Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Trophy Final:
Banbridge Academy 25 Belfast High School 18
On Wednesday 21st February the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Finals took place when Banbridge Academy played Belfast High School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy at Friends’ School, Lisburn.
The Banbridge Academy team took a 5-0 lead early in the game when centre, Troy Pinion, cut a great line to run in for an unconverted try. Five minutes later this became 10-0 when the Banbridge Academy wing, Hugo Bertholoen, finished off a flowing Banbridge attack with an unconverted try. Midway through the first half the Banbridge Academy lead increased to 15-0 when their full back, Andrew Denvir, touched down for their third unconverted try of the game. The Belfast High School team then started to gain some momentum in terms of both possession and territory. They forced the Banbridge team into conceding a number of penalties. Brandon McMinn successfully converted two of these to leave the scoreline reading 15-6 in favour of the Banbridge Academy team at the interval.
Five minutes into the second half Tom Flanagan increased the Banbridge Academy lead to 18-6 when he converted a penalty opportunity. Shortly after this the Banbridge Academy 2nd Row, Andrew Shannon, took advantage of good work from Peter Sleith and Adam Hanna before crashing over for a try, which was converted by Tom Flanagan, to increase the Banbridge lead to 25-6. Once again the Belfast High School team mounted something of a revival. Following a well-organised driven maul after a lineout, Ryan Gibson touched down for an unconverted try to reduce the Belfast High School deficit to 25-11. In the closing stages of the game the Belfast High School team scored another try through Jack Ferguson. Peter Harvey added the extras to leave the final score reading Banbridge Academy 25 Belfast High School 18 at the end of this entertaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy Final.
Once the game had finished Graffin Parke, President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU, presented medals to all the players involved and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy to the captain of the Banbridge Academy team. Timothy Beattie. Graffin, an Old Boy of Banbridge Academy, congratulated both teams on reaching the final and providing such an exciting game of schoolboy rugby for the many spectators to watch. He thanked the referee and his assistants for the positive manner in which they controlled the game, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of Ulster Schools’ Rugby and thanked the Principal, Governors and staff at Friends’ School, Lisburn for the provision of facilities and hosting the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy Final.
On Wednesday 21st February the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Finals took place when Banbridge Academy played Belfast High School in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy at Friends’ School, Lisburn.
The Banbridge Academy team took a 5-0 lead early in the game when centre, Troy Pinion, cut a great line to run in for an unconverted try. Five minutes later this became 10-0 when the Banbridge Academy wing, Hugo Bertholoen, finished off a flowing Banbridge attack with an unconverted try. Midway through the first half the Banbridge Academy lead increased to 15-0 when their full back, Andrew Denvir, touched down for their third unconverted try of the game. The Belfast High School team then started to gain some momentum in terms of both possession and territory. They forced the Banbridge team into conceding a number of penalties. Brandon McMinn successfully converted two of these to leave the scoreline reading 15-6 in favour of the Banbridge Academy team at the interval.
Five minutes into the second half Tom Flanagan increased the Banbridge Academy lead to 18-6 when he converted a penalty opportunity. Shortly after this the Banbridge Academy 2nd Row, Andrew Shannon, took advantage of good work from Peter Sleith and Adam Hanna before crashing over for a try, which was converted by Tom Flanagan, to increase the Banbridge lead to 25-6. Once again the Belfast High School team mounted something of a revival. Following a well-organised driven maul after a lineout, Ryan Gibson touched down for an unconverted try to reduce the Belfast High School deficit to 25-11. In the closing stages of the game the Belfast High School team scored another try through Jack Ferguson. Peter Harvey added the extras to leave the final score reading Banbridge Academy 25 Belfast High School 18 at the end of this entertaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy Final.
Once the game had finished Graffin Parke, President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU, presented medals to all the players involved and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy to the captain of the Banbridge Academy team. Timothy Beattie. Graffin, an Old Boy of Banbridge Academy, congratulated both teams on reaching the final and providing such an exciting game of schoolboy rugby for the many spectators to watch. He thanked the referee and his assistants for the positive manner in which they controlled the game, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of Ulster Schools’ Rugby and thanked the Principal, Governors and staff at Friends’ School, Lisburn for the provision of facilities and hosting the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy Final.