There was one Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 2nd Round game replay played on Saturday 21st January.
Portora Royal School travelled to the North Coast and stayed overnight in preparation for their replay against Dalriada at the Ballymoney venue. Having drawn 10-10 in the first game, the Portora RS team felt slightly aggrieved at not having won the first match and was confident of completing the journey into the 3rd Round of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. The Enniskillen team had played well in their games leading up to the Dalriada fixture and travelled to Ballymoney in good form. However, the Dalriada team, despite scoring late in the original game to draw the fixture, was confident they could progress to the 3rd Round of the Cup after the replay. The replay turned out to be almost as tight a game as the first game with both teams displaying a great deal of determination and desire. Portora Royal School started the game strongly putting early pressure on the Dalriada defence. However, they undid a lot of this good work by giving away needless penalties. This fact allowed the Dalriada team back into a territorial advantage which they exploited when a garryowen from Jonny Allen was poorly dealt with by the Portora Royal defence.
The ball landed close to Jack Magee who used his pace to hack the ball ahead, outrun the Portora defence and win the race for the touchdown. Jonny Laughlin added the conversion to give the Dalriada team a 7-0- lead. Dalriada remained in the ascendancy after this opening score. The home pack dominated the setpiece and the backline began to look threatening. Dalriada soon had their second try as a scrappy scrum lead to a break by the Dalriada openside flanker, Angus Jinks. After making this initial run into the Portora defence, the ball was moved wide to centre, Johnny Allen. Jonny powered his way over the line in the corner for an unconverted try to take the score to 12-0 in favour of his Dalriada team. This scenario mirrored last week’s game as Dalriada dominated the opening stages. However, just as last week, the Portora side came roaring back into the tie. Just before the half time whistle, Portora began to find their feet in the game. A number of well-constructed phases led to them gaining a penalty in front of the posts. The Portora Royal Schoolscrumhalf, Patrick McCleery, converted to leave the half time score reading 12-3 to Dalriada. There was a sense of déjà vu appearing for the Dalriada players and supporters after the restart of the as Portora completely dominated the opening stages of the second half. Norman Gamble added another penalty just minutes into the half to chip away at the Dalriada lead and reduce the arrears to 12-6. Dalriada wandered offside at the restart kick allowing Portora to immediately place pressure upon the Dalriada defence. This pressure was rewarded as a poor Dalriada chase after a box kick failed to deal with the quick Portora counter attack. Winger Jonny Magwood outpaced the Dalriada defence to score underneath the posts. Patrick McCleery was again successful with his conversion kick to give Portora Royal a slim 13-12 lead. Panic seemed to set in among the Dalriada ranks as the Portora purple patch showed no sign of abating. The Portora pressure did not relent with the team working their way down into the Dalriada 22m area. They eventually forced their way over the line after a number of forward dominated phases for a Norman Gamble try. The conversion was missed but the Portora team now had an 18-12 lead. This seemed to spark some life into the Dalriada team. Jonny Laughlin converted a penalty opportunity to claw the deficit back to just three points with the scoreline reading 18-15 in favour of the visitors. Close to the end of the game a fine kick from Nathaniel Steele forced a Dalriada throw on the Portora 5 metre. The maul from the line out resulted in Dalriada driving over the Portora line with Mattie Glenn getting the touchdown. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but it was the Dalriada team that celebrated their narrow 20-18 victory when the no-side whistle sounded and will now progress to the 3rd Round of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup when they will welcome Regent House to the St James’s Road venue.
In the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield, Friends’ School and Omagh Academy met for the third time in their Round 2 game, having drawn the first two games 3-3 and 5-5 respectively.
The game was played at the Palace Grounds of Armagh Rugby Club and the space afforded by the pitch at this venue seemed to provide inspiration for the Friends’ School team. Ryan Hall, a Year 10 pupil, displayed great pace, power and strength to run in for two unconverted tries. In reply, the Omagh Academy team converted one penalty opportunity to ensure the Friends’ School team progressed to the 3rd Round of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield competition where they will travel to play Belfast High School. Both schools would like to thank Armagh Rugby Club for the generous provision of facilities, pitch space and floodlights for this game.
Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 Replay Result:
Friends’ School 10 v 3 Omagh Academy
Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 3 Results:
Limavady Grammar School 3 v 8 Royal School Armagh
Regent House 22 v 5 Foyle and Londonderry College
Belfast High School v Friends’ School (TBA)
Portora Royal School 14 v 5 Rainey Endowed School
Royal School Dungannon 12 v 13 Dalriada School For 182 Pictures CLICK HERE
Banbridge Academy 7 v 12 Ballyclare High School
Down High School 20 v 15 Carrickfergus Grammar School
Dromore High School v Portadown College (Playing Tuesday 31st January)
Quite a few none Schools’ Cup fixtures were played on Saturday 21st January.
The Methodist College team was due to play the famous rugby nursery of Colston’s School at Pirrie Park.
The Colston’s team withdrew from the fixture earlier in the week which left Methody without a game. However, Malone RFC U19’s agreed to play a game against their near neighbours. The Malone team provided spirited opposition for the Methody team but, with the experience of players such as James Harrison, Rory Winters, Chris Gracey, Mark Campbell, Rudolph Benade, Mark Campbell and Peter Colhoun available for selection, the Methody team was in a position to score 46 unanswered points.
The Royal School, Armagh hosted a rare visit from the Campbell College 1st xv which encouraged one Armagh comedian to suggest that a commemorative medal should have been struck to mark the occasion.
However, it was the Campbell College team that had the last laugh when they won an entertaining game by the narrowest of margins. The RS Armagh team started the game brightly with their back division making good use of quality possession provided by their pack. Following a recent training session with Presentation Brother’s College, Cork, Paul Barr and Kenny Hooks, both coaches with the Irish Schools’ team, introduced a play called the “Bar Conga”. The home team was able to use this to create the chance for Alistair Wright to score the first try of the game. The try was not converted but the RS Armagh team had a 5-0 lead. This was extended midway through the first half when Alistair converted a penalty kick to give his team an 8-0 lead. The Campbell College team recovered from this and reduced the arrears to 8-6 at the interval through two Rob Haldane penalties. Playing with the hill but into the wind in the second half, the Campbell College team controlled possession and denied the home team any real chances of scoring. The Campbell College team sealed their narrow win with a third Rob Haldane penalty of the game, to ensure a hard earned 9-8 victory.
Wallace High School travelled to play Blackrock College in Dublin.
The Lisburn team put on a very brave performance but lost the game by 14-7. The Wallace High School points came from a Jordan Heatley try which was converted by James McCallan.
Coleraine Academical Institution hosted Sullivan Upper with both teams keen to record a victory as they prepare for their 3rd Round Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ games on Saturday 28th January.
Mikey Poskitt opened the scoring for the home team when he intercepted a loose pass and ran the length of the pitch to score underneath the Sullivan Upper posts. Mikey added the conversion to give his team an early 7-0 lead. Sullivan Upper responded positively but their endeavours were thwarted by a well-organised Coleraine AI defence. That was until just before the halftime whistle when Oliver Matthews ran in for an unconverted try to reduce the arrears to 7-5. Coleraine AI enjoyed the majority of possession and territory during the second half but failed to turn this pressure into points. With just ten minutes of the game remaining, Sullivan struck with a well worked try through their forwards. Their captain, Owen Glenn, was deemed to have got the touchdown. The try was not converted but the Sullivan Upper team was delighted to escape from Coleraine having recorded a narrow 10-7 victory. This was a more impressive and spirited performance from the young Coleraine AI side who had the entire pack performing well throughout the game.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution hosted a triangular tournament involving themselves, Grosvenor Grammar School and Belfast Royal Academy.
All three teams used the games as an opportunity to play extended squads and give fringe players a run out. The Grosvenor Grammar School team defeated Belfast Royal Academy by 15-5 in their opening game. Ben Coard and Matthew Allen scored tries, one of which was converted by Peter Davison. Neil Adams kicked a penalty kick to account for the Grosvenor points. In response, Daniel Dass ran in for a try for his Belfast Royal Academy team. The Grosvenor Grammar School team then played Royal Belfast Academical Institution in their second game and found themselves on the wrong side of a 29-0 scoreline. The Belfast Inst backs, orchestrated by Matthew Keane, had too much power and pace for the Grosvenor team. The Belfast Inst pack had to work hard for possession against the Grosvenor pack but once they got it, the Inst back division proved too strong with Matthew Keane, John McClure and Nathan Brown getting among the try scorers. In the final game the Belfast Inst team drew 12-12 with the Belfast Royal Academy team. The home team took a 5-0 lead but the Belfast Royal Academy team fought back valiantly to score tries through Ryan Hogg and Mark Wylie. Jack Carlisle added one conversion to give his team a 12-5 lead. With the final play of the game the Inst team scored a converted try to finish the tournament with a 12-12 draw.
Limavady Grammar got back to winning ways following their defeat at the hands of Royal School, Armagh a fortnight ago.
The Limavady team travelled to play Sligo Grammar School, a team that lost narrowly to Portora Royal in their last encounter against a school from Ulster. The Limavady side got off to a good start, despite playing against the elements in the first half. Within the first ten minutes of the game the pressure exerted upon the home side proved too much and was converted into points with a try from Luke Faulkner following a charge down. The try was not converted but the visitors had a 5-0 lead. The first points for Sligo were placed on the board following a penalty as a result of ill-discipline at the ruck taking the score to 5-3. Following that penalty the Limavady side found themselves pinned inside their own 22m area by the astute tactical kicking of the Sligo Grammar School outhalf. However, upon regaining possession the Limavady pack provided quick ball for the backs who ran the ball from their twenty-two and made no mistake in putting Aaron Rainey in for a score in the corner. The try was not converted but it did give the Limavady team a 10-3 lead. The Sligo Grammar School team replied with a try following good work from their pack. Despite the valiant Limavady Grammar School defence Shane Boyle was awarded the try to take the score at the end of the first half to 10-8 in favour of the visitors. The Limavady side started well in the second half and, with the wind at their backs, kept turning the opposition defence. Despite spending most of the second half in the opposition 22 m area, the visiting side could not capitalise. They found themselves on the wrong side of a very high penalty count which only served to hinder their progress. It was late into the second half that Aaron Rainey scored his second try of the game following good rucking by the forwards and quick ball provided by his scrum half, Jamie Millar. The try was not converted but the Limavady Grammar School team had recorded a 15-8 victory with Rory Squires putting in a “Man of the Match” performance.
Down High School hosted a Larne Grammar School team that was still in recovery mode following their exit from the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup the previous week.
The opening score of the game came after eight minutes of play when Kelvin Hamilton broke through a number of tackles to score under the posts, Justin Rea added the conversion to give the home team an early 7-0 lead. Five minutes later it was Ricky Gill who took advantage of some despairing Larne Grammar School defence to sprint in from 30 metres for the second try of the game, Justin Rea added the conversion to increase the Down High School lead to 14-0. Down High resisted the temptation to try to run everything and instead stuck to disciplined patterns. They were rewarded again with twenty three minutes gone when the ball was moved quickly from a ruck. Luca Rea opted to go for the line and touched down for a try close to the posts, Justin Rea added the extras to take the score to 21- 0. Ben Hale scored two tries before half time. The first try came after Down High won a 5 metre scrum against the head and Ben dived over to score. His second saw him on the end of a fine handling move and, with both tries converted by Justin Rea, the halftime score stood at 35-0 in favour of the home team. The second half saw a period of resistance from the Larne Grammar School team with Houston Saunderson and Marc Robinson doing all they could do to encourage their young team mates. However, with ten minutes of the second half gone, Down High moved the ball wide to release Luc Bonnargent who made good ground before feeding Jack Calvert who finished under the posts. Justin Rea again landed the conversion taking the score to 42-0. Luc Bonnargent then grabbed a try for himself after another excellent move which saw the ball pass through several pairs of hands. With the last move of the match, Chris Martin collected a pass and found himself with the space to run in for a try from 20 metres. Justin Rea added the conversion to leave the final score reading 54-0 in favour of his Down High School team.
