the Ballymena Academy team control all aspects of the game. Scott Agnew, Conor Agnew, James McClean and Lukas Morrison each scored one try with David McCluggage adding one conversion. The Ballymena Academy team will now host the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team in the semi-final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy the postponed game, featuring Cambridge House and Strabane Academy, took place at Pirrie Park. The Cambridge House team won the closely contested game by 11-9. It was a game greatly enjoyed by all the supporters who had braved the elements to attend. The Cambridge House team had built up a 6-0 lead by half time with two penalties from James Bovill. The second half saw the Strabane Academy team come storming back and coming close to winning the game. Despite Reuben Russell scoring an unconverted try for the Cambridge House team the Strabane Academy captain, Thomas O’Flaherty, kicked one drop goal and converted two penalty kicks. With the last play of the game his drop goal attempt skimmed just wide of the upright much to the relief of the Cambridge House team and to the disappointment of the Strabane Academy team. The grateful thanks of both schools go to the authorities and staff at Methodist College for the provision of facilities and for hosting the game.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup Down High School defeated the Methodist College 4thxv by 19-0. The Down High School 3rdxv will now travel to play the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv in the semi-final of the competition.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate the first round game, involving Rainey Endowed School and Wallace High School, was postponed because of the snow. This game will be re-scheduled to be played as soon as possible. It is hoped that the remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate Round 1 games involving Dalriada 3rdxv and Banbridge Academy 3rdxv, Campbell College 4thxv and St Columba’s, Stranorlar and Ballymena Academy 3rdxv and Royal School, Armagh 3rdxv can be played as soon as possible so that all the remaining quarter-final games in this competition can be played off as soon as possible.
There were no 1stxv friendly games played on Saturday 30th January.
This week has been designated as the week in which schools will seek to support the work of the IRFU Charitable Trust. The very significant contribution of schools in Ulster to the IRFU Charitable Trust over many years has been widely acknowledged and it is hoped that there will be a similar positive response from all our schools this year.
