News

Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage Draw 2025/26

2nd June 2025
The draw has taken place for the Group Stage of the 2025/26 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.

Group Stage Qualifying 1 (on or before Saturday 27 September 2025)

Match A:  Carrickfergus GS v Strabane Academy

Group Stage Qualifying 2 (on or before Saturday 4 October 2025)

Match B:  Belfast HS v Lurgan College

Match C:  Bangor Academy v Grosvenor GS

Match D:  Cambridge House GS v Winners of A

Match E:  Foyle College v Antrim GS

The draw was completed by Laurence Rocke, President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU and John Wilson, Ulster Branch member and former Ulster Schools' Committee Chairman.

Group Stage Draw

 

<table style="min-width: 125px">
<colgroup><col style="min-width: 25px"><col style="min-width: 25px"><col style="min-width: 25px"><col style="min-width: 25px"><col style="min-width: 25px"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Team</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Group A</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Group B</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Group C</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Group D</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>1</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Regent House</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Rainey ES</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Dalriada School</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Coleraine GS</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>2</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Ballyclare HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Down HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Banbridge Academy</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Enniskillen Royal GS</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>3</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Omagh Academy</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Limavady GS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Portadown College</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Larne GS</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>4</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Bangor GS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Dromore HS</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">RS Dungannon</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Friends’ School</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p><strong>5</strong></p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Winners of Match B</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Winners of Match D</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Winners of Match C</p></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"><p dir="ltr">Winners of Match E</p></td></tr></tbody>
</table>

The competition season will take place on the following dates:

Round 1 | (on or before Saturday 11 October)

  • Group A: Regent House v Bangor GS, Ballyclare HS v Omagh Academy, Winner of Match B - BYE
  • Group B: Limavady GS v Down HS, Rainey ES v Winners of Match D, Dromore HS - BYE
  • Group C: Dalriada School v RS Dungannon, Banbridge Academy v Portadown College, Winners of Match C - BYE
  • Group D: Larne GS v Enniskillen RGS, Coleraine v Winners of Match E, Friends' School - BYE

Round 2 | (on or before Saturday 18 October)

  • Group A: Omagh Academy v Regent House, Bangor GS v Winner of Match B, Ballyclare HS - BYE
  • Group B: Down HS v Winners of Match D, Dromore HS v Rainey ES, Limavady GS - BYE
  • Group C: Portadown College v Dalriada School, RS Dungannon v Winners of Match C, Banbridge Academy - BYE
  • Group D: Enniskillen RGS v Winners of Match E, Friends' School v Coleraine GS, Larne GS - BYE

Round 3 | (on or before Saturday 8 November)

  • Group A: Winners of Match B v Omagh Academy, Regent House v Ballyclare HS, Bangor GS - BYE
  • Group B: Rainey ES v Down HS, Dromore HS v Limavady GS, Winners of Match D - BYE
  • Group C: Winners of Match C v Portadown College, Dalriada School v Banbridge Academy, RS Dungannon - BYE
  • Group D: Coleraine GS v Enniskillen RGS, Friends' School v Larne GS, Winners of Match E - BYE

Round 4 | (on or before Saturday 29 November)

  • Group A: Ballyclare HS v Winners of Match B, Omagh Academy v Bangor GS, Regent House - BYE
  • Group B: Winners of Match D v Dromore HS, Limavady GS v Rainey ES, Down HS - BYE
  • Group C: Banbridge Academy v Winners of Match C, Portadown College v RS Dungannon, Dalriada School - BYE
  • Group D: Winners of Match E v Friends' School, Larne GS v Coleraine GS, Enniskillen RGS - BYE

Round 5 | (on or before Saturday 6 December)

  • Group A: Bangor GS v Ballyclare HS, Winners of Match B v Regent House, Omagh Academy - BYE
  • Group B: Down HS v Dromore HS, Winners of Match D v Limavady GS, Rainey ES - BYE
  • Group C: RS Dungannon v Banbridge Academy, Winners of Match C v Dalriada School, Portadown College - BYE
  • Group D: Enniskillen RGSv Friends' School, Winners of Match E v Larne GS, Coleraine GS - BYE

It is expected that schools will be able to play a full block of fixtures based on the Group Stages Draw.

The four group winners and the four runners-up from the group stages will qualify for the knockout stages of the Schools’ Cup and Subsidiary Shield, where they will be joined by the eight Tier 1 teams (Ballymena Academy, Belfast Royal Academy, Campbell College Belfast, Methodist College Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Royal School Armagh, Sullivan Upper School and Wallace High School). The remaining teams will then enter into a knockout competition for the Schools’ Trophy and Schools’ Bowl.