Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 5th November 2022
Despite there being a half term break some 1stxv friendly games took place in the course of the holiday period.
Om Monday 31st October Ballyclare High School Ballyclare High School hosted Bloxham College from Oxfordshire in a game played at the superb facilities made available at Ballyclare RFC.
The Ballyclare High School team won the nine game thriller by 29-22.
Tom McAllister and Joel Flynn each scored two tries for the Ballyclare High School team with Danny Graham touching down for a fifth. Joel Flynn capped a fine personal performance with two successful conversions.
At the same venue a Foyle and Londonderry College Senior team played their Bloxham College counterparts in a game the Bloxham team won by a comfortable margin.
All the teams involved would like to thank Ballyclare RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the games in such an excellent manner.
Meanwhile on the Wirral in Merseyside the Ballyclare High School Medallion squads were on a half term tour.
In their first games against the Wirral Grammar School the Ballyclare High School “A” team won by 41-14 while the “B” team lost by 22-10.
The Ballyclare High School staff and players would like to thank Wirral Grammar School for hosting the games and Allen Boyd from Wirral Grammar School for all his hard work and organisation.
The draw for the first Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup took place on Monday 31st October. The results of the draw are as follows:-
DANSKE BANK 3RD XV ULSTER SCHOOLS’ CUP 2022/23
1ST ROUND DRAW TO BE PLAYED ON /BEFORE 26TH NOVEMBER 2022
GAME HOME AWAY
1 Royal School, Armagh 4th XV v Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4th XV
2 Methodist College, Belfast 4th XV v Campbell College, Belfast 4th XV
Bye Down High School 3rd XV
Bye Ballymena Academy 3rd XV
Bye Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rd XV
Bye Belfast Royal Academy 3rd XV
Bye Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 3rd XV
Bye Regent House School 3rd XV
Bye Ballyclare High School 3rd XV
Bye Royal School, Armagh 3rd XV
Bye Campbell College, Belfast 3rd XV
Bye Rainey Endowed School 3rd XV
Bye Wallace High School 3rd XV
Bye Methodist College, Belfast 3rd XV
Bye Dromore HS 3rd XV
Bye Limavady 3rd XV
Despite schools being on a half term break on Saturday 5th November three 1st xv friendly games took place over the weekend.
On Friday 4th November Ballymena Academy played Royal School, Dungannon in a game the Ballymena Academy team won by 24-7.
The game proved to be a hard fought, physical encounter which was enjoyed by all the players involved with both squads.
Sean McKay, Daniel Vercoe Rogers, Josh Gallagher and Tom Wylie scored the Ballymena Academy tries with Tristan Ferguson adding two successful conversions.
The Royal School, Dungannon try was scored by Alfie Lewis with Jacob Clarke adding the conversion.
On Saturday 5th November Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Foyle and Londonderry College in a game which saw the home team record a runaway victory.
Cameron Smith, Oliver Hamill, Luke Smyton, Jake Woods, Karl Bothwell, Ben McLaren, Alex Howe, Andrew Martin and Tadhg Hambley all played leading roles in the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School victory.
The Foyle College team was without a number of experienced players, including James McKillopp, their influential No 8, who was an attendee at the recent successful IRFU U19/U20 Development Squad camp held at the HPC in Dublin.
Adam Killeen, James Kelly, Finn Curtis, Christopher Boyd, Jack Craig and Dara Herron were among the Foyle players who impressed in the course of this game.
Limavady Grammar School played Portadown College and won this competitive game by 26-10.
The Limavady Grammar School points came through unconverted tries from Odhran Clenaghan and Adam McConnologue with three successful penalty kicks, as well as one try and conversion, from Benjamin Howe.
The Portadown College team scored two unconverted tries through Tyler Jackson.
The second round of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Group Stage games are scheduled to take place week beginning Monday 7th November.
On Wednesday 9th November Rainey Endowed School will host Portadown College in a Group D game while Strabane Academy will entertain Foyle and Londonderry College in a Group C game.
On Saturday 12th November in Group A Limavady Grammar School will play Dalriada School and Cambridge House Grammar School will play Lurgan College
In Group B Dromore High School will host Bangor Grammar School and Banbridge Academy will play Larne Grammar School
In the second Group C game Belfast High School will play Down High School.
In the second Group D game Royal School Dungannon will play Friends’ School Lisburn.
In Group E Grosvenor Grammar School will host Omagh Academy and Regent House School will entertain Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.
In the next series of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl qualifying games, scheduled for on/before Saturday 12th November, the Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock team is scheduled to play Bangor Academy while Antrim Grammar School will play Carrickfergus Grammar School.
