As well as a number of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3XV Cup Round 2 games being played midweek and scheduled for Saturday 9 December, the final twelve Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup group stage games were scheduled to be played on Friday 8 December and Saturday 9 December.
### Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Cup | Round 3
On Friday 8 December the first of twelve scheduled Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup final group stage games took place when Down High School played Friends’ School.
This game was played under the floodlights at Gibson Park, home of Malone RFC.
Friends’ School team became the first of ten schools to join the six tier one schools in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round of Sixteen draw, when they defeated Down High School with a 29-21 bonus point victory.
The Friends’ School team started the game strongly and stormed into a 19-0 lead by the break.
Friends’ dominated both territory and possession in the first half and took the game to Down High School. Alexander McKinley, Joel Barron, and Conor Hall each scored a try, with Harry Moore adding two conversions, to secure the 19-0 lead for the Friends’ School team at the break.
The early stages of the second half saw Down High School dominate proceedings and mount a serious comeback.
Tries from Lewis Connolly and Ryan Halpin, both converted by Josh McCaughey, reduced the Down High School arrears to 19-14 going into the final quarter of the game.
However, Friends’ School team regained their control of the game with Conor Hall touching down for his second try of the game and Rob Henderson running in for the fifth Friends’ School try. Both tries were unconverted but the Friends’ School team had extended their lead to 29-14.
With time running out Down High School scored their third try of the game when Matty Douglas touched down over the Friends’ School, Lisburn line. Josh McCaughey added the extras to leave the final scoreboard reading Down High School 21 Friends’ School, Lisburn 29.
Both teams, their coaches, and spectators, would like to thank Malone RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
On Saturday 9 December the remaining eleven Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup group games were scheduled to have been played.
Unfortunately, the prevailing weather conditions impacted upon two of the fixtures.
In Group A, Lurgan College hosted the Royal School Armagh team in a game the Royal School Armagh team won by 35-8.
Daniel Wilson scored an early unconverted try for the Lurgan College team with Ben Maxwell converting a penalty kick opportunity just before the break.
The Royal School Armagh team scored a bonus point winning five converted tries during the game, two in the first half and three in the second half.
Niall Conn and Sam Gray scored the Royal School Armagh first half tries. Archie Johnston, Sam Gray and Nili Tuipulotu scored the Royal School, Armagh second half tries, and Evan Hughes had a fine morning off the tee with five successful conversions.
Omagh Academy played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School where Enniskillen Royal Grammar School won by 33-10.
This game was played in extremely difficult conditions with both teams displaying some excellent skills.
The Omagh Academy points came through a first half penalty from Samuel Busby with a second half try from Gareth Short which was converted by Samuel Busby.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team scored a bonus point winning five tries through Cameron Smith, Toby Newman, Josh Hicks and James Morrison, who ran in for two. Tadhg Hambly was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
In Group B, Dromore High School entertained Belfast High School and recorded a 43-7 bonus point winning victory.
The Dromore High School team scored seven tries through Matthew Heasley, Callum Bradley, who ran in for a brace, Cameron Smart, Allan Tate, Daniel Ennis McManus and Harry Cromie. Daniel was also successful with four of his conversion kicks.
The Belfast High School points came through a try from Rory Dunlop which was converted by Archie Cruikshank.
In Group C, Belfast Royal Academy played Grosvenor Grammar School and recorded a bonus point winning 40-0 victory.
Jayden Irwin, Adam Hewitt, Max McKitterick, Ethan Pavlovic and “Man of the Match” Frank Davis, with two tries and five successful conversion kicks, were the Belfast Royal Academy points scorers.
Rainey Endowed School and Foyle College were scheduled to have played at Tobermore Road, but this game was postponed due to the weather.
In Group D, Bangor Grammar School played Portadown College, where Portadown College won with a bonus point winning 26-17 victory.
Portadown College’s points came through tries from Danny Guy, who touched down twice, Jamie Jackson and Tom Neill. Danny Guy was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Bangor Grammar School scored three tries through Bryn Watson, Rory Fulton and Callum Moore with Adam Bickerstaff adding the extras to one of the tries.
Larne Grammar School and Royal School Dungannon were scheduled to have played at Lower Cairncastle Road, but the game was postponed due to the prevailing weather conditions.
In Group E, Ballyclare High School played Carrickfergus Grammar School and had to work hard for their 30-0 victory.
The young Carrickfergus Grammar School team contributed a lot to the game with players such as Adam Magill, Joshua Oluwatula, Alex Pherson, Ellis Branagh and Justin Irwin impressing with their performances.
Ballyclare High School team scored six unconverted tries through Josh McColgan, Isaac Shiels and Danny Graham, each of whom scored a brace, and Andrew Cooper.
Banbridge Academy and Limavady Grammar School fought for the top spot of Group E in which Banbridge Academy won with a bonus point winning 36-9 scoreline.
Noah Bell, with two, Noah Haughey, Darragh Knox and Luke Charman scored the Banbridge Academy tries with Andrew Jackson adding four successful conversions as well as one successful penalty kick.
Cooper McCausland kicked three successful penalties for the Limavady Grammar School team.
In Group F, Dalriada School played Regent House School in a closely contested game the Regent House School team won by 13-8.
The Regent House School team scored one try through Tom Bell along with one conversion and two penalties from Evan McGonigle.
The Dalriada School points came through a penalty kick from Gabriel Stubbs-Carton and an unconverted try from Adam Bustard.
Cambridge House Grammar School played Coleraine Grammar School in another closely contested game the Coleraine Grammar School team won by 13-8.
The Cambridge House School points came from a Paddy Roberts penalty and an unconverted try from Danny Hill.
The Coleraine Grammar School scored one try through Joel Madden which was converted by Jordan McAuley who also kicked two successful penalties.
Following the ten Round 3 games played on Friday and Saturday, the teams below are through to the Round of Sixteen with two more to join them once the Larne Grammar School v Royal School, Dungannon and Rainey Endowed School v Foyle College postponed games are played.
- Royal School Armagh
- Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
- Friends' School
- Dromore High School
- Belfast Royal Academy
- Portadown College
- Banbridge Academy
- Regent House
### Danske Bank Ulster Schools' 3XV Cup
On Monday 4 December Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in the Round 2 of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3XV Cup.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock won this game by 41-0.
On the same afternoon Rainey Endowed School 3XV played Belfast Royal Academy 3XV in the second round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3XV Cup.
The Belfast Royal Academy 3XV won this game by 40-15.
Despite the difficult weather conditions prevalent on Wednesday 6 December, four more second round games in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3XV Cup took place.
Ballymena Academy 3XV played Ballyclare High School 3XV and emerged from a closely contested game with a 24-17 victory.
Campbell College 3XV played Regent House School 3XV and recorded a comfortable 40-0 victory.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3XV played Down High School 3XV and recorded a comfortable 40-0 victory.
Royal School Armagh 4XV played Wallace High School 3XV in a game the Wallace High School team won by 31-12.
The two remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3XV Cup Round 2 games were scheduled to have been played on Saturday 9 December but, for a variety of reasons, these games have had to have been rescheduled.
Methodist College 4XV was scheduled to have played Royal School Armagh 3XV.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4XV was scheduled to have played Methodist College 3XV.
### Danske Bank Ulster Schools' Medallion Shield
The previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield 2nd Round game, featuring Cambridge House Grammar School and Foyle College, was eventually played on Saturday 9 December.
Foyle College won this game by 40-0 and will now host Portadown College in Round 3 of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield.
### Friendlies
On Friday 8 December, Ballymena Academy travelled to Birkenhead where they played St Anselm’s College, a team coached by one of the heroes of the famous Ulster 1999 team, Simon Mason. Ballymena Academy won the game with a morale boosting 30-3 victory.
Ballymena Academy scored three tries through Ali Carson, Mark Glenn and Callum Mustoe.
Reuben Allen was successful with one penalty and one conversion kick while Robbie Coleman added the extras to two tries as well as converting two penalty kicks.
Campbell College played Sullivan Upper School in a closely contested game from which the Sullivan Upper School team emerged as 8-5 winners.
Ed Thomas scored an unconverted try for the Campbell College, Belfast team.
Hero of the Day for the Sullivan Upper School team was Harry McKeown having touched down for an earlier unconverted try, secured the 8-5 Sullivan Upper School victory with a successful last-minute penalty kick.
Methodist College hosted a Paul Roos Gimnasium XV from Stellenbosch, South Africa in a game the Paul Roos Gymnasium XV team won by 12-5.
Rudy Jordan scored the unconverted try for the Methodist College team.
The Paul Roos Gimnasium XV points came through an unconverted try from David van Niekirk and a try from Luan Krige which was converted by Luke Wilmot.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution was scheduled to have travelled to play St Michael’s College, Dublin but the game was cancelled due to the heavy rain and wind.
Wallace High School also played a Paul Roos Gimnasium XV in Lisburn.
The Paul Roos Gimnasium team won the game by 27-3 with Lewis Stevenson kicking the penalty for the Wallace High School team.
Players such as Sam Badenhorst, Oliver Reid, Keenan Stoffels, Reuben Kruger, Gert Kemp and Altus Rabe impressed with their performances for the South African visitors.
Having played Terenure College in Dublin, prior to the games against Methodist College, Belfast and Wallace High School, the 43 player strong Paul Roos squad will now travel to Cork where they will play the UCC U19 team on Monday before finishing their tour by playing the Munster U19 team at Thomond Park, Limerick on Wednesday.
Strabane Academy played Wellington College in a game in which they won by 40-0.
The Strabane Academy team scored six tries through Callum Kelly, who scored twice, Ryan McCormick, Conor Gilloway, Max Mealiff and Hayden Snodgrass.
Despite losing the game, the Wellington College, Belfast team displayed great spirit throughout the game. Players such as Max Downing, Leon Sardia and Ethan White impressed with their performances for the Wellington College, Belfast team.