The fixtures scheduled for Saturday 18th December 2010 will be subject to weather conditions allowing the games to be played. With the approach of the end of term, schools with fixtures will hope to play to enable their players to get some game time, something that has been difficult to achieve in recent weeks due to the extreme weather.
Belfast High School did manage to play last weekend against Ballyclare High School. The Belfast High School team will hope for an improved performance when they host Limavady Grammar School on Saturday. Having lost to the Ballyclare High School team, the Belfast High squad will need big games from experienced players such as Ryan McGonigle, Matthew Huntley and Jake Toan when they play the Limavady Grammar School team. The Limavady boys have had to endure a frustrating few weeks with the weather conditions in the NorthWest inhibiting not only their game time but also their practice time. Nathan Barr, Conor Crampsie, Shay McIntosh and their Limavady team mates will see their trip to Belfast as an opportunity not only to get a game, but also to record a victory.
The RS Dungannon team has just returned from a successful tour to Italy. The players and staff will wish to see the success of the tour taken into their home clash with a very strong Down High School team on Saturday. Peter Nelson, Derek Martin, Andrew Clingan and their RS Dungannon team mates will hope to replicate the good performance that saw them defeat the Bangor Grammar School team in their last home game. The Down High School team has not played in recent weeks. It will be up to their experienced players such as Stuart Orr, Aaron Cairns, Justin Rea and Matthew McKeown to ensure that this lack of game time does not inhibit their performance against the RS Dungannon team.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution recorded an impressive victory when they defeated St Michael’s College in a close encounter last weekend. The Belfast Inst team had to rely on a very cool performance from their second half replacement player, Matthew McGuigan, to seal the win. Matthew was nominated to kick the last minute penalty awarded against the Dublin visitors. Matthew held his nerve to slot the penalty over, ensuring that the Belfast Inst team recorded a one point victory, winning the game by 18-17. The Belfast Inst team will face another severe test when they host a very confident Wallace High School team. The Inst back row played well last weekend. Paddy Bell, Zach Welshman and Michael Kilpatrick will need a repeat performance on Saturday. The Wallace team has proven try scorers throughout their team. David Scott, Cal McIlwaine, Nathan McClatchey and Dean Irvine all scored tries in their game, last weekend, at Bangor. They will hope for more of the same on Saturday!
The Rainey Endowed team has not played since they recorded an impressive 36-0 win against Royal Grammar School, Newcastle at the end of November. Players such as Luke Steele, Martin Connolly, Damien McMurray and Jamie Burrows played well on that short tour. They will wish to repeat those performances when they host Sullivan Upper on Saturday. The Sullivan team will have to overcome their inconsistent recent form if they are to take anything in terms of a positive result from this game. Ross Adair, Harry Eves, Oliver Loughead and their Sullivan team mates will need to be at their best on Saturday.
The Portadown College team will see themselves as favourites when they entertain Friends’ School on Saturday. The Portadown team recorded an excellent win in a recent game against Sullivan Upper but then went on to lose to Carrickfergus Grammar School as well as Cambridge House. They have talented players in critical areas with scrum half, Adam McMaster, making good use of the ball supplied by back row forwards such as No 8, Josh McCullough and flanker, Matthew McCracken. The Portadown backs have a fine centre partnership in Matthew Troughton and David Busby. Any penalty opportunities will be kicked by their full back, Matthew Busby. The Friends’ team will hope to have a full squad available for this game. Jonny MacCorkell, Paddy Ferguson, Jamie Robinson and Dean Howes are crucial members of the Friends’ pack. If they can get quality ball for their backs, Rory McIvor, Michael Cochrane, Paul Anderson and Paddy Pringle will need to be closely monitored by the Portadown defence.
The Dalriada team has lost out on a lot of game time in recent weeks. David Campbell, Roger Bonnar, Andrew Skelton, Ben Henderson and their Dalriada team mates will hope their home game with Larne Grammar School can be played on Saturday. They will see this game as an opportunity to record another victory. However, they should not underestimate the quality of the Larne Grammar School team. The Larne boys have recorded two good wins in recent weeks, managing to play when other schools could not. Players such as Billy Brown, Ethan Kerr, Ross Williamson and Philip Andrew have been playing well. Dalriada should not take this clash lightly!
Coleraine AI face the unenviable task of hosting the currently undefeated Ballyclare High School team at the Castlerock Road venue on Saturday. Paddy Farrell, Stephen Best, Ali Ashgar, Michael Poskitt and their Coleraine team mates have lost out on crucial game time in recent weeks. They will need to put on a faultless display if they are to stop the Ballyclare High School juggernaut. The Ballyclare High School team has proven players in their squad. Jonny Holmes, Jonny Darling, Marc Logan, Peter Ferguson and Kirk Johnston are among their regular try scorers. They will hope to add to their reputation against Coleraine AI on Saturday.
Carrickfergus Grammar School has not played since losing their East Antrim” Derby” game at Larne Grammar School recently. They had an excellent win against Portadown College in November and will face another challenge when they travel to play Slemish College on Saturday. The Carrickfergus Grammar School team will hope that their injury concerns have lessened and that players such as Jonathan Moore, Ryan Hamilton and Andrew Fulton are all available for selection for this game.
The RS Armagh team has just returned from a tour to Italy. The team lost to the semi-professional FIR Roma U19 Academy team by 19-7 but defeated Unione Rugby Capitolina U19’s by 29-7. Players such as Daryl Morton, Harry Boyd, James Hanna, Robbie Magowan, Timmy McNeice and Ethan Gilkinson all contributed a lot during the two games. They will want to continue with this good form when they play the Belfast Royal Academy team on Saturday. The Belfast Royal Academy team defeated Banbridge Academy last time out. They ensured their win with good performances from Ryan Clarke, Eoin Devlin, Robbie Jamison and Matthew Robinson. They will need of the same if they are to cause an upset in Armagh on Saturday.
Ballymena Academy will play at Ballyclare High School on Wednesday afternoon before heading off to the Enfield Hotel at Johnstown where they will make use of the rugby facilities available at the hotel. Part of the programme will include a game against St Mary’s College, Dublin which has been scheduled to take place on Friday 17th December at the UCD Belfield Bowl Arena. This game has been scheduled to kick off at 4-00pm. The Ballymena Academy 2ndxv will travel with the 1stxv squad. The 2ndxv will play Clongowes Wood College 2nd xv on Thursday 1th December at 4-15pm. This short tour is seen as vital in the preparations of the Ballymena Academy team in the build up to their defence of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. Meanwhile, Regent House will travel to Portugal to play two games while Cambridge House and Methodist College are due to travel to Italy for end of term tours.
Supporters will be made welcome at all the scheduled fixtures but should contact host schools prior to the games to establish the exact arrangements with regard to venues and kick off times.
