Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 7 th January 2023.
Despite the Christmas holidays being in full flow the last week in December, and the first week in January, saw quite a few Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ games, both friendly and competition, taking place.
On Wednesday 28 th December four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly games took place.
Ballyclare High School and Cambridge House Grammar School played out a shortened game which the Ballyclare High School team won by 24-0.
Jacob Scarlett, Angus Catherwood, Ian O’Hara and Isaac Shields scored the Ballyclare High School tries. Jacob Scarlett converted one Ballyclare High School try with Joel
Flynn adding the extras to another.
Coleraine Grammar School entertained Wallace High School with the Wallace High School team winning the game by 13-9.
Jordan McAuley was successful with three penalty goals for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
The Wallace High School points came through a Michael McCavery try, which was converted by Charlie Beattie. Charlie was also successful with two penalty kicks.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Royal School, Dungannon in a high scoring game
the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 31-17.
The Enniskillen RGS team scored three tries through Cameron Smith and Reece Holmes, who ran in for two. James Trotter was successful with one conversion.
The RS Dungannon team scored five tries through Cameron Cummings, who touched down for a brace, Reuben Gibson, Alfie Lewis and Cameron Shaw. Jacob Clarke added the conversions to three of the Royal School, Dungannon tries. Methodist College, Belfast hosted St Gerard’s School, Bray in a game the Methodist College team won by 24-19.
With a number of Methody players attending IRFU National Age Grade Camps at the High Performance Centre in Dublin it was an opportunity for the Methody coaches to give extended game time to other members of their senior squad.
The Methodist College, Belfast team scored four tries through Ryan Kidd, Lewis Doherty, Matthew Gourley and Nick Singh. Jack Tindal was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
On Thursday 29 th January Omagh Academy hosted Rainey Endowed School in a 1stxv friendly game which the Omagh Academy team won by 24-19.
The Omagh Academy team scored three tries in the course of the game with Allister Crawford, Andrew Johnston and Conrad Hale all touching down for the Co Tyrone team.
Andrew Johnston capped a fine personal performance with three successful conversion kicks as well as one successful penalty goal.
The Rainey Endowed School team scored three tries as well during the game. Paul McCloskey, Billy Allen and Sean Bentley were the try scorers with Owen O’Kane adding two successful conversions.
On Friday 30 th December, in the 3 rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup, Regent House School defeated their Lurgan College counterparts by 40-0.
The new year was heralded in with quite a few schools playing a number of previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ competition games.
On Tuesday 3 rd January Banbridge Academy defeated Carrickfergus Grammar School by 31-5 in the 1 st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy competition.
On Wednesday 4 th January Coleraine Grammar School 2ndxv hosted Methodist College,
Belfast 2ndxv in their previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup 3 rd Round game.
Following a very entertaining game the Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv emerged as 24-10 winners.
On the same day Ballyclare High School 2ndxv played Banbridge Academy 2ndxv in the
3 rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup.
This Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup game proved to be another very entertaining game which the Ballyclare High School team won by 33-26. Later that evening Ballymena Academy hosted Dromore High School under the floodlights at Eaton Park, home of Ballymena RFC.
The Ballymena Academy team won the game by 43-5, scoring seven tries in the process. Daniel Vercoe-Rogers scored a brace while Ben Fleming, Reuben Allen, Mark Glenn, Tom McMaster and Marshall Robinson touched down for one try apiece. Tristan Ferguson was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
The Dromore High School displayed great commitment throughout the game and got some reward for their endeavours when Nathan Hook ran in for an unconverted try.
Both teams, and their coaches, would like to thank Ballymena RFC for the provision of excellent facilities and hosting the game.
On Thursday 5 th January two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Round 1 games took place.
Bangor Academy hosted Cambridge House Grammar School in a game that finished as a
19-19 draw.
The replay for this drawn Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy game will be expected take place on Tuesday 10 th January.
Craigavon Senior High School played Wellington College, Belfast and recorded a 43-0 victory.
Ballymena Academy 3rdxv overcame Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv in their Danske Bank
Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 2 nd Round game.
One Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly game took place on Thursday 5 th January when Campbell College, Belfast travelled to play Clongowes Wood College, from Clane in Co Kildare, at the Donnybrook Energia Stadium in Dublin.
The Clongowes Wood College team won the game by 31-17. Ross Adams ran in a hat trick of tries for the Clongowes WC team with Harry Roche Nagle and Max Coveney each scoring one try. Tom Murtagh was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Flynn Longstaff scored two tries for the Campbell College, Belfast team with Sam Boomer scoring a third. Harry Dyer added the extras to one of the tries.
On Friday 6 th January Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Limavady Grammar School in the 2 nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy competition.
The Foyle College 2ndxv team won the game by 23-0.
On the same day Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv hosted Wallace High School 3rdxv in their postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 2nd Round game.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv won the game by 15-5.
At the same time in Cambrils, close to Barcelona, the Royal Belfast Academical
Institution Senior team finished their week of warm weather training with a game
against the Presentation Brother’s College team from Cork.
The final result in this high scoring game was Royal Belfast Academical Institution 26
Presentation Brother’s College, Cork 38.
Jacob Boyd scored two tries for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team with
Euan Patterson and James Hilman touching down for one try each. Matthew Sweetlove
converted two of the tries with Josh Eagleson adding the extras to one.
Meanwhile, Strabane Academy hosted Portadown College in the 1 st Round of the Danske
Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
The Strabane Academy team put on a powerful display of attacking rugby and won the
game by 26-0.
On Saturday 7 th January the three previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’
Cup Group Stage games took place.
In Group A Cambridge House Grammar School played Dalriada School and won the game
by 17-10.
Jacob Oliver scored two tries for the Cambridge House Grammar School team with
Kaelan McGarrell touching down for a third. Dan Chestnutt converted one of the tries.
The Dalriada School points came through a try from Angus Graham which was
converted by Paddy Cramsie. Gabriel Stubbs-Carton was successful with one penalty
goal.
In Group D Friends’ School, Lisburn entertained Rainey Endowed School on an occasion
that ran alongside the Friends’ School Open Morning. The game, which Rainey Endowed
School won by 18-7, attracted a lot of attention from the many visitors to the school.
Many people commented as to how impressive it was to see so many pupils involved in a
variety of extra-curricular sport on the Friends’ School pitches on a Saturday morning.
The Friends’ School team scored their try through Ruari Doyle with the extras added
by Samuel Dillon. Players such as Paddy Moore, Tom Rowlatt McCormack and Alex
McKinley also impressed with their performance for the Friends’ School, Lisburn team.
The Rainey Endowed School team scored two tries through Paul McCloskey and Rossa
Bell. Owen O’Kane added one conversion as well as two penalty goals.
In Group E Regent House School hosted Omagh Academy and recorded a hard-earned
17-12 victory.
Matthew McBride scored a first half unconverted try to see his Regent House School
team into an early 5-0 lead.
The Omagh Academy team then responded with first half tries through Ben Henry and
Andrew Crawford and, with one Andrew Johnston conversion, took a 12-5 lead into the
break..
James McKenna and James Ward then scored two Regent House School tries in the
course of the second half. Zach Campbell added the conversion to one of the tries to
secure the 17-12 win for the Regent House School team.
There were eight Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 3 games
scheduled to be played on Saturday 7 th January.
Antrim Grammar School were unable to fulfil their fixture against Friends’ School,
Lisburn. This game should be sorted out early next week.
Bangor Grammar School played Rainey Endowed School and won the game by 21-7.
Belfast High School played Dromore High School in a game the Dromore High School
team won by 52-12.
Down High School played Regent House School in a 20-20 drawn game which will be
expected to be replayed on Tuesday 10 th January.
Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Omagh Academy and won the closely contested
game by 7-5.
Larne Grammar School entertained Limavady Grammar School and won another very
closely contested game by 13-10.
Royal School, Armagh hosted Lurgan College and won the game by 40-0.
Royal School, Dungannon entertained Coleraine Grammar School and recorded an
impressive 34-3 win.
Once these results were known the draws for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’
Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen, Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4
Finals and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Finals were released.
The results of these draws are as follows:-
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Finals.
1/Dalriada School v Banbridge Academy
2/Grosvenor Grammar School v Craigavon Senior High School
3/Enniskillen Royal Grammar School v Bangor Academy/Cambridge House Grammar
School
4/Strabane Academy v Ballyclare Secondary School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Final games MUST be played
on/before Saturday 21 st January.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Finals.
1/Antrim Grammar School/Friends’ School, Lisburn v Belfast High School
2/Coleraine Grammar School v Omagh Academy
3/Limavady Grammar School v Lurgan College
4/Rainey Endowed School v Down High School/Regent House School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Final games MUST be played
on/before Saturday 21st January.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen Games.
1/Antrim Grammar School/Friends’ School, Lisburn v Ballymena Academy
2/Dromore High School V Larne Grammar School
3/Royal Belfast Academical Institution v Wallace High School
4/Foyle and Londonderry College v Bangor Grammar School
5/Ballyclare High School v Royal School, Armagh
6/Royal School, Dungannon v Down High School/Regent House School
7/Belfast Royal Academy v Sullivan Upper School
8/Methodist College, Belfast v Campbell College, Belfast
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen games MUST be
played on/before Saturday 21 st January
As well as the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games and the Danske
Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and Trophy games played on/before Saturday 7 th
January, quite a few Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly games took place.
Ballyclare High School played Coleraine Grammar School in a very competitive game the
Coleraine Grammar School team won by 21-14.
Jamie Purdy scored one try for the Ballyclare High School team with Joel Flynn adding
the conversion. The remaining Ballyclare High School points came through a penalty try.
Noah Gordon, Joel Madden and Conor Draycott scored the Coleraine Grammar School
tries to which Jordan McAuley, with two, and Jacob Lennox, with one, added the
conversions.
Ballymena Academy played Royal School, Armagh in a very close encounter which was
not decided until the final play of the game when the Ballymena Academy team emerged
as 24-19 winners.
Conor Drain made a successful return from injury for the Ballymena Academy team
with one try, while Tom McMaster, Marshall Robinson and Daniel Vercoe-Rogers were
the other Ballymena Academy try scorers. Tristan Ferguson was successful with two of
his conversions.
The Royal School, Armagh team scored tries through the impressive Sam Montgomery,
James Anderson and Lucas Armstrong. Josh Watterson added two conversions.
Banbridge Academy played Down High School in a game the Down High School team won
by 33-12.
Noah Myles and Ryan Matthews scored first half tries for the Banbridge Academy
team with Andrew Jackson adding one conversion.
Fionn Carey, with two, Josh Sweeney, Ryan Connolly and Rhodri Phillips scored the Down
High School tries with Rhodri adding to his growing reputation when he converted four
of the tries.
Larne Grammar School played Limavady Grammar School in a game the Limavady
Grammar School team won by 26-21.
Ethan Anderson, Charlie Wilson and Charlie Patterson scored the Larne Grammar
School tries with Luke Farquhar adding all three conversions.
The Limavady Grammar School team scored four tries through Seth Guy, Joel
Osbourne, Benjamin Howe and Scott Hawthorne. Benjamin Howe completed a fine
personal performance with three successful conversions.
Methodist College, Belfast played Blackrock College, Dublin in a game the dominant
Blackrock College team won by 39-3.
Early Methodist College pressure forced the Blackrock College team into conceding a
penalty, which David Armstrong converted, to see his team into a 3-0 lead.
For long periods of time after this the Blackrock College team controlled both
territory and possession.
They went on to score six tries with Mikey Yarr, son of former Royal Belfast
Academical Institution and Ulster Schools’ player, Julian, Charlie Moloney, Greg Barron,
Tommy Butler, Mark Walsh and Niall Smith all touching down. Oliver Coffey added one
successful penalty goal as well as three successful conversions.
A Methodist College “Senior Select” team defeated Lurgan College by 35-26 at the end
of a very entertaining game.
The Methodist College team scored five converted tries in the course of the game.
The Lurgan College team played a full part in this exciting game and scored four tries in
the course of the game.
Harry McMeekin, Aaron Geddis, Peter Bird and Matthew Conn scored the tries with
Peter adding two conversions and Matthew adding a third.
Portadown College played Foyle and Londonderry College and recorded a comfortable
24-0 win.
Scott Craig, Mike Flack, Tyler Jackson and Nathan Thornton scored the Portadown
College tries with John Speers adding two conversions.
Wallace High School travelled to play St Mary’s College, Dublin in a game the St Mary’s
team won by 41-24.
The St Mary’s College team scored seven tries with Fionn Devereux, Cillian Jacobs, Sam
Ryan, David Leanne, Zack Hopkins, Luke McGill and Evan Moynihan all gracing the
scoreboard. Cillian capped a fine personal performance with three successful
conversions.
The Wallace High School tries were scored by the impressive Sam Warwick, with two,
Ben Armstrong and William Sproule. Carlie Beattie added the extras to two of the
tries.
The one remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy 1st Round game took
place on Saturday 7 th December when Grosvenor Grammar School lost by 60-24 against
Belfast High School.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final and 3rdxv Plate 2 nd Round draws
took place on Monday 2nd January. The results of the draws are as follows: –
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final Draw
1/ Ballymena Academy 3rdxv v Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 3rdxv
2/ Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv v Campbell College, Belfast 3rdxv
3/ Ballyclare High School 3rdxv v Methodist College Belfast 3rdxv
4/ Campbell College, Belfast 4thxv v Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final games MUST be played
on/before Saturday 28 th January.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate–2nd Round Draw
1/ Dromore High School 3rdxv v Limavady Grammar School 3rdxv
2/ Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv v Royal School, Armagh 4thxv
3/ Down High School 3rdxv v Regent House 3rdxv
4/Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv v Bye
5/Wallace High School 3rdxv v Bye
6/Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv v Bye
7/Royal School, Armagh 3rdxv v Bye
8/Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv v Bye
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate 2 nd Round games MUST be played
on/before Saturday 14 th January
