In the lead up to a full list of fixtures played on Saturday 6th October, some schools played midweek fixtures against opposition from within as well as outside the Province.
Wallace High School entertained Crescent College from Limerick on Monday 1st October, The Wallace High injury list has not depleted in any way and the Lisburn team was unable to stop the talented Limerick team from recording a well-deserved victory.
The Limerick boys then moved on to Armagh where they recorded another win, this time against the Royal School, Armagh team. The Armagh team was still missing key players such as Conor and Alistair Wright for this game. Despite losing the game, the RS Armagh coaching staff will have been pleased pleased with the performances of players such as John McDonagh, Mervyn Brown and John Dunne.
Campbell College hosted the famous Lindisfarne College team from New Zealand in a midweek game and recorded an excellent 15-12 win.
Omagh Academy maintained their recent run of good results with an impressive midweek victory over their near neighbours from Portora Royal School. The Omagh team won by 26-7 in a game where the Omagh winger, Dean Henderson, impressed with his ability with the ball in hand as well as his ability to run in tries.
Omagh continued on Saturday where they left off on Wednesday when they entertained the Royal School, Dungannon team.
The Royal School, Dungannon team travelled without a number of key players and started the game strongly and asked a lot of questions of the Omagh Academy defence in the opening exchanges of the game.
The home defence, however, was well-organised and gave nothing away at this stage of the game. Once the Omagh academy team managed to get some quality possession it was their turn to attack. Adam Beattie made a sniping run from the base of a ruck to cross the RS Dungannon line for the first try of the game. James Catterson added the conversion to put the Omagh Academy team into a 7-0 lead. Next to score was Scott Hemphill who attacked the RS Dungannon defence from deep in his own half. The Dungannon boys could not lay a hand on Scott and he touched down for the second try of the game. James Catterson was again successful with the conversion to give the Omagh Academy team a 14-0 lead. Close to half time Adam Longwell took advantage of a training pitch lineout move to score the third Omagh try of the game. James Catterson added the extras to give his team a 21-0 lead at the interval.
The Royal School, Dungannon staged something of a comeback in the early stages of the second half. They scored a try following a driven maul from a 5m lineout. Jack Milligan converted the try to reduce the arrears to 21-7. Dean Henderson then took advantage of some poor RS Dungannon defensive kicking. He gathered the ball and outpaced three despairing defenders to run in for a try. James Catterson was, again, successful with the conversion kick to increase the Omagh lead to 28-7. The RS Dungannon team responded positively and good work from their pack saw the ball being driven over the Omagh line for a try. Jack Milligan converted to take the score to 28-14 in favour of the Omagh Academy team. Scott Hemphill then touched down for his second try of the game when he outpaced the RS Dugannon defence with a run from deep in his half. James Catterson kicked his fifth successful conversion to see the scoreboard read 35-14. With the last play off the game David Cummings intercepted a loose RS Dungannon pass to run in for a try. The conversion was missed but the Omagh team had won this Co Tyrone derby game by 40-14.
Lurgan College hosted an inform Banbridge Academy team determined they were going to overcome the disappointment of losing their last game with the final kick of that game.
However, the Banbridge Academy team had other ideas! Both teams attacked at every opportunity in the first half but found the respective defences to be well-organised. With the score reading 0-0 at half time the first score of the second half was going to be vital.
Five minutes into the second half it was the Banbridge team that scored the try. Centre, Rory Thompson, worked hard to get the try when he took advantage of good work from his pack to barge his way over for the touchdown. Aaron Kennedy, back from representative duty, converted the try to the Banbridge Academy team a 7-0 lead. Ten minutes later the Banbridge Academy 2nd Row forward, Ross Williamson, touched down for a try which was converted by Aaron Kennedy to increase the Banbridge lead to 14-0. Despite the best efforts of players such as Dean Wilson, the Lurgan college team was unable to really threaten the Banbridge Academy line. The visitors sealed the game with a second Rory Thompson try ten minutes from the end. Aaron Kennedy converted the try to see his team safely through this game with a 21-0 victory.
Grosvenor Grammar School travelled to play Friends’ School, Lisburn in a game which turned out to be much closer than many people expected.
The game was evenly contested with the Grosvenor Grammar School team scoring the first try of the game. Steven Kirk scored the try following several phases of play. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Grosvenor Grammar School team had a 5-0 lead. The Friends’ School team responded positively to this setback. Peter Simpson took advantage of some slack Grosvenor Grammar School midfield defence to run in for a try under the posts. Somehow the conversion attempt was missed but the scoreline now read 5-5. There were no further scores in the first half of the game.
The Friends’ School team started the second half in a very positive manner and took the lead when their impressive No 8, Dean Howes, ran in for his eighth try of the season. The conversion attempt was, again, unsuccessful but the home team had a 10-5 lead. Jamie McMullan ran in for an unconverted try for his Grosvenor team to take the score to 10-10 with little time remaining. Ross Robinson thought he had won the game for the Friends’ School team when he converted a penalty opportunity to give the home team a 13-10 lead with only a minute remaining. However, the Grosvenor team won the game when Steven Kirk scored his second try of the game in the corner. Stuart Baillie converted the try, the final whistle blew and it was the Grosvenor Grammar School team that celebrated their hard earned 17-13 win at the end of a game, the result of which could have gone either way.
Ballyclare High School travelled to play Belfast High School and found themselves 3-0 down early in the game when the High School outhalf converted an early penalty opportunity.
This seemed to spur the Ballyclare High School team into action and Jack Irvine levelled the scoreline to 3-3 when he kicked a penalty. The Ballyclare team scored the first try of the game when James McKee took advantage of some good interplay, involving both forwards and backs, to run in for an unconverted try to give his team an 8-3 lead. Paddy Reid, playing his first game of the season having returned from Ulster U19 duty, then went over for a try following a series of picks and drives. Jack Irvine was successful with the conversion to extend the Ballyclare High School lead to 15-0. On the stroke of halftime the Belfast High School team reduced the arrears to 15-10 when they scored a converted try.
The Ballyclare High School team went on to dominate the game in the second half. They scored five tries in the second half with Paddy Reid, Matt Darling, James Greer all touching down once and James Beattie scoring twice. Jack Irvine added four conversions to account for the Ballyclare High School points total of 48. In response, the Belfast High School team kicked a second half penalty to leave the final score reading 48-13 in favour of the Ballyclare High School team.
The Royal School, Armagh team recovered from two recent defeats when they hosted a team from the mighty Blackrock College in Dublin.
The Armagh team took a 7-0 lead early in the game when Mervyn Brown ran in for a try. Mervyn was successful with the conversion of his try. Blackrock College reduced the arrears to 7-5 when their winger crossed the Armagh line to touch down for an unconverted try. Just before the interval, the Blackrock team took an 8-7 lead when their outhalf was successful with a penalty opportunity.
The home team stepped up to the mark in the second half. John Dunne scored a try which Matthew hooks converted to see his team into a 14-8 lead. Michael Rollson, filling in effectively for the injured Darryl Morton at No 8, ran in for a try which was converted by Matthew Hooks to increase the RS Armagh lead to 21-8. Two further RS Armagh tries from James Johnston and John Dunne, one of which was converted by Matthew Hooks, left the final score reading 33-8 in favour of the RS Armagh team.
Pirrie Park was the venue on Saturday when Methodist College hosted Ballymena Academy for the annual Young Cup fixture.
The Schools’ Cup holders again look like the side to beat as they won a fast-paced and intense encounter by a convincing score-line of 29-8.
The away side was first to register points when Andrew Magrath was successful with a penalty attempt after 5 minutes. Moments later, Methody took a quick line-out and exploited the wide space to score in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful but the home team added a converted try shortly afterwards following an excellent line break by their full back. Ballymena enjoyed a period of attacking pressure but the home team defended well and the score remained 12-3 until half time.
The first points of the second half were going to be crucial and it was the home team who scored them with another converted try. Ballymena replied almost immediately when Josh McIlroy showed strength and composure to power over from close range to take the score to 19-8. Methody continued to apply pressure and added two more late scores to increase their lead to 29-8. Following the game, Robert and Bryan Young were in attendance to present the Alan Young Memorial Trophy to the victorious Methodist College captain, Ross Kane.
Limavady Grammar School had a very comprehensive win over Bangor Grammar School running in a total of ten tries in the course of the game.
For 600+ action shots from the medallion, u14, u13, u12 from both schools CLICK HERE
It was Bangor who took the lead after five minutes when a Limavady pass went astray during an attacking movement and the Bangor centre fly hacked the ball up the field and won the sprint for a sixty metre touchdown to give his team a 5-0 lead. Limavady responded immediately and after good work by the forwards, flanker, Andy Millar touched down. Limavady scored two minutes later when No 8, Sam Mackey, broke through. Limavady dominated the forward exchanges, both in the set piece and the loose, and it wasn’t long before centre, Jack McCool, touched down and Luke Faulkner added the conversion. Rory Squires then scored after a driving maul from a line out which was again converted. Further tries were scored in the first half by Sam Mackey and Jack McCool.
The start of the second half showed the Bangor pack step up to the mark and the game was even for fifteen minutes before Limavady ran the ball from their 22m area. The Limavady Grammar School left winger, Tom McClelland, finished the flowing off when he touched down under the posts. From the restart, Limavady went on the offensive and right winger, Jack Elliott, touched down. Limavady introduced Michael Barr who was making his first appearance of the season after an injury picked up in South Africa during the summer. His incisive break set up No 8, Sam Mackey for his third try of the game. The Limavady pack continued to provide quality ball for the backs and left wing, Tom McClelland, was able to outpace the defence for his second try of the game. Bangor grabbed a consolation try two minutes from the end when their left winger scored in the corner to leave the final score reading 62-10 in favour of the Limavady Grammar School team. This was a very pleasing display from the Limavady Grammar School team who ran in ten tries, six of which were converted by Luke Faulkner.
Cambridge House hosted their near neighbours from Antrim Grammar School in an exciting game at the Ballymena venue.
The Antrim Grammar School team started strongly and took the game to the Cambridge House team. However, the Cambridge House defence was well-organised and after ten minutes of the game forced a turnover which enabled Chris Da Mata to put Andrew Whann through a gap to score under the posts. The try was converted to give the Cambridge House a 7-0 lead. Ten minutes later the Antrim defence was caught napping by Philip Smyth who darted through a gap and sprinted over the line to score a try. Philip added the conversion himself to increase the Cambridge House lead to 14-0. This was followed shortly by a touchdown from “Man-of-the-Match”, Thomas McIlroy. Thomas forced his way over from short range for an unconverted try to put his team into a 19-0 lead. Shortly after this, Mark McIlroy was unstoppable from the base of a ruck close to the Antrim lineo increased the lead to 24-0 and he scrambled over for a try. Credit has to be given to Antrim Grammar School who continued to play good rugby and deserved their score just before halftime when, after several phases of flowing rugby, they produced an overlap on the right wing to score an excellent try and reduce the arrears to 24-5. From the restart, Cambridge House moved the ball quickly and, after a quick ruck, Chris Da Mata took the ball on the right wing and sprinted home from forty five metres out to score a try and give his team a 29-5 lead at the end of the first half.
The second half was a much closer contest as both sides tired and began to use their bench players. Yet again, Antrim showed the ability they have as a team when they scored a very good converted try after recycling multiple phases of ball which they used effectively. With the score now reading 29-12, was there a chance of an Antrim comeback? There might have been but only until Cambridge House scored a try through Thomas McIlroy to put his team into a 34-12 lead. Then, a long range effort from Philip Steele, who showed impressive pace to finish with an unconverted try left the final score reading 41-12 in favour of the Cambridge House team
With a significant number of starting players away on a school trip the Down High School team got off to a slow and scrappy start when they entertained Portadown College.
In the stages of the game the aggressive Portadown pack caused a lot of problems for the Down High team. Portadown College scored the first try of the game when the Down High School pack was unable to contain the sustained pressure up front and Jonathan Burns went over for a try. The young and talented Portadown out half, Niall Davidson, added the conversion to give his team a 7-0 lead. Down High did have one clear opportunity to close the gap on Portadown in the first half. They were awarded a penalty right in front of the posts inside the visitor’s 22m area but confusion reigned and a quick tap penalty was turned over and the opportunity was squandered. Despite a number of chances for both teams following this, neither was able to score leaving Portadown College with 7-0 half time lead.
The second half started as the first had ended but, as time went on, the Down High School team began to gel and spent considerable periods of time in the Portadown half. This territorial advantage and pressure soon gave way to the first Down High try of the game. The Down High pack secured ball from a 5m line out and mauled their way over with Matthew Ferguson touching down for a try which was unconverted to take the score to 7-5. It was clear, as the half progressed, that Down High were beginning to make more opportunities and their out half, Patrick Wright, took one of these extremely well. He opened up the Portadown defensive line after some well executed set piece play and provided his team with a numerical advantage in the three quarter line to run in for an unconverted try and give his team a 17-7 lead.The final score of the game came from Ricky Gill who, on the back of some interplay with Luca Rea in the midfield, identified that the visitors had left no-one behind their defensive line. Ricky chipped kicked over the defence and re-gathered the ball to run in for for a well taken try. Patrick Wright added the conversion to see his team through this tough encounter with a 17-7 win.
Rainey rested a number of players for the visit of Larne Grammar School.
This gave many of the younger members of the squad the opportunity to show what they are capable of. In beautiful conditions, Larne Grammar School started strongly and forced the home side to defend. For the opening 15 minutes the young Rainey players found it difficult to get into the game with the Larne team causing problems for them through the strong runs of players such as James Bacon, Corey Burleigh and Chistopher Lough. Any early Rainey Endowed attacks were thwarted by the hard tackling of Larne Grammar School players such as Jack Buchanan, Perri Sittlington and Conor Connolly. The Rainey team was guilty of conceding too many penalties and turning over the ball too often and too easily. This may have been due to nervousness and a lack of experience at this level. However, half way through the first half, the Rainey Endowed full back, Gavin Pollock, fielded a high kick in his 22 m area. Gavinthen found a space in the Larne defence and ran seventy metres to score a try. He converted his own score to give Rainey a 7-0 lead. This score seemed to settle the young home side because they went on the attack from the kick off. Eunan Shaw ran strongly in mid field. He was supported by Stephen Fullerton who ran a lovely line and, when the ball was recycled, it was moved quickly along the back line for centre, Rory Nicholl, to score. Gavin Pollock converted to give Rainey a 14-0 lead. This was cruel on the Larne team who, up until this point of the game, had enjoyed most of the possession. A confident Rainey side now moved the ball at every opportunity. Second Row, Matthew McCready, and prop, Timmy Shields, made excellent driving runs to set up a good attacking position. Gary Monaghan then made thirty metres on a blindside charge, which opened up a space for his captain, Diarmuid Devlin, to touch down. Gavin Pollock converted to make it 21-0 for the Rainey Endowed team. The Magherafelt boys were now well on top and, with half time approaching, Rigan Sanderson broke clear and fed Kieran Lynch who showed excellent footwork to beat a number of visiting defenders to touch down. Gavin Pollock again converted to give Rainey a 28-0 half time lead.
In the second half the Magherafelt boys went straight on the attack and Eunan Shaw was unlucky not to score after breaking clear. From another attack involving many players, left wing Andrew Nicholl was brought down just short of the line. From the resulting ruck, scrum half Scott Campbell, sold a neat dummy and nipped in for Rainey’s fifth try. Rainey made a few changes but continued to attack. Hooker, Sam Hawe was involved in many of the attacks supporting intelligently. Stephen Fullerton, returning from a serious leg injury, displayed great attacking awareness. The next try was scored by Andrew Nicholl after an excellent chip from out half, Mark Rooney. At 38-0 Rainey were now enjoying the bulk of possession. No 8, Mark Kavanagh, was making some storming runs and was being really well assisted by his flanker, Euan Lennox. Gary Monaghan then burst over under the posts after hard work by Connor Brennan and Stephen Duncan. Gavin Pollock converted to make it 45-0 for the Rainey Endowed team. With full time approaching Rainey scored two further tries with Gavin Pollock converting one. The build-up involved a good run by Cameron Noble and smart play from Conor Stobo and Calvin Smyth. The tries were scored by Gavin Pollock and Gavin Muldoon. This left Rainey as 57-0 winners. Although well beaten, the Larne squad deserve credit for never giving up and playing with commitment until the end of the game. However, this was yet another promising performance from the Rainey Endowed team who displayed that they have lots strength in depth.
Belfast Royal Academy hosted Wallace High School at a sun blazon Roughfort.
The Wallace High School team has lost a number of high profile players to injury already this season. Their cause has not been helped by the loss to injury of their talented Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ outhalf, James McCallen, in the course of this game. Mark Wylie opened the scoring for the home team with a well taken try early in the game. Max Oates added the conversion to see his team into a 7-0 lead. The Wallace team responded positively to this setback and ran in three tries in the course of the first half. One conversion attempt was successful to take the half time score to 17-7 in favour of the Wallace High School team.
After the restart, Mark Wylie ran in for his second try of the game. The try was not converted but the Belfast Royal Academy team had reduced the arrears to 17-12. This soon became 17-17 when Daniel Dass took advantage of good work from his fellow Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ colleague, Stuart Martin, to score an unconverted try. Close to the final whistle, Max Oates sealed the game for the Belfast Royal Academy team when he converted a penalty opportunity to leave the score board reading 20-17 in favour of the host team when the no-side whistle sounded.
In other school games played on Saturday, the Foyle and Londonderry College team defeated Carrickfergus Grammar School by 24-14, Regent House lost to 61-5 against Campbell College while the Coleraine Academical Institution team was heavily beaten by a Royal Belfast Academical Institution team playing a full strength for the first time this season.
The scheduled game involving Sullivan Upper School and Dalriada School has been postponed until the afternoon of Wednesday 10th October.
