The Dalriada team started the game strongly and were rewarded following a series of ‘pick and go’ efforts, with the impressive Alan Montgomery scoring an unconverted try. Bangor reacted strongly but spurned an opportunity to reduce the deficit when a penalty kick attempt was unsuccessful and Dalriada took ta 5-0 lead into the break.
A few well-chosen words of advice from the Bangor Grammar School coaching staff during the interval seemed to spur their team and second row forward, Adam Brennan, stormed in for a try, which was converted by fullback, Jamie Fulton, to put his team into a 7-5 lead. Bangor GS centre and Head Boy, Robert Gamble, ran in for a try, which was converted by Fulton, to increase the lead to 14-5, before an Aaron Sparks kick to reduced the arrears to 14-8.
The hosts then registered a superb try when Gamble broke from deep and found Shaun Fair with a clever inside pass and the scrumhalf was able to touch down. Once again, Fulton added the extras to send his team into a 21-8 lead. The Dalriada team was not there just to make up the numbers and Denis Posternak took advantage of a lapse in the defence and ran in for a fine try, converted by Sparks. However, the final outcome was sealed for when hard work from the home pack presented Jonny Baxter with a scoring opportunity that secured a 26-15 success.
CARRICKFERGUS GS 17 BRA 8
The Carrickfergus Grammar School team continued to thrive with the label of being underdogs when they hosted the Belfast Royal Academy and emerged as 17-8 winners. The home started brightly and Christian Robinson ran in for a fine try, after just three minutes, when he outpaced the defence to score under the posts. Marc Ellison added the extras to put the Carrick 7-0 up. The lead was doubled soon after when fullback Fionn McCormack took off from his 22m line and outran a number of BRA defenders to touch down. Ellison made no mistake from the tee. The BRA team did get some first half points on the board when Michael Wilson converted a penalty opportunity following a rare visit to the opposition 22, but Ellison responded to leave the score reading 17-3 at the break.
BRA’s pack emerged as the more dominant of the two but the backline could find no way through a dogged Carrickfergus defence, with Jake Porter, Robinson, David Carse, the Berry twins and Tom Gilpin getting through a lot of work. There was little they could do to prevent one score when BRA captain David Reid was awarded the try following a well-executed driven maul over. Carrickfergus GS held on and celebrated their progress to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup third round.
DOWN HS 24 RAINEY ENDOWED 5
Playing with a strong breeze at their backs, the visitors were first to score, on the five minute mark, when inside centre Rory Nicholl powered over following a pass from a scrum against the head. Down High draw level through with Zac Ward who broke free from a maul to cross for an unconverted try. Down High captain Nathan Gibson and young hooker Clayton Milligan both made carries that created space for Ward to notch his second score. Joe Bingham added the extras for a 12-5 lead. The final score of the first half, and arguably one of Down High's best of the season, came off a well worked lineout just outside the Rainey 22m line. Ultimately, Elliot Evans seared through the Rainey defence after outstanding lineout work and great offloads from both Duncan Ross and Gibson. Bingham had no problem adding the conversion leaving the half time score reading 19-5.
In the second half Down High, through the boot of Patrick Browne, who had stepped in to replace injured captain, Ross Carlisle, made the most of the strong wind to continually pin Rainey back into their own half. Despite this territorial advantage, they weren’t as clinical and were unable to add to their points tally until ten minutes from the end of the game. Marcus Graham, who had shown great attacking intent several times throughout the game, crossed the whitewash in the corner. That sealed a comfortable Danske Bank Schools’ Cup win.
REGENT HOUSE 22 FOYLE COLLEGE 10
Regent enjoyed the majority of the possession in the early stages but it was Foyle College who put the first points of the game on the scoreboard. A ‘garryowen’ from Alex McDonnell, the Foyle captain, caused disarray in the Regent defence and Robbie House latched onto the ball to touch down for McDonnell to convert. Regent team responded in a positive manner with Taylor Nutt creating space for Matthew Neill to finish. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
The Regent House team dominated possession, as well as territory, for long periods in the second half. Team captain, Jonny Harris, set an example for his team when he ran in for a try early in the second period. Nutt added the extras to put the Regent House team into a 12-7 lead. The advantage was extended a few minutes later when number 8 Alisdair Deering broke clear to run in for an unconverted try. McDonnell reduced the deficit to 17-10 with a penalty but Regent sealed the win with an unconverted try from Ryan McCarroll.
PORTADOWN COLLEGE 22 LIMAVADY GS 30
The hosts started the game well and took an early 3-0 through a Niall Davidson penalty, before his effort was cancelled out by Scott McLean. The Limavady pack was causing problems for Portadown at set piece time and indeed it from from a lineout maul that the first try of the game was scored, with Jack Conor crossing. McLean added the conversion to put his team into a 310 lead. Shortly after this, Limavady extended the lead to 3-17 when front foot ball was well used by the backs and Scott Patton touched down for McLean to convert. The latter then added a penalty before a flowing backline attack from the hosts was finished by Jordan Dowds. The score was 8-20 at the interval.
Jacob McKeeman added to his growing reputation with try which was converted by Davidson to reduce the arrears to 15-20. The game continued to flow with the backs from both teams looking more and more dangerous with the ball in hand. Mark Woods finished of a Limavady GS attack with an unconverted try to increase their lead to 15-25. Back came the Portadown College team with an effective interchange of play involving Michael Orr and Stewart Hodgen, who finished with a try. Davidson converted to leave the Limavady GS team in front by just 22-25 with ten minutes of the game remaining. Oliver Mullan then sealed the game for the visitors with a late try.
RS ARMAGH 19 BELFAST HS 10
The first quarter of the game saw both teams sound each other out and there were no scores. That situation changed midway through the first half when the Belfast High School team scored an unconverted try to give them a 5-0 lead, a lead they held until the interval.
Early in the second half, Chris Jennings, playing in his first Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game, drew the score level at 5-5 when he touched down for an unconverted try. That score would have brought great memories back for his father, John, who scored a try for RS Armagh in the 1977 Ulster Schools’ Cup Final! Shortly after this the Belfast High School team had the opportunity to take the lead but a penalty attempt from Joel McBride hit the upright. Armagh stormed into a 12-5 lead when their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team prop, Philip Matthews, trundled over the line. Michael Thompson added the conversion. 15 minutes later, a superb break from Matthew McSorley saw him outpace his opposite number cross the line for a try. Thompson added the extras to see the RS Armagh team into a secure 19-5 lead. With the last play of the game James Creighton touched down for Belfast HS but it was too little, too late.
PORTORA RS 6 BANBRIDGE ACADEMY 0
The Portora Royal School team was looking forward to reversing an early season set back against Banbridge Academy when they welcomed the Co Down team to Enniskillen, and they did just that. The hosts started the match on the front foot with Adam Lendrum pinning the opposition back into their own half with his boot. The pressure paid off with Lendrum kicking a penalty with only a couple of minutes on the clock. Both teams played some attacking rugby with Jay Pinion and Ben Carson leading the way for the Banbridge team. However, the defensive effort from both sides was tremendous there were no further first half points which ensured the score remained 3-0 going into the half time break.
The home side kept the pressure on in the second half and enjoyed a territorial advantage for long periods of time. The Portora RS pack of forwards put in some sterling work and were held just short from scoring a superb try midway through the second period. The pressure eventually paid off when Lendrum converted another penalty to double the lead in the final few minutes of the game. The defensive effort from the whole team, as well as some fantastic ball carrying by the forwards, saw the Portora side clinch a 6-0 triumph.
GROSVENOR GS 5 OMAGH ACADEMY 20
A well-organised Grosvenor Grammar School lineout move ended with Andrew Boyd crossing the Omagh line to touch down for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. The away side recovered and grew into the game from that point on, with Adam Stephenson breaking through to level the score. There were no further scores in the remainder of the first half.
Early in the second half the Grosvenor GS defence wilted under pressure and they conceded a penalty, which Stuart Ballentine converted to give his side a 5-8 lead. This gave Omagh Academy the confidence to attack with the ball in hand and this approach was rewarded with an unconverted try from Andrew Monteith. Then Stephenson touched down for his second try of the game, converted by Ballentine to seal a 5-20 success. The performance of the Omagh pack laid the foundations for the win, with Josh McKinley managing the lineout well and James Longwell excelling in the loose, ably assisted by Matthew Clyde and Ethan McKeown. Outhalf Ballantine’s game management was impressive and he got great support from Monteith and Stephenson in midfield.