Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 3rd September 2022.
On Tuesday 23rd August Limavady Grammar School hosted Loreto School from Edinburgh in a game which finished as a 7-7 draw.
Ben Nutt scored the points for the Limavady Grammar School team on the back of an impressive performance from Odhran Clenaghan.
Methodist College, Belfast, the current holders of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup, got their new season underway when they hosted St Gerard’s School, Bray on Saturday 27th August. Despite having quite a few players unavailable due to the Age Grade Inter Provincial games taking place at Musgrave Park in Cork, the Methodist College players gave a good account of themselves and won the game by 22-10.
The Methody team scored four tries through Harry Palmer, Tyrese Abolarin, Jack Tindall and Benjy Sloan. Oliver Berry added the extras to one of the tries.
In response, the St Gerard’s team scored two unconverted tries.
On Wednesday 31st August Royal School, Armagh hosted Eton College in a game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 7-0. The game proved to be a lively and physical encounter with a try from Kristoffer Mackenzie, which was converted by Ashton Clarke, the only score separating the teams.
Once again, Ulster Age Grade players were unavailable to the RS Armagh team as they were involved with the Age Grade squads in preparation for the games against Leinster on Saturday 3rd September.
Despite players from twenty-two schools being selected in the three Ulster Age Grade teams playing against their Leinster counterparts at the Energia/Donnybrook Stadium on Saturday 3rd September, a number of 1stxv fixtures took place.
Antrim Grammar School played Carrickfergus Grammar School in a 3×20 minutes game which saw both schools use extended squads of players.
The Carrickfergus Grammar School started strongly and scored an early try through Nathan Donaldson.
The Antrim Grammar School squad scored three tries, over the course of the three sessions, through Jack McNeilly, Angelo Simangan and Eoin Byrne. Matthew Adair was successful with one conversion to see the Antrim Grammar School team emerge as 17-5 winners.
Ballyclare High School played Ballymena Academy in a game from which the Ballymena Academy team emerged as comfortable 33-7 winners.
The Ballyclare High School points came from an Angus Catherwood try which was converted by Joel Flynn.
The Ballymena Academy team, with their new coach, John Nicholl, at the helm, scored five tries in the course of the morning. Tom McAllister ran in for a hat-trick with Ben Fleming and Conor Drain each touching down for one try. Conor was also successful with four conversions.
The Ballymena Academy U16 team played a game against the Foyle and Londonderry College Senior squad.
The Ballymena Academy U16 team won the game by 24-15 with two tries from Tom Wylie and one try from Peter Bailie. Reuben Allen was successful with three conversions as well as one penalty kick.
The Foyle College points came through unconverted tries from Cahir McKay, Conor Kelly and James Kelly.
Bangor Grammar School hosted Down High School in a closely contested game the Down High School team won by 17-14.
Shay Ritchie and Jack Delargy scored the Bangor Grammar School tries with Alex Shaw adding both conversions.
The Down High School team scored three tries through Eoin McMullan, Fionn Carey and Matthew Foster. Rhodri Phillips added one conversion.
Belfast Royal Academy hosted Eton College at Roughfort and lost a closely contested game by 7-0.
Limavady Grammar School played Dalriada School in a 3×20 minutes training game which ended with the Dalriada School team recording a 29-26 victory.
The Limavady Grammar School points came through tries from Matthew Armstrong, Robert McFarland, Joe Caldwell and Cooper McCausland. Ben Howe added two conversions.
Angus Graham, Charles Verner, Andrew Gilmore, Ethan Best and Joe Lynas each scored a try for the Dalriada School team with Gabriel Stubbs-Carton adding the extras to two of the tries.
Methodist College, Belfast hosted Belvedere College from Dublin and won the game by 21-15.
Harry Palmer, Jack Tindall and Beny Sloan scored the Methody tries with Oliver Berry successfully converting all three tries.
Ivor Cuddy and Jonathan Lynch scored the Belvedere College tries with Cillian Leyden adding one conversion as well as a penalty goal.
Omagh Academy hosted their near neighbours from Enniskillen Royal Grammar School on an excellent pitch at the Campsie Playing Fields. The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team won the game by 31-7.
The Omagh Academy team, with Charlie Farrell, Jonathan Doak, Philip Crawford and Jack Keys all impressing on their 1stxv debuts, scored a try late in the game through Sam Beattie, with Andrew Johnston adding the conversion.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team scored five tries through Darragh Love, who touched down for a brace, Karl Bothwell, James Morrison and Sam Carruthers. Tadhg Hambley was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Regent House and Friends’ School, Lisburn played out a very closely contested game a game at the Circular Road venue in Newtownards which the Regent House team won by 12-10.
Zeki Kaya and Caleb Lowe scored the Regent House tries to which Zach Campbell added one conversion.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn points came through two unconverted tries from Sam Netherton and James Arnold.
Wallace High School hosted the St Gerard’s School, Bray team at the Magheralave Road venue and lost the game by 27-5.
Kyle Beckett scored the consolation unconverted try for the Wallace High School team.
Grosvenor Grammar School hosted their annual Ian H Graham Trophy Tournament involving teams from Grosvenor Grammar School, Banbridge Academy, Dromore High School and Rainey Endowed School.
Former King’s Scholar and Head of the Grosvenor Grammar School Physical Recreation, Movement Studies and Dance Department, Ian H Graham, presented the trophy to the school upon his retirement a number of years ago.
Grosvenor Grammar School, Banbridge Academy, Dromore High School and Rainey Endowed School teams participated in the tournament which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the players.
Dromore High School defeated Rainey Endowed School by 12-0 with tries from Livai Naga and Ethan Dickson. Nathan Hook added one conversion.
Dromore High School then defeated Grosvenor Grammar School by 8-7 with Adam Lyttle scoring a try and Jay Agnew kicking a penalty.
In their third game the Dromore High School team won by 12-3 against Banbridge Academy. Matthew Irwin and Livai Naga scored the tries with Nathan Hook adding one conversion.
Andrew Jackson was successful with the penalty kick for the Banbridge Academy team.
The Banbridge Academy team defeated Grosvenor Grammar School by 14-0 with Noah Bell and Ryan Hanna each scoring one try. Ryan Matthews was successful with both conversions.
The Banbridge Academy team also defeated the Rainey Endowed School team by 7-0 with Elijah Dempsy scoring the try with Andrew Jackson adding the extras.
The Rainey Endowed School team defeated Grosvenor Grammar School by 24-7.
The Rainey ES points came through tries from James Cappell, Zac Armstrong, Gavin Paul and Jayden Shiels. Jayden was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
Following an enjoyable morning of rugby, the Ian H Graham Trophy was presented to Nathan Hook, captain of the successful Dromore High School team.
