Due to the half term holiday break only one 1stxv friendly game took place on Saturday 2nd November.
Wallace High School travelled to play St Gerard’s School, Bray in a game that attracted a large crowd of spectators.
At the end of a high scoring encounter the scoreboard read St Gerard’s School 26 Wallace High School 35.
The St Gerad’s School team scored four tries through Elian Desmond, Luca Clopin, Turlough McCracken-Brown and Luke Tanner. Zenon Chambers was successful with one conversion while Matthew Murray converted two of the St Gerard’s School tries.
The Wallace High School team had built up a 21-5 lead by the break with tries from James Curran, James Gould and Daniel Macklin Copeland. James Geddis added the extras to all three tries.
The second half saw the Wallace High School team score two further tries through Quinn Armstrong and Alex Stephenson. Two more successful conversion kicks from James Geddis secured the 35-26 victory for the Wallace High School team.
Not only were the Wallace High School players and coaches delighted with the result of the game but also with the excellent post-match hospitality provided by St Gerard’s School.
On Wednesday 6th November the Sullivan Upper School team travelled to play Terenure College in Dublin.
The Terenure College team won the game by 40-17 and scored six tries in the course of the game.
Ben Blaney, with two, Niall Fallon, with two, Michael Kennedy and Geoff O’Sullivan were the Terenure College try scorers with Geoff capping a fine personal performance when he kicked five successful conversions.
The Sullivan Upper School points came through unconverted tries from Nathan Noble and Max Readman as well as a penalty try awarded when Jack Law was unlawfully impeded while in the act of scoring.
Once the half term holiday break finished, for the majority of schools it was back into the second series of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games on Saturday 9th November.
In Group A Ballyclare High School played Regent House School in a game the Regent House School team won by 27-5.
The Ballyclare High School team scored an unconverted try through Isaac Shiels early in the second half.
The Regent House School team scored their points through a hattrick of tries from Matthew Callaghan alongside one try apiece from Toby McSorley and Lewis Robinson. Josh Colville was successful with one conversion kick.
Meanwhile, at the Avenue Road venue, Lurgan College hosted Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 40-0.
Lewis Connolly, with two, Ben Cassidy. with two, Ryan Halpin and Thomas Hanlon scored the Down High School tries with Josh McCaughey adding five successful conversions.
In Group B the Rainey Endowed School entertained Dromore High School with Bangor Grammar School hosting Grosvenor Grammar School.
The Rainey Endowed School team won their game by 34-12 and scored five tries in the process.
Tries from Charlie McConville, with two, Emmett McNulty and Lorcan McLarnon were followed by one penalty try. Owen O’Kane was successful with two conversions as well as one penalty kick.
The Dromore High School points came through tries from Alfie Clarke and Harry Cromie with Daniel Ennis-McManus adding one successful conversion.
Bangor Grammar School recorded a 50-10 victory in their game against Grosvenor Grammar School.
As well as a penalty try, the Bangor Grammar School team scored tries through Cal Banyard, with four, Oliver Rudd, Rory Harris, George Patterson, and Luke Dinely. Ryan Gowdy added the remaining points off the tee.
The Grosvenor Grammar School team scored their points through a penalty from Shea Taggart as well as a try from Stefan Buick which was converted by Shea Taggart.
In Group C a top of the table clash took place when Foyle and Londonderry College played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team won the game by 33-0 scoring all five tries in the first half of the game.
Toby Newman, Andrew Kerr, Thomas Barnett, Jake Irwin and Josh Ovens scored the tries with Sam Paton adding four successful conversions.
At the same time, Bangor Academy played Coleraine Grammar School in a game the Coleraine Ghrammar School team won by 40-0.
The Bangor Academy team contributed a lot to the game and made the Coleraine Grammar School team work hard for their win. Bangor Academy players such as Sean Hynes, Isaac Gourley and Steven Boyd impressed with their performances throughout the game.
The Coleraine Grammar School team scored six tries through Joshua Hawe, Noah Beggs, Cody Moffatt, Myles Johnston, Luke McMillan and Archie McClenaghan with Joshua adding five successful conversion kicks.
In Group D Banbridge Academy played Dalriada School while Royal School, Dungannon hosted their Co Tyrone neighbours from Omagh Academy.
Banbridge Academy defeated Dalriada School by 12-0 with Noah Bell and Sam Leslie scoring the tries and Andrew Jackson adding one successful conversion.
The game at Royal School, Dungannon saw the Omagh Academy team emerge as 26-24 winners following a very closely fought encounter.
The Royal School, Dungannon points came through tries from Jacob McNutt, with a brace, Ben Lowey and Ryan Williamson. Blake Redmond was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
Omagh Academy scored two tries through Innes Sheridan and Matthew Brady with Sam Harper, the Omagh Academy “Hero of the Day”, converting both tries as well kicking four successful penalties.
In Group E, and following a successful tour to Portugal, Larne Grammar School got back to playing domestic rugby when they hosted Royal School, Armagh.
The Royal School, Armagh team recorded a comprehensive 45-5 victory.
The Larne Grammar School points came through an unconverted try from Reece Renwick.
The Royal School, Armagh team scored seven tries through Thomas Dougan, with two, Cameron Cummings, with two, James Reid, with two and Charlie Reaney touching down for one try. Evan Hughes and Adam Harrison combined to add the extras to five of the Royal School, Armagh tries.
Limavady Grammar School played Cambridge House Grammar School at the Ballyquin Road venue and recorded a hard-earned 23-12 victory.
On the top of good performances from players such as Killian Brolly and Josh Connolly, the Limavady Grammar School points came through tries from Ben Moore, Seth Guy and James Laird. James had a good morning off the tee with one successful conversion as well as two successful penalties.
The Cambridge House Grammar School points came through tries from Justin Mark and Henri Kyle with Justin adding the conversion to his try.
In Group F, Belfast Royal Academy played Friends’ School, Lisburn at the JC Picken Playing Fields at Roughfort in a game the Belfast Royal Academy team won by 40-0.
The Belfast Royal Academy team scored six tries through Alex French, Elias Agbonkpolor, Frank Davis, Aaron Caldwell and Connor McVicker, with two. Connor scored the remaining Belfast Royal Academy points “off the tee”
At the Killicomaine Road venue, Portadown College played Antrim Grammar School in a game the Portadown College team won by 36-14.
The Portadown College team scored six tries through Sammy Walsh, Harvey Creaney, Danny Guy, Sam Bentley, Sammy Walsh and Thomas Kenny. Danny Guy added the extras to three of the Portadown College tries.
The Antrim Grammar School points came through tries scored by Jack McNeilly and Jake Quigley with Tom McNeilly adding both conversions.
Five of the six Top Tier Schools, not involved in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games, all played friendly games on Saturday 9th November.
Ballymena Academy played Campbell College, Belfast and won the exciting close encounter by 29-25.
The Ballymena Academy team scored one penalty try as well as three tries through Seth McReady, Jacob Cassidy and Billy Wylie. Reuben Allen added two successful conversions as well as one successful penalty kick.
The Campbell College, Belfast team scored five unconverted tries through Russell Lovo, James Dornan, Oli Park and the impressive Cal McKinney, with two.
Methodist College, Belfast played Kirkham Grammar School, Lancashire in a game the Kirkham Grammar School team won by 31-5.
Oliver Gartley scored a consolation unconverted try for the Methodist College, Belfast team.
The Kirkham Grammar School team scored five tries through Rohan Sheldon, Sam Littler, Tom Carter, Harrison Causey and Connor Norman, Ben Firth converted two of the Kirkham Grammar School tries with Isaac Glue adding a third successful conversion.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution travelled to Dublin where they played St Mary’s College in a game the St Mayr’s College team won by 35-26.
Daniel Tourish, with two, Conor Cantwell, Tom O’Keefe and Diarmuid O’Shea scored the St Mary’s College tries with Paul Neary adding all five successful conversion kicks.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team scored four tries through George Craigan, with a hattrick, and Darcy Donnelly. Charlie O’Connor was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Also on the road to Dublin was the Wallace High School 1stxv squad where they played Belvedere College.
The Wallace High School team won this closely contested encounter by 21-19.
Belvedere College scored their points through tries from Cillian McCann, Rory O’Farrell and Isaac Soden with Johnny Garrihy adding two successful conversions.
The Wallace High School scored one penalty try alongside touches down from Josh Geddis and Sam Warwick. James Curran added the extras to both those tries.
Belfast High School, Carrickfergus Grammar School alongside two Royal Belfast Academical Institution “Senior Select” teams played out a four-team blitz at Osbourne Park.
This blitz format provided the opportunity for almost 90 players to get a very enjoyable run out with each squad playing on three occasions in the course of the morning.
Adam Magill, Cameron Kincaid, Joshua Olawatula and Alex McAllister were among the Carrickfergus Grammar School players who impressed with their performances while players such as Adam Middleby, Dylan Weir and Peter Elliott stood out in the Belfast Inst colours with Harry Palmer, Freddie Bell and Archie Cruikshank playing well for the Belfast High School team.
All the players, as well as their coaches, involved would like to thank Royal Belfast Academical Institution for organising and hosting this very enjoyable four team blitz style tournament.
