There were games played at various times during the Christmas holiday period despite the fact that all schools were on their Christmas break.
Foyle and Londonderry College played their annual Boxing Day fixture against City of Derry Rugby Club U19’s. The game proved to be an exciting encounter and provided great entertainment for the sizeable crowd of supporters who gathered at the Rugby Club to encourage the young players involved. The Foyle team started strongly with an unconverted Tobias Anderson try after only two minutes of the game which gave the school team a 5-0 lead. The City of Derry U19’s were not fazed by this early setback and responded with an unconverted Jack Dixon try midway through the first half to level the game at 5-5. Five minutes later the club team took a 10-5 lead when Ryan McMenamin ran in for another unconverted try. On the stroke of halt time the schoolboys scored the fourth unconverted try of the game with a Niall Adair touchdown to take the score to 10-10 at the interval. The City of Derry U19 team took a 15-10 lead early in the second half with a try from Jamie Devine. The Foyle and Londonderry team then started to control territory as well as possession which resulted in an avalanche of scores. Oisin Duddy, Calvin Jones,
Neil Burns and Sean Devine all scored tries with Niall Adair touching down for his second. Three Kyle Henderson conversions allied to a brace of conversions from Neil Burns ensured a comfortable 45-15 win for the Foyle and Londonderry College team. Both teams should be congratulated for their commitment, dedication and display of skilful rugby in a game which was played in the most difficult of conditions.
Wallace High School took the opportunity to travel to Portugal for some weather training in the lead up to Christmas.
On their return they travelled to play Coleraine Academical Institution in horrendous conditions on Wednesday 28th December. Gale force wind and torrential rain battered the north coast as players, officials and spectators braved the elements. Following a comfortable victory against a local club side in Portugal Wallace were keen to get back into action on home soil. However the strength of the wind curtailed any constructive wide play and made a mess of the line out. Zack McCall had a strong carrying game and scored two tries while Jordan Heatley and David Scott powered over for the other tries. James McCallan kicked one conversion to ensure a 22-0 win for the Wallace High School team.
Portora Royal School hosted Belfast High school in a midweek Christmas fixture at the Castle Lane grounds in Enniskillen.
CLICK HERE FOR 99 High Res Pictures courtesy of Gary Benson
It was the visitors that took advantage of some slack Portora defence in the early stages of the game to rumble over from a lineout for a converted try and take a 7-0 lead. This seemed to waken the Portora team up with some good attack play ensuring the ball found its way to the eager arms of Ben Forbes. Ben found himself in space and ran from his own half to touch down under the Belfast High School posts. Patrick McCleery added the conversion the take the score to 7-7. It didn’t take long for the Portora Royal School team to add a second try. The home team benefitted from a missed penalty attempt when the Belfast High School 22 metres drop out found its way straight to Patrick McCleery. Patrick then chipped the ball over the Belfast High School defence and nearly had Jonny Magwood scoring in the corner only for a sharp minded Belfast High winger clearing the ball into touch. From the resultant line-out the ball ended up with Connor Donaldson, the Portora Royal School outside half. Connor hit a beautifully weighted grubber kick through the visitors defence and James Ferguson capitalized to touch down for the Portora team. The conversion kick from Patrick McCleery was successful and his team had now a 14-7 lead. Robert Connor scored the third Portora try just before the interval and the successful conversion attempt from Patrick McCleery gave the home team a 21-7 halftime lead. The Belfast High School team dominated proceedings in the early stages of the second half but the home defence was well organised and disciplined enough to ensure their line remained intact. The High School team seemed to get frustrated at times and gave away a number of needless penalties. This gave the home team the opportunity to gain territorial advantage which led to a try from Stephen Johnston. The conversion was missed but the Portora team now had a 26-7 lead. The Belfast High School team continued to play in a committed manner and got some reward for their endeavours with an unconverted try in the closing stages of the game to leave the final score reading 26-12 in favour of the victorious Portora Royal School team.
Limavady Grammar School travelled to Ballymoney Rugby Club to play a three session controlled game against Dalriada School. Both teams took the opportunity to play extended squads in the course of the morning.
The first session witnessed the Dalriada pack dominate the breakdown until the Limavady Grammar School team realised they were guilty of taking the opposition for granted. As a result, the Limavady side won possession and put together a number of phases which created the space for winger, John Fallows, to score in the corner. The try was not converted but the visitors had a 5-0 lead. Following this score the Limavady Grammar School centre, Stuart Hull, broke through the Dalriada defence to run in for a try. Luke Faulkner duly added the extras to take the score at the end of the first session to 12-0. The second period of play witnessed many changes in the lines-up for both teams. However, this time Limavady dominated the breakdown and, as a result of winning good possession, spent most of the time in the opposition half. However, Limavady failed to capitalise until late into the session when clever interplay between prop forward, Rory Squires, and Luke Faulkner resulted in a score.The try was not converted but the score at the end of the second session was 17-0 in favour of the Limavady Grammar School squad. Early in the third session a lineout, followed by a driving maul, enabled Rory Squires to scramble over for a try for the Limavady team. The try was converted by Michael Barr to give his team a 24-0 lead. The rest of the session saw close exchanges from both sides resulting in neither team deriving any real advantage. It was only in the dying moments of the final session that Dalriada managed to score when Rhys McAuley ran in for a try despite the close attention of the Limavady Grammar School defence. The try was converted leaving the score at the final whistle 24-7 in favour of the visitors. Both squads are grateful to Ballymoney Rugby Club for use of their fine facilities and hosting this game.
Ballyclare High School hosted the much improved Royal School, Dungannon team for a midweek fixture at a very cold, wet and windy Rashee Road.
Playing into the wind the home team started strongly and managed to deny the RS Dungannon team anything in the way of quality possession for the opening quarter of the game. The Ballyclare forwards, with Paddy Reid in imperious form, carried the ball strongly. Their backline took advantage of the quality possession provided by the pack and created a number of opportunities. The first try of the game came when the home team went through a number of phases which started in their 22m area and finished with an unconverted try from Jonny Douglas on the left hand side of the pitch. With their 5-0 lead secured the Ballyclare High School team attacked at every opportunity and only stout defence from the RS Dungannon team, with Andrew Clingan, Peter Cashel and Jack Milligan all working hard, prevented any further scores. That was until close to the interval when the Ballyclare High School team launched an attack from deep inside their half. A clever off load from Marc Logan paved the way for Paddy Reid to score under the RS Dungannon posts. The conversion attempt from Jonny Douglas was successful and his team took a 12-0 lead into the interval. The start of the second period of play saw the RS Dungannon team in the ascendancy and it was the turn of the Ballyclare High School team to defend. Andrew Clingan, Stephen Rogers and Peter Cashel all came close to scoring but the home defence managed to thwart their advances. As the overhead and underfoot conditions deteriorated the mistake count from both teams rose. Eventually, it was the home team that had the final say in the outcome of the game when the Ballyclare High School flanker, Jordan McKinstry, found space on the blindside of a ruck and ran in from 30 metres to score a try. Jonny Holmes added the extras to see his team through this difficult encounter with a hard earned 19-0 victory.
In another midweek fixture played in very trying conditions Royal Belfast Academical Institution defeated Bangor Grammar School by 5-0.
A number of games took place on Saturday 31st December.
Methodist College travelled to play Royal School, Armagh in a game where the winners would hold onto their unbeaten run of games against schools in the Province.
The RS Armagh team had lost only to a visiting Australian team in September whilst the Methodist College team had lost to Rockwell College in November as well as to an Italian Representative team just prior to Christmas. In an interesting post-Christmas encounter both teams tested each other out in the opening exchanges without putting any real pattern into the game. However, midway through the first half it was the home team that struck first when Alistair Wright converted a penalty opportunity following a Methody infringement at a ruck. The Armagh team held onto this 3-0 lead until the interval. The second half saw the Methody backrow having to re-organise with Chris Gracey linking up with Rory Winters to good effect. The RS Armagh backrow, with Mattie Clarke, Thomas Johnston and Daniel Morton displaying great levels of commitment and skills, provided good ball for their backs but the Methodist College defence was well-organised. Rory Winters, James Harrison and the impressive Mark Campbell were all involved in taking play into the RS Armagh territory and quick ball was released to put Paddy Colhoun into space. Paddy scorched in at the corner to touch down for an unconverted try and put his team into a 5-3 lead. The RS Armagh team went on the offensive with Stuart Hooks and Daniel Reaney keen to get their hands on the ball. Following pressure on the Methodist College line, the visitors were penalised for an offence at the breakdown. Alistair Wright stepped up to convert the penalty kick and give his team a narrow 6-5 lead. Both teams raised their efforts in the final quarter of the game and just as Paddy Colhoun thought he was about to run in for his second try, following a Methody attack from deep, Daniel Reaney tracked back with a superb tackle to deny the flying Methody winger his moment of glory. The final say in the outcome of the game came when a Methody lineout was driven over the RS Armagh line enabling Chris Gracey to touch down for a try. The try was not converted but the Methody team had done enough to secure a hard earned 10-6 victory.
Wallace High School hosted Ballymena Academy on New Year’s Eve and won a closely contested game by 7-0.
The game was evenly contested in the opening exchanges with the respective defences holding firm and ensuring a close fought game. The only try of the game came just prior to the interval when, Callum Irvine, a Year 12 pupil on the Wallace High School team, took advantage of some poor Ballymena Academy defence to run in for a try. James McCallen converted the try from beyond the 15 metre line to give his team a 7-0 lead just before the interval. The Ballymena team enjoyed the majority of both territory and possession in the course of the second half but the Wallace High School defence was well-organised and thwarted the visitors at every opportunity. Zack McCall, Cal McIlwaine, Stephen Arneill and Stephen Dickson combined well to ensure a hard earned 7-0 victory for the Wallace High School team.
Rainey Endowed School hosted Banbridge Academy in a game that the home controlled in the opening exchanges.
The Rainey captain, Thomas Booth, scored the first try of the game which was converted by Martin Connolly to give the home team a 7-0 lead. Minutes later Martin Connolly converted a penalty opportunity to extend that lead to 10-0. Banbridge Academy rallied valiantly but mistakes at critical times cost them dearly and they were unable to add anything to the scoreboard in the lead up to halftime. Banbridge Academy started the second half strongly but the Rainey defence was well-organised. The home team broke out from deep ten minutes into the second half and pressurised the Banbridge defence into giving away a penalty. Martin Connolly stepped up to convert the penalty and extend the Rainey Endowed School lead to 13-0. Ten minutes later the home team ensured their win when Thomas Booth scored his second try of the morning. The try was unconverted but Rainey had an 18-0 lead. Close to the end of the game the Banbridge Academy team got some reward for their endeavour when replacement wing, Michael Wilson, scored an unconverted try. The final whistle sounded a few minutes later to ensure an 18-5 win for the Rainey Endowed team.
The Northern Bank Medallion Shield Round 2 games are scheduled to be played on Saturday 7th January 2012. Schools are reminded of the necessity to send the results through to Stephen Barr at Limavady Grammar School as soon as possible after the games. His contact number is 07854782268.
