With some schools’ hosting entrance tests on Saturday 27th November there were a number of fixtures rescheduled to take place earlier in the week. Due to the adverse weather conditions prevailing on Saturday 27th November, none of the remaining scheduled fixtures took place.
Banbridge Academy hosted a Portadown College team that was full of confidence following their recent victory against Sullivan Upper. The Portadown College team started the game strongly, controlling territory and possession. They took a 3-0 lead when Matthew Busby converted a penalty fifteen minutes into the game. This seemed to galvanise the Banbridge team who responded with two Hugo Harbinson penalties after twenty and twenty five minutes play. The score remained at 6-3 in favour of the home team for the remainder of the first half. Portadown College started the second period of play strongly and equalised the score at 6-6 when Matthew Busby converted a penalty opportunity midway through the half. Kallan Martin put the home team in front after sixty five minutes when he scrambled his way over the Portadown line to get the touch down for an unconverted try. With his team now in a narrow 11-6 lead, Kallan had to ensure that Banbridge defence was well organised to withstand the Portadown College waves of attack in the final few minutes. The defence was well organised and ensured that the Banbridge Academy team emerged as 11-6 victors of this game.
Ballymena Academy hosted Foyle and Londonderry College in a midweek fixture at the Galgorm Road venue with both teams hoping to build on some encouraging recent performances. The home team welcomed back captain John Andrew from injury but the Foyle and Londonderry College team was still without their Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ U18 player, Tom Burns.
The early exchanges were tightly contested and it was Foyle who opened the scoring after only five minutes play when their out half, Ian Vance, coasted through a gap in the Ballymena defence to score below the posts. The successful conversion from Chris Campbell gave the Foyle and Londonderry College team a 7-0 lead.
This seemed to spur the Ballymena team into action and the home side took control for the remainder of the half. Caleb Morrison scored two superb individual tries with Adam Kerr and Peter Storey chipping in with one try each. Caleb Morrison converted three of these tries to take the score to 26-7 in favour of the Ballymena Academy team as the half time whistle sounded.
Ballymena continued to dominate territory and possession in the second half with their front five working hard to generate quick ball. Ballymena added six more tries in a period of twenty minutes with two from Peter Wallace and one each for Nicholas Stirling, Peter Storey, Darren Geddis as a well as a hat-trick try from Caleb Morrison. With Caleb adding four conversions, Ballymena had amassed 64 points by the hour mark. 
To the credit of the Foyle and Londonderry College team, they continued to press hard in the final ten minutes of the game. The Foyle team got their reward for their endeavours when Neil Burns showed good strength to muscle over in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful and this left the final score reading 64-12 in favour of Ballymena Academy. 
We travelled to Bangor on Saturday morning in the hope that clubs lying closer to the sea would thaw quicker. The noise coming from the playing fields as we approached was enough to now the games had gone ahead.
It was freezing but the beutiful sunshine made for a brilliant morning. No wind made for near perfect playing conditions and 4 teams where battling it out.
Friends had travelled to Bangor Grammar and we managed to get pictures from 3 out of the four games, and interviews with the coaches and clips of play below, and the report continues below the videos
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CLICK HERE for 191 picture slideshow from 3 Bangor Grammar games against Friends
CLICK HERE for 44 picture slideshow from 3 Bangor Grammar against Friends, pictures courtesy of Ken Best, e: ken.best@ntconnect.com for high resolution
Bright sunshine pervaded the proceedings at Larne Grammar in an exciting local derby.
Two excellent rugby schools battled it out with Larne fairly comfortably winning. Both sides scored. A bad day at the office for Carrick who got frustrated because they can and will do better. Larne ran out the winners by a few tries.
Looking forward to covering these teams as the season progresses
CLICK HERE to enjoy 24 picture slideshow from the game
Rainey Endowed School 1st and 2nd xvs embarked on a short tour to the North East of England where they were hosted by RGS Newcastle, a school that has had strong links over the years with rugby playing schools in Ulster. The Rainey team departed on tour on the morning of Wednesday 24th and that afternoon both 1st and 2nd xvs played RGS Newcastle. In very difficult and bitterly cold conditions, the Rainey School 1st xv started well and were soon in front with a Martin Connolly penalty. Shortly after this, a fine break from Jamie Burrows was finished off with Matthew Stewart running in for an excellent try. This try was converted by Martin Connolly to give the Rainey Endowed team a 10-0 lead. Jamie Burrows then got on the scoreboard when he hit a great angle to score under the posts. Martin Connolly was once again successful with his conversion to leave Rainey with a useful 17-0 half time lead. With the weather conditions deteriorating rapidly in the second half, further Rainey tries followed with Luke Steele, Fintan Quinn and Martin Connolly all being awarded touch downs. Martin Connolly converted two of these tries to leave the score line reading 36-0 to Rainey at the no side whistle. In the 2nd xv game the Rainey team once again put on a great performance to win 26-12. The entire Rainey Endowed School squad would like to thank RGS Newcastle for their superb hospitality and for hosting the games in very difficult circumstances.
Unfortunately due to the very poor weather conditions in the North East of England the second tour match against Gosforth HS, due to have taken place on Saturday morning, had to be cancelled. The tour finished with the squad going on to watch Newcastle United draw 1-1 with Chelsea in the Premier League at St James Park.
This was a very successful tour which helped many of the young members of the Rainey Endowed squad. It is hoped that this benefit can be carried into their Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup campaign which will begin in January.
Friends’ School 1stxv is keen to get a fixture on Wednesday 5th January 2011. Any schools interested in a fixture are asked to contact Ivor Monaghan or Stephen Robinson at Friends’ School. Schools are reminded to contact John McKinney and Stephen Graham regarding entries to the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd and 3rdxv Cup competitions as soon as possible.
