24 Schools will take part in this stage of the competition, which will consist of six groups of four teams.
The participation of 21 Schools has been confirmed, with 3 additional places to be determined by 3 games which will take place on the 7th of October.
The Group Stage will then be played across 3 Rounds, with games on Saturday 21st October 2023, Saturday 18th November 2023, and Saturday 9th December 2023.
<table>
<tbody><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>Group A</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>Group B</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>Group C</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>Group D</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>Group E</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>Group F</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>1 (Tier 2A School)</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>RS Armagh</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Dromore HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Belfast Royal Academy</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>RS Dungannon</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Ballyclare HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Coleraine GS</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>2 (Tier 2B School)</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Enniskillen Royal GS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Down HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Rainey ES</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Portadown College</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Banbridge Academy</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Regent House</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>3 (Tier 3 School)</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Omagh Academy</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Friends’ School</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Foyle College</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Bangor GS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Limavady GS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Dalriada School</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>4 (Tier 4 School)</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Winner of A</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Belfast HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Winner of C</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Larne GS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Winner of B</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p>Cambridge House</p></td></tr></tbody>
</table>
Saturday 7th October 2023<br>
Match A: Lurgan College v Strabane Academy<br>
Match B: Carrickfergus GS v Antrim GS<br>
Match C: Wellington College v Grosvenor GS
Round 1 (Saturday 21st October 2023):<br>
Group A: RS Armagh v Omagh Academy; Enniskillen Royal GS v Winner of Match A<br>
Group B: Friends’ School v Dromore HS; Belfast HS v Down HS<br>
Group C: Belfast Royal Academy v Rainey ES; Foyle College v Winner of Match C<br>
Group D: Portadown College v RS Dungannon; Larne GS v Bangor GS<br>
Group E: Limavady GS v Ballyclare HS; Winner of Match B v Banbridge Academy<br>
Group F: Coleraine GS v Dalriada School; Regent House v Cambridge House
Round 2 (Saturday 18th November 2023):<br>
Group A: Enniskillen Royal GS v RS Armagh; Winner of Match A v Omagh Academy<br>
Group B: Dromore HS v Down HS; Friends’ School v Belfast HS<br>
Group C: Foyle College v Belfast Royal Academy; Winner of Match C v Rainey ES<br>
Group D: RS Dungannon v Bangor GS; Portadown College v Larne GS<br>
Group E: Banbridge Academy v Ballyclare HS; Winner of Match B v Limavady GS<br>
Group F: Coleraine GS v Regent House; Dalriada School v Cambridge House
Round 3 (Saturday 9th December 2023):<br>
Group A: Winner of Match A v RS Armagh; Omagh Academy v Enniskillen Royal GS<br>
Group B: Dromore HS v Belfast HS; Down HS v Friends’ School<br>
Group C: Belfast Royal Academy v Winner of Match C; Rainey ES v Foyle College<br>
Group D: Larne GS v RS Dungannon; Bangor GS v Portadown College<br>
Group E: Ballyclare HS v Winner of Match B; Banbridge Academy v Limavady GS<br>
Group F: Cambridge House v Coleraine GS; Dalriada School v Regent House
The six group winners and four best placed runners-up from the group stages will qualify for the knockout stages of the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup and Subsidiary Shield.
At this stage, they will be joined by the six Tier 1 teams:
- Ballymena Academy
- Campbell College Belfast
- Methodist College Belfast
- Royal Belfast Academical Institution
- Sullivan Upper School
- Wallace High School
The remaining teams will then enter a knockout competition for the Danske Bank Schools’ Trophy and Schools’ Bowl.
Ulster Schools' Committee Chairman Richard Clingan said: “The Group Stages will continue for the 2023-2024 season. Schools have expressed how the additional games bring much excitement to their school and provide the players with a number of competition games before they become involved in the knock out stages in the new year.”
