With most schools on a spring half term break there were only two games played on Saturday 12th February. There was also one midweek fixture played when Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Limavady Grammar School in the last remaining Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl quarter-final game.
The Foyle and Londonderry College team set their stall out very early in the game when they attacked the Limavady Grammar School team from the kick off. They scored a first minute try following a move which started close to their goal line. Ian Vance, a member of the successful Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ U19 squad, scored the try in the corner capitalising on good work from Kyle Henderson, Neil Burns and Tom Burns. The try was not converted but the home team had a 5-0 lead. Ian Vance was controlling the game for his Foyle and Londonderry College team and stamped his authority on the eventual outcome when, after 12 minutes play, he made a classic break which took him past a number of despairing Limavady Grammar School defenders to score under the popsts. Kyle Henderson added the conversion to see his team into a 12-0 lead. At this stage the Limavady Grammar School team staged something of a revival with Nathan Barr, Conor Crampsie, Ryan McCool and Shay McIntosh asking questions of the Foyle defence. However, poor discipline from the visitors ensured the Foyle team had opportunities to clear the danger on a number of occasions. Indeed, the Foyle team missed a number of penalty opportunities close to the Limavady Grammar School posts which left the score reading 12-0 at the half time whistle. The Foyle and Londonderry College team started the second half strongly and effectively sealed the game with two early tries. Graeme McCarter made a great half break which was finished off under the posts by Tom Burns who ran a great line of support to take the off load. Kyle Henderson added the conversion to see his team into a 19-0 lead. Two minutes later Graeme McCarter made another telling break to put the Foyle and Londonderry College right winger, Conor Cummings in for a try. The try was not converted but the Foyle team had a 24-0 lead. The Limavady team scored a consolation unconverted try ten minutes from the end of the game when Adam Baird got the touch down following good work from his pack to reduce the deficit to 24-5. The score remained at 24-5 which ensured the Foyle and Londonderry College team off a place in the semi-final of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl competition. The Foyle will travel to play Friends’ School for a game that will take place on Wednesday 23rd February with a 2-30pm kick off.
The draw for the ¼ finals is as follows (nb this is a knock-out competition):
*The draw was conducted by Mrs M Lively – Vice-Principal of Carrickfergus GS
The dates for the Medallion Trophy are as follows:
REVISED DATES:
• Round ¼ finals to be completed by Saturday 26th February 2011
• Semi Final to be completed by Saturday 5th March 2011
• Final TBC
ROUND 1
1. Antrim GS / Foyle & Londonderry College v Portora Royal School
2. Lurgan College v Strabane GS / Portadown College
3. Craigavon Senior High School v Slemish College
4. St Columbs College v Dalriada
Please note the revised dates and please make every effort to meet these deadlines as time is limited
Larne Grammar School hosted Grosvenor Grammar in a friendly fixture on Saturday morning. The visitors started brightly and scored from the kick off when Ryan McKnight made a great break to link with support players before the Grosvenor Grammar School second row forward, Matthew Cahoon, scored under the Larne Grammar School posts. Scott Irvine added the extras to put his team into a 7-0 lead. The Larne team worked hard to get back into the game through Ryan McAllister and Aaron McBride but a well organised Grosvenor Grammar School defence proved difficult to break down. When the Grosvenor team regained possession they looked threatening with their captain, Mark Foster, leading a dominant pack to give the visitors good go-forward ball. However, the Grosvenor line-out did not function as well as normal and a number of opportunities to extend their lead were wasted with the Larne pack finding it easy to disrupt the visitors maul. The Grosvenor team eventually turned territorial pressure into points when their hooker, Stuart Smyth, continued his recent fine scoring run by driving over the Larne Grammar School line close to the posts towards the end of the half. Scott Irvine converted the try to take the half time score to 14-0. The young Larne side was starting to tire and the Grosvenor team, with a Subsidiary Shield game at Bangor next week to look forward to, was determined to push forward. Behind a pack which has developed a solid reputation the Grosvenor Grammar School scrum half, Neil Adams, kicked his team into good positions. When Grosvenor Grammar School gained possession in the Larne 22m area, they made very good use of it. Matthew Cahoon, the outstanding player on show, once again powered his way over just inside the Larne Grammar School 15m line to score a try. Scott Irvine put his recent kicking woes behind him to extend the Grosvenor lead to 21-0 with a fine conversion attempt. There was still time left late in the game for a final Grosvenor Grammar School score when Ryan McKnight went over in the corner following yet more impressive work from the Grosvenor front five. The conversion attempt was missed but the Grosvenor team had won the game with a comfortable 26-0 victory. The Grosvenor coaches were pleased with a solid performance putting behind them the bitter disappointment of their last gasp defeat in the Schools’ Cup against Coleraine AI.
The only other 1stxv game played on Saturday was at Wallace High School where the Lisburn team entertained the Royal School, Armagh team. Both teams had made numerous changes from the squads that played in the 4th Round of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup the previous week. The RS Armagh team was the dominant force in the early exchanges enjoying territorial advantage as well as possession. They opened their account with a Harry Boyd penalty to take a 3-0 lead. This was extended midway through the first half when the same player outfoxed the Wallace High School defence to cut through for a fine try. Harry added the conversion to put his team into a 10-0 lead. The visitors held this lead until half time. Both teams made further changes at the interval and it was the Wallace team that started the second period strongly. The RS Armagh team was resolute in defence denying the home team a number of try scoring opportunities. However, Stewart Evans scored eventually for the Wallace team with a fine try. David Scott missed the conversion but the deficit had been reduced to 10-5. The RS Armagh team took the game deep into Wallace High School territory towards the end of the game. Stuart Hooks was denied his customary try by some good Wallace High School scramble defence. With little time remaining, Daniel Reaney took advantage of some good RS Armagh handling to score a try in the corner. The conversion was missed but the RS Armagh team had recorded a 15-5 win. Despite not being a full strength both teams served up an intriguing encounter and all the players appreciated getting a run out on their respective 1stxvs. It had been a busy morning at Wallace with all their junior teams playing teams from Belfast Royal Academy and St Mary’s College in Dublin. The Wallace High School Medallion had defeated Bangor Grammar School 17-9 in the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield while their 3rd xv had defeated Portora Royal School 39-0 in the 3rdxv Cup.
