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Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 17th February 2018
There were four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup quarter-final games, four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield quarter-final games and two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl semi-final games played on Saturday 17th February.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup
Campbell College, Belfast hosted Ballymena Academy in a closely contested game the Campbell College team won by 12-10. Campbell College started the game strongly and took and early 5-0 lead when Ben Power scrambled his way over the Ballymena Academy line and touched down for an unconverted try. Midway through the first half the Ballymena Academy team took play deep into Campbell College territory and went through a series of phase plays which ended when they were held up just over the Campbell College line. From the resultant 5m scrum, Oisin Jordan was stopped just short of the whitewash but James McClean was on hand to score the try. Bruce Houston added the conversion to give the Ballymena Academy team a 7-5 lead. Campbell College mounted a series of attacks but the Ballymena Academy team ensured their defence was well-organised. Their line remained intact and the Ballymena Academy team turned around at halftime with their 7-5 lead secured.
The start of the second half saw both teams launch attacks with the ball in hand but both defences were refusing to let anything through. That was until midway through the second half when the impressive Jamie Macartney made a telling break before off-loading to Will Davies who finished with a try. Conor Rankin added the extras to give his Campbell College team a 12-7 lead. Back came the Ballymena Academy team and they forced the Campbell College team into conceding a penalty. Bruce Houston stepped up to convert the penalty and reduce the Ballymena Academy arrears to 12-10 with seven minutes to go. The Ballymena Academy team pressed hard in the final minutes of the game with Oisin Jordan and Stewart Moore making telling breaks. However, the home team ensured their scramble defence was efficient and that ensured it was the Campbell College, Belfast team that held on for their 12-10 victory.
Methodist College, Belfast defeated Bangor Grammar School by 53-10 in a game played in perfect conditions at Pirrie Park. The Methodist College team had built up a 36-0 by the interval before going on to score a further seventeen points in the second half.
The Methodist College points came through tries from the impressive Conor Kelly, who touched down twice, Matthew Neill, Max Lyttle, John Fletcher, Chris Larmour, Kevin McNaboe and Thomas Armstrong. Ethan McIlroy added four conversions, as well as one penalty, and John Fletcher added one conversion kick as well.
The Bangor Grammar School team scored two second half tries through Zach Kerr, who finished off with an unconverted try following his fielding of a fine cross field kick pass, and Ben McDonnell, who blasted his way over the whitewash following some good work from his colleagues in the Bangor Grammar School pack.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Sullivan Upper School in a game the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team won by 29-3. This was another Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup quarter-final game played in perfect overhead and underfoot conditions. The Belfast Inst team dominated the proceedings in terms of territory and possession in the first half. However, the Sullivan Upper defence was resilient and the home team found it difficult to break through. That was until midway through the half when team captain, David McCann, took advantage of a series of strong carries from his pack before touching down for a try. Robin McIlveen added the extras to give the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team a 7-0 lead. Then Angus Adair finished off a flowing Belfast Inst attack with a try under the Sullivan Upper posts. Robin McIlveen was successful with the conversion to increase the Belfast Inst lead to 14-0. The Sullivan Upper team regrouped and got some reward for their endeavours when Conor McKee converted a penalty opportunity to leave the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team with a 14-3 lead at the interval.
From the restart Belfast Inst mounted an attack from deep in their half. A series of plays, involving both forwards and backs, finished when Jamie Mullan ran in for a try, which was converted by Robin McIlveen, to increase the Royal Belfast Academical Institution lead to 21-3. Sullivan then had a sustained period of possession and mounted a series of attacks. However, at this stage of the game they could find no way through a resolute Belfast Inst defence. It was the home team that finished the game strongly with Robin McIlveen converting a penalty opportunity and David McCann touching down for an unconverted try which secured the 29-3 victory for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team.
Wallace High School played Royal School, Armagh in a game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 22-14. The Royal School, Armagh team controlled affairs for long periods of time in the first half. They had built up a 22-7 lead by the halftime break through tries from Romain Morrow, Matthew Reaney and Zac Thompson. Zac Thompson was successful with two conversions as well as one penalty kick. Sam Cardosi scored a try for the Wallace High School team which Nathan Doak converted.
The second half saw a much more closely contested game with the Wallace High School team coming more into the game. However, they found the RS Armagh defence to be well-organised and the Wallace attack only managed to breach the RS Armagh defence once. Ben Morrison scored a try which was once again converted by Nathan Doak. However, it was a case of too little, too late for the Wallace High School team and the game finished with the Royal School, Armagh team as deserved 22-14 winners.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield quarter-final Ballyclare High School played Rainey Endowed School in a game the Ballyclare High School team won by 26-5. James Nelson, Adam Herron, Owen Lockhart and Ross Patterson scored the Ballyclare High School tries with Adam Clarke adding three conversions.
The Rainey Endowed School points came through an unconverted first half try from Bryn Davies.
Coleraine Grammar School hosted Cambridge House Grammar School and had to work hard before securing a 17-6 win. Oscar Egan scored an early try for the Coleraine Grammar School team, which Pierce Crowe converted, to see the hosts into a 7-0 lead. Cambridge House responded strongly and had their efforts rewarded when Sam Millar converted a penalty kick to leave the Coleraine Grammar School team with a 7-3 lead at the break.
Cambridge House converted another penalty in the opening exchanges of the second half to reduce their arears to 7-6. Then Neal Graham hit a drop goal for the Coleraine team to extend their lead to 10-6. Neal then became the hero of the day when he scored a try for the Coleraine Grammar School team, to which he added the conversion, and secure the 17-6 win for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
Dalriada School played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in a closely contested game the Dalriada School team won by 7-5. The Dalriada School points came from a Ross Fallows try which was converted by James McCormick.
Andrew Humphries scored the unconverted try for the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team early in the game.
Down High School played Royal School, Dungannon and won the game by 27-8. Ronan Patterson, Harris McConnell and Robin Wilson each scored a try for the Down High School team. Greg Hutley coverted all three tries as well as two penalty opportunities.
The Royal School, Dungannon points came from a Luke McMullan penalty and an unconverted try from Josh Fegan.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl semi-finals Belfast Royal Academy travelled to play Regent House School and came away with a very narrow 15-14 win. This game went right to the wire with the Belfast Royal Academy team securing their win in injury time.
Callum Davidson and Kurtis Scott scored the Belfast Royal Academy penalties with Harry Warke adding one conversion as well as a penalty.
The Regent House points came through a try from Matthew Foster and three penalties from Robbie Johnston.
Meanwhile in Lisburn, Friends’ School hosted Portadown College in a high scoring game the Portadown College team won by 31-24. Portadown College took an early 7-0 lead with a try from Ross Gilmore which was converted by Adam Speers. The Friends’ School, Lisburn team then responded with a try from Ben McCaughey to which Reece Malone added the conversion to draw the scores level at 7-7. Two Portadown College tries, in quick succession from Scott McDowell and Dylan Nelson, both converted by Adam Speers, gave the Portadown College team a 21-7 lead at the break.
Ben McCaughey then scored a try for the Friends’ School team early in the second half, to which he added the conversion, to reduce the deficit to 21-14. The Friends’ School defence was exposed once again when Dylan Nelson ghosted his way through, following an excellent break from Drew Fleck, and touched down for a try. Adam Speers added the extras to put the Portadown College team into a 28-14 lead. Friends’ School responded with two unconverted tries from Fergus McEwan and Ross Stewart to cut the Portadown College lead to 28-24 with just minutes remaining. However, the Portadown College team forced the Friends’ School, Lisburn team into conceding a penalty, Adam Speers stepped up to converted the penalty which secured the 31-24 victory for the Portadown College team.
The final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl will be played on Wednesday 28th February. Venue TBC.
When the results of all the quarter-final games were known the draws were made for the semi-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup and Subsidiary Shield competitions.
The draws were organised by the Ulster Schools’ Committee, assisted by Barry Willis, Ulster Rugby Domestic Manager. The draws were made by Mr Charles Carlin, Branch Manager of the Danske Bank, University Road, Belfast, who was representing the Danske Bank sponsors, Mrs Elizabeth Huddleston, Principal of Bangor Grammar School and Barry Willis.
The results of these draws were as follows 🙂
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-finals
1/Royal Belfast Academical Institution v Royal School, Armagh
2/Campbell College, Belfast v Methodist College, Belfast
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-finals will be played at the Kingspan Stadium on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th March.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield semi-finals
1/Dalriada School v Ballyclare High School
2/Down High School v Coleraine Grammar School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield semi-final games are scheduled to be played on Saturday 3rd March.
There are three Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Finals scheduled to take place during the week beginning Monday 19th February.
Banbridge Academy will play Belfast High School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy at Friends’ School, Lisburn on Wednesday 21st February. This game is scheduled to kick off at 2-30pm.
On Saturday 24th February Larne Grammar School will play Friends’ School, Lisburn or Carrickfergus Grammar School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy competition. This game is scheduled to take place at Belfast High School at 10-30am.
The final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl competition will take place at the Belfast Royal Academy grounds at Roughfort on Saturday 24th February when Limavady Grammar School will play Bangor Grammar School at 10-30am.
