DANSKE BANK ULSTER SCHOOLS’ CUP ROUND 2
BANGOR GS v DALRIADA SCHOOL, 11.00am
Bangor Grammar School will host Dalriada in a tie that has caught the imagination of both schools. The hosts, coached by Jason Morgan, Phil Cartmill and the effervescent David Kennedy, contains a mixture of experienced and more youthful players. They have 11 players returning from their previous Schools’ Cup campaign, with the addition of eight players who have moved up from their Medallion team. Indeed, depending on injuries, they could have eight Year 12 players in their starting line-up. Chief among these young players is Matthew Agnew who, despite the fact he is just sixteen, has already gained representative honours with the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team. Agnew will look to fellow forwards such as Connor McKee, Zach Slevin, Ross Maxwell and Adam Brennan to assist in guiding him through his first Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game. These players are at the heart of a Bangor Grammar School pack that feels, on its day, it can compete on an equal footing with any other pack in the competition.
The Bangor Grammar School backline will be hoping their pack will be able to produce the quality possession they thrive on. With players such as team captain Robert Gamble, Jonny Baxter, Jamie Fulton, Shaun Fair and Aaron Corbett all returning from last season, there is a determination in the Bangor backs that suggests they would wish to go at least one stage further than last season when they lost out to Sullivan Upper in the third round. Home advantage can mean a lot in cup matches and Bangor will see this home tie as one they can win.
The Dalriada School team, coached by Rab Gregg and Benjy Van Der Byl, are the current holders of the Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield and feel they could cause a few surprises in this season’s Schools’ Cup. Captained by Michael Finnerty, a player who leads by example from his fullback position, they have an exciting backline that has caused problems for opposition defences this season. Matthew McConnaghie and Angus Johnston form a very effective half back partnership, one that is encouraged to look for the positive option at all times. Aaron Sparks has had a great season with his place kicking and is only too willing to punish any team that causes indiscretions. Finnerty has been among the leading try scorers for the team this season.
Aaron Christy, Matthew Christy, Scott Malcolmson and Alan Montgomery are among the players returning in the Dalriada pack from their last Schools’ Cup campaign. Montgomery has played for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team and his work at the breakdown, alongside Matthew Christy and Malcolmson, will be seen as crucial if the Dalriada team is to progress in the competition.
CARRICKFERGUS GS v BELFAST ROYAL ACADEMY, 10.30am
Carrickfergus GS had the combined talents of their centre partnership of Christian Robinson and team captain, Jake Porter, to thank for their well-deserved victory against Lurgan College in the previous round. They were not really expected to win that game but the victory will have given the team every confidence as they prepare to host their near neighbours from Belfast Royal Academy in round two. Adam Urquhart, Reece Berry and his twin brother, Kris, alongside Tom Gilpin and Scott Henderson, got through a lot of work in the Carrick pack in the course of their first round game. This ensured that Michael Black and David Carse, the Carrickfergus GS half backs, had sufficient quality possession to keep their talented centre partnership happy. The Carrickfergus GS coaches, Neal Kennedy and Stuart Martin, will be looking for more of the same when it comes to Saturday’s game. They will tell their players they have nothing to lose and to use the positive experiences gained from their first round victory to good effect.
If the Carrickfergus Grammar School team can boast of the services of one Schoolboy International Athlete in Christiasn Robinson, then the Belfast Royal Academy team can boast three. Team coaches, Chris McCarey and David Creighton can call upon the services of Scott McMurtry, an International Hammer thrower, as well as Matthew Dalton and Stephen McCorry, both NI Age Grade International Athletes in the Shot Putt and Hammer events.
The BRA team had a difficult start to the season due to a large number of players unavailable for selection due to a variety of reasons. They had a tough fixture list to contend with but a series over good wins in the latter stages of the first term, and the return of a number of key individuals, seems to have lifted the gloom which was hanging over Roughfort. Team captain, David Campbell, is an Age Grade Representative Ulster player who plays in the centre. He thrives on the ball and, if he gets it, his contest with the Carrickfergus midfield will be worth watching. He is surrounded by talented players in the BRA backline; Michael Wilson reads the game well and is a very talented place kicker, while Matthew Dalton has been working with the Ulster Schools’ U17 squad.
The Belfast Royal Academy pack has key figures such as David O’Donnell Anderson, Matthew Bourne and Rakeem Marica in their front row with Luke Auterson, Cormnac McCracken and Tim Robinson rotating the second row responsibilities. The BRA back row has the talents of players such as Scott McMurtry, David Reid and, in particular, Gareth McAdam to call upon. They will all need to be at their best if they are to prevent the Carrickfergus Grammar School team from causing another upset.
DOWN HS v RAINEY ENDOWED, 11.00am, Ballynahinch RFC
The Down High School squad has lost 11 of the team that reached the quarter-final stage of the 2014 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup competition. This was the best ever achievement by the school. The loss of these players has been offset by the elevation of players from the squad that contested the semi-finals of last season’s Medallion Shield. The Down HS coaching team of Charlie Knox and John Gunson has developed a squad that has made some of their more established opposition teams sit up and take notice this season. Victories against schools such as Bangor GS, Regent House and BRA, all former winners of the Ulster Schools’ Cup, have put the squad into a very positive frame of mind as they prepare to welcome another former winner, Rainey Endowed School, for this second round game.
Team captain, Nathan Gibson, is part of a pack of forwards that is secure at set piece time as well as clever at the breakdown. He gets great support from the experienced Aaron Chambers, Harry McCormack, Duncan Ross, Mark Hanna and Patrick Preston, all of whom were involved last season. Zac Ward, son of former Ulster and Ireland back row forward, Andy, has made a seamless transition from Medallion level to the demands of 1st XV rugby. He is a member of the Ulster Schools’ U17 Development squad and seems to have the skill set to go a good deal further. Co-captain, Ross Carlisle, an Ulster U19 Squad member, is a member of a back division that includes Patrick Browne and John Hyndman, both members of the Ulster Schools’ U17 Development squad. Thomas Forson, Jamie Gibson, Rory Kerr and Joe Bingham join Carlisle in bringing experience to the backline. In Bingham, the Down HS team has a very accurate place kicker. They will all look forward to emulating the success of last year’s team and, indeed, would be keen to take things at least one step further this season.
The Rainey Endowed School team has been hampered with injuries throughout the season. Team coaches, Chris Campbell, Peter Boyle and Stuart McCalmont, feel they could be a match for any team if they were able to get their full strength team onto the pitch. Rainey has built up a formidable reputation over the years for their desire, commitment and passion when it comes to Schools’ Cup time. They have experienced success in years gone by with Campbell a former winner of the Ulster Schools' Cup’ when he was a pupil at the school. His team will be seen as the underdogs as they prepare to travel to County Down but that will suit them just fine. Captain, Calvin Smyth, leads a team that has experienced success against teams like Dalriada and RS Armagh in the course of the season so far. His pack includes the talented Anton Lupari, a member of the Ulster Schools’ U18 Training Squad. He will look for support from fellow forwards such as Neal Hastings, Cameron Stewart, Adam Currie and Timothy Shiels when they come up against the dynamic Down High pack.
The Rainey backline contains some talented players; Scott Campbell, son of the Head Coach, is an experienced scrumhalf, while twins Rory and Andrew Nicholl have developed into a useful partnership on the pitch. Mark Rooney will hope his game management skills can match up to his time management skills; as well as being a vital member of the school rugby team, Rooney is also a highly regarded member of the Cookstown Senior Hockey XI and has experienced success with the Tyrone Minors Gaelic team. Due to on-going work on the Down High School pitches the venue for this game has been switched to Ballymacarn Park, home of Ballynahinch Rugby Club.
REGENT HOUSE v FOYLE COLLEGE, 11.00am
The Regent House players had to work hard before they were able to overcome the challenge mounted by RS Dungannon when the teams met in round one. Having come through that tough encounter the Regent House team will be happy to see themselves as favourites as they prepare to host Foyle College. It was the Regent pack that laid the foundations for the victory against Dungannon, with captain, Jonny Harris, leading by example and notching a try. Aaron May also touched down and it was the strength of the Regent House pack that presented him with the opportunity. Team coaches, Peter Lowry and Mervyn Tweed reckon that their pack can compete with anyone on their day. Alongside Harris, Kyle Van Geison, Tommy Scullion, Conn Crawford and Robin Brown put in impressive performances against Dungannon; the lineout was efficient and the scrum was strong.
The Regent House backline can boast of having a number of talented players in the ranks, although weather conditions in the last round prevented them from getting into full flow. With players such as Taylor Nutt, Aaron May, Davy Jamieson and Matthew Stanex, the Regent House team can cause problems for the opposition defences. They will be hoping for the appropriate conditions to allow them to do so on Saturday.
The Foyle College team will hope to replicate some of the positive form that saw them successfully overcome the not insignificant challenge provided by Larne GS in the last round. Foyle started strongly and then the Larne team staged a superb recovery to reduce the arrears to just one score at a critical stage of the game. Superbly led by their captain, Alex McDonnell, Foyle will aim to build up a lead that cannot be reduced on Saturday. They will be happy to enter this game as underdogs, secure in the knowledge they have players in their squad who are well capable of causing an upset. McDonnell was a hat-trick hero against Larne but it was the performance of his brother, Callum, which also caught the eye. The coaching team of David Barnett and Ray Menown will travel to Regent House secure in the knowledge their players want to experience more success. Robbie House turned in a fine performance against Larne, as did Jack McNeill, Thomas Cole and Lee Brady. All of these players will need to be monitored closely through the game by the Regent House players.
PORTADOWN COLLEGE v LIMAVADY GS, 11.00am
Portadown College had to work hard for their first round victory against a Friends’ School, Lisburn team that, had they taken their chances in the first half of the game, might have put a different complexion on the final score. However, Portadown did not panic and controlled the game for large parts of the second half. It was the experienced head of captain, Niall Davidson, who pulled his team through. Having travelled to Lisburn as favourites in round one, the Portadown Collerge squad will be even more comfortable with the tab as they prepare to host Limavady Grammar School.
The hosts have lost their experienced flanker, Sam White, to a non-contact injury prior to Friends’ fixture and this provided the opportunity for Stuart Hodgen to make his Schools’ Cup debut somewhat earlier than he expected. Hodgen played a leading role in the success his team experienced and he will be hoping for more of the same on Saturday. The Portadown coach, Andrew Symington, had to play the Friends’ game without the services of his leading try scorer, Number 8, Jacob McKeeman. His expected return to side for this weekend will be seen as a major boost to the hopes of the boys from the County Armagh. Alongside Davidson, Michael Orr, Jordan Dowds, Jason Lau and Neal Ingram all impressed with their performances in the Portadown College back division against last time out and if their pack of forwards can, at least, gain parity with the Limavady pack in the set pieces and work hard at the breakdown, the backline could have a considerable bearing on the eventual outcome of this game.
The Limavady Grammar School team is undergoing a considerable transition from where the team has been in recent seasons. Their narrow, but hard-earned and deserved victory, against a committed Wellington College team in the first round is testament to the hard work being done by the coaching staff of Chris Nash, Sam Vallelly and Brian Hughes. Having seen the vast majority of the successful team from the previous season finish their time at Limavady GS, the coaches knew they would have a lot of work to do. The first thing they did was to appoint one of the few returnees, Scott McLean, as team captain. This has turned out to be an inspired choice as he has led his young colleagues superbly well all season. Through good games, as well as not so good games, his standards of play and leadership have never fallen. He has displayed great game management skills as well as being one of the most effective place kickers at Schoolboy level in the province. In the course of the first round game against Wellington College, McLean got great support from players such as Oliver Mullan, Gus McIntosh and Alan Wilson. The latter came on as a replacement player and his arrival seemed to galvanise and raise the performance of the pack. It was a combination of skill from McLean and hard work from the Limavady pack that led, eventually, to the winning score against Wellington College.
RS ARMAGH v BELFAST HS, 10.30am
RS Armagh team, having recently inflicted a defeat on the Belfast High School team, will see themselves as clear favourites to win this game. Coaching duo Gareth Beggs and David Dougherty will hope their young charges will be able to handle the tag of being favourites in a positive manner. Their recent victory against Belfast HS was well-deserved and one that brought to mind the talent that exists within the ranks of this young squad. Philip Matthews brings the experience of having played for Ulster Schools earlier in the season. He is the leading light in an Armagh pack that is improving with every game. Grant Hutchinson, James McSorley and Oliver McAlpine were all involved