Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 7th September 2019
Quite a few Ulster schools were involved in early season fixtures on Saturday 7th September.
Wallace High School, having recorded a victory against St Gerard’s School from Bray on Saturday 31st August, had no game on Saturday 7th September. However, the St Gerard’s team was on the road again on Saturday 7th when they travelled to play Campbell College, Belfast. Following a closely contested game it was the St Gerard’s School team that travelled home celebrating having defeated the Campbell College team by 15-14.
Antrim Grammar School , a Foyle and Londonderry College Development squad and Ballymena Academy 3rd xv played out a ten minutes each half tournament. Antrim GS defeated the Foyle College Development team by 20-7and lost 10-0 against the Ballymena Academy team that had recorded a 26-0 win against the Foyle College team. Adam Carville, Jack Craig and Ross Mackay all impressed for the Antrim GS team in the course of the tournament.
Foyle and Londonderry College had another senior squad of players at Methodist College where they played against a Methodist College, Belfast3rd xv and Larne Grammar School 1stxv. Despite good performances from players such as Noah Guthrie and Callum Gillen the Foyle team lost by 5-0 against the Methody team and 12-7 against the Larne GS team.
The Larne Grammar School team had Josh Walker and Caelan Campbell to thank for tries against the Foyle College team with Euan Glenn adding one conversion. Against the Methody, which the Methody team won by 17-12, Stephen Dickey and Euan Glenn scored the tries with Euan adding one conversion.
Ballyclare High School hosted a Ballymena Academy team that travelled to the game minus six of their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ squad members. The Ballymena Academy team put on a very good performance and recorded a 47-0 victory against a very spirited Ballyclare High School team. The Ballymena Academy team had built up a 35-0 lead by the interval with tries from Jonny Cochrane, who touched down twice, Tyler Mc Neill, Dean Millar and Angus Steele. Tyler McNeill was successful with all his first half conversions.
The Ballymena team scored two second half tries through Timmy Douglas and Craig Simpson, one of which was converted by the impressive Josh Drain.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School defeated their near neighbours from Omagh Academy by 33-8. Callum Smyton, Taine Haire, Matthew Beattie, Matthew Bothwell and Sam Balfour all scored tries for the Enniskillen RGS team with Eddie Keyes adding four conversions.
The Omagh Academy team, with the Braden Brothers, Oisin McBride and Harry Stephenson all impressing, came close to scoring on a number of occasions but failure to control the ball at critical times from the Omagh team and good defence from the Enniskillen RGS team somewhat restricted the Omagh Academy team. Eventually Harry Stephenson did manage to cross the whitewash for an unconverted try and Harry Matthews converted a penalty opportunity to secure the eight points for the Omagh Academy team.
Friends’ School, Lisburn hosted a tournament with Down High School, Regent House School and Bangor Grammar School. The Friends’ School team lost by 14-12 against Bangor Grammar School, defeated Regent House School by 28-0 and defeated Down High School by 24-0.
Fergus McEwen scored two tries for the Friends’ School team with Reece Malone adding one conversion against Bangor Grammar School. Fergus McEwen, Ethan Terris, Stuart Patterson and Paddy McElhinney scored the Friends’ tries against Regent House with Reece Malone adding all four conversions. Against Down High School the Friends’ School points came through tries from Fergus McEwen, who touched down twice, Ethan Terris and Jack Harte with Reece Malone adding two conversions.
In the Grosvenor Grammar School IH Graham Cup Tournament Rainey Endowed School, Grosvenor Grammar School and Dromore High School played in Group Stage one games while Wesley College, Dublin, Belfast Royal Academy and Banbridge Academy played in Group Stage Two games.
The results of the Group Stage games are as follows:-
Grosvenor Grammar School 0 Rainey Endowed School 12, Dromore High School 10 Grosvenor Grammar School 7 Rainey Endowed School 14 Dromore High School 7
Belfast Royal Academy 19 Banbridge Academy 0 Wesley College, Dublin 26 Banbridge Academy 0 Belfast Royal Academy 0 Wesley College, Dublin 14
These results ensured the final games played were as follows:-
Wesley College, Dublin played Rainey Endowed School and won the game by 23-0, Dromore High School played Belfast Royal Academy in a game the Belfast Royal Academy team won by 24-0 and Grosvenor Grammar School played Banbridge Academy in a gme the Banbridge Academy team won by 7-0.
In the course of the tournament Abban McCloy, Ross Speers and Matthew Gibson impressed for the Rainey Endowed School team with Jake Houston and Jonny Martin impressing for the Banbridge Academy team.,
At the end of the tournament Mr Ian H Graham, the former King’s Scholars RFC player, former President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU and ex Head of Physical Recreation and Movement Studies at Grosvenor Grammar School, presented the IH Graham Trophy to the captain of the victorious Wesley College, Dublin team.
Royal School, Armagh hosted Coleraine Grammar School and recorded an impressive 62-0 win in a game in which Sam Rainey, Joseph Webb, Sam Harrison, Josh King and James Hazelton all impress for the Royal School, Armagh team.
Belfast High School hosted Belfast Metropolitan College in a high scoring game the Belfast High School team won by 42-15. Aaron Douglas, Eddie Gorrod, Josh Cruickshank, Scott Hutton and Jacob Ogle scored the Belfast High School tries with Aaron adding three penalties as well as four conversions.
Lurgan College hosted Portadown College in a game the Portadown College team eventually won by 22-17. The Lurgan College team had built up a 17-5 lead by the break with a try from Luke Forsythe and two from Ryan Holmes. Harry Bird added one conversion. The Portadown College points in the first half came from an unconverted try scored by Marshall Clint.
The second half saw the Portadown College team take the ascendancy. Tries from Jordan Robb, Ethan Williamson and Charlie Logan, along with an Adam Speers conversion, secured the hard earned 22-17 victory for the Portadown College team.
