A round-up of the latest schools’ rugby action, by Ulster Schools’ PRO, Barney McGonigle… The last of the 2021/22 PWC IRFU Age Grade Inter-Provincial games took place at Barnhall RFC on Sunday 12th September when the Ulster U19 team played the Munster U19 team. For a variety of reasons it was a much changed Ulster U19 squad that played this previously postponed game against their Munster counterparts. Munster took an early 3-0 lead through a Jeff Williams penalty. Ulster responded with an unconverted try from Andrew Donald to take a 5-3 and held that advantage until the interval. Munster displayed greater control in the second half and took a 10-5 lead when Jeff Williams scored a try which he subsequently converted. An unconverted try from Henry Buttimer increased the Munster lead to 15-5 which soon became 22-5 when Henry scored his second try of the game which was converted by Jeff Williams. Ulster then reduced the arrears to 22-12 when Matthew French scored a try which was converted by Josh Drain. Henry Buttimer then completed his hat trick of tries to see the Munster team into a 27-12 lead with little time remaining. On the stroke of full time a Jeff Williams penalty secured the 30-12 victory for the Munster U19 team. Ulster U19 team 1 Cameron Doak (Wallace High School) 16 Zac Solomon (Campbell College, Belfast) 2 Andrew Donald (Ballymena Academy) 17 Jacob Boyd (Royal Belfast Academical Institution) 3 Jack Boal (Campbell College, Belfast) 18 Cameron Hillis (Campbell College, Belfast) 4 Jack Norton (Belfast High School) 19 Paddy Browne (Ballymena Academy) 5 Joe Hopes (Campbell College, Belfast) 20 Josh Stevens (Methodist College, Belfast) 6 Michael Crothers (Methodist College, Belfast) 21 Adam Scott (Royal School, Dungannon) 7 Matthew French (Ballymena Academy) 22 Lorcan Hanratty (Methodist College, Belfast) 8 James McNabney (Captain) (Cambridge House Grammar School) 23 Rory Ellerby (Royal Belfast Academical Institution) 9 James Wright (Ballymena Academy) 10 Josh Drain (Ballymena Academy) 11 Jamie Beattie (Royal Belfast Academical Institution) 12 Michael Burnett (Armagh RFC) 13 Adam Warren (Ballyclare RFC) 14 James Campbell (Royal School, Armagh) 15 Ethan Graham (Monaghan RFC) Munster U19 team: James O’Brien (St. Munchin’s College/St. Mary’s RFC), Henry Buttimer (Rockwell College/ Clonmel RFC), Cian O’Halloran (Crescent College Comprehensive /Shannon RFC), Liam McCarthy (c) (Bandon Grammar School/Skibbereen RFC), Luke Doyle (Waterford City RFC), Jeff Williams (Bandon Grammar School/Bandon RFC), Andrew O’Mahony (UCC RFC/CBC), Conall Henchy (Crescent College Comprehensive/UL Bohemian RFC), Gus Harrington (Shannon RFC/St. Munchin’s College), Danny McCarthy (Middleton RFC/Midleton CBS), Diarmuid Dennehy (Bruff RFC), Eoghan Sheehan (CBC/Dolphin RFC), Ruadhan Quinn (Crescent College Comprehensive/Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Peter Hyland (PBC/Cork Constitution FC), Brian Gleeson (Rockwell College/Thurles RFC). Replacements: Thomas Land (CBC/Middleton RFC), Evan O’Riordan (CBC/Cork Constitution FC), Stephen Hayes (St. Munchin’s College/St. Mary’s RFC), Tommy O’Connor (St. Gerard’s School), Robert McCarthy (Bandon RFC), Jack Kevane (Bandon Grammar/Skibbereen RFC), James Finn (Nenagh Ormond RFC/St. Joseph’s CBS), Jacob O’Driscoll (Bandon RFC), Tom Downey (Rockwell College/Cashel RFC), Rhys O’Malley (Garryowen FC/Castletroy College), Joshua Costello (Shannon RFC/St. Munchin’s College), Tomas Clifford (Killarney RFC). On Wednesday 15^th September the Royal School, Armagh U16 team played the Banbridge Academy U16 team in a very closely contested game from which the Banbridge Academy U16 team emerged as 15-14 winners. Despite the wet conditions both teams were determined to play the game with the ball in hand. Early RS Armagh attacks were repelled by the well-organised Banbridge Academy defence and it was the Banbridge Academy team that took a 5-0 lead when Darragh Knox took advantage of good work from Connor Magee and James Selfert to score an unconverted try in the corner. A short time later Connor Magee scored an unconverted try from a short-range carry to see the Banbridge Academy team into a 10-0 lead. The RS Armagh team came storming back into the game with their impressive centre, Ashton Clark, causing, all sorts of damage to the home defence. Just before the interval Ashton scored one try, which he converted, to reduce the RS Armagh deficit to 10-7 at the break. With fifteen minutes of the game remaining the Royal School, Armagh team took a 14-10 lead when Kristian Todd touched down for a try which Ashton Clark converted. Jacques McCauley then regained a 15-14 lead for the Banbridge Academy team when, following a quickly tapped penalty, he touched down for an unconverted try in the corner. For the final seven minutes of the game Armagh threw everything at Banbridge in the hope of securing the illusive score that would win them the game. With the clock in the red the RS Armagh team looked to have secured the victory when they ran in for a try only for the final pass to have been adjudged as being forward. Both sides deserve an enormous amount of credit for a pulsating game of rugby. Later on Wednesday 15^th September Portadown RFC U18’s hosted a Royal School, Armagh “Select” xv team under the Chambers Park floodlights. The Royal School, Armagh team did not include any of their U16 team squad nor any of their remaining 1stxv players for this game. This game, which the RS Armagh team won by 15-7, proved to be a worthwhile encounter for both teams. The RS Armagh team scored two tries in the first half with Luke McCall taking advantage of good play from his fellow backs before he touched down for a try. Josh Watterson added the conversion to see the RS Armagh team into a 7-0 lead. Midway through the first half a successful driven maul, following a 5m lineout, was expertly finished off by Sam Montgomery who was awarded the touchdown. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Royal School, Armagh team now had a 12-0 lead. Close to the interval the Portadown U18 team launched a counter attack from deep and their flowing move was rewarded with a converted try to see the scoreboard read Portadown U18 team 7 Royal School, Armagh 12 at the break. The second half saw both teams launch many promising attacks but handling errors, allied to some excellent defensive work, kept the respective lines intact. The only score in the second half came through a Josh Waterson penalty which secured the 15-7 victory for the Royal School, Armagh “Select” xv. On Saturday 18^th September there was a series of Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ friendly games played. Ballyclare High School hosted Campbell College, Belfast at the Rashee Road venue. This proved to be a closely contested encounter which the Campbell College, Belfast team won 14-7. Following a scoreless first half the Campbell College team took a 14-0 lead with tries from Cal Florence and Daniel Graham both of which were converted by Peter Caves. The Ballyclare High School team displayed great resilience and got some reward for their hard work when Owen Warren scored a try which was converted by Callum Cochrane. Belfast High School played Carrickfergus Grammar School in a game the Belfast High School team won by 36-7. The Belfast High School points came through tries from Adam Bennett, who scored a hattrick, as well as Cameron Banford, Alex Montgomery and Daniel Bennett each of whom scored one. Daniel Bennett was successful with two of his conversion kicks and Cameron Banford added one conversion. The Carrickfergus Grammar School team displayed great determination and resolve throughout the game and scored their try through Harry Watson with Ellis Branagh adding the extras. Coleraine Grammar School and Omagh Academy played a game from which the Coleraine team emerged as 39-12 winners. Benjy Logan put in a “Man of the Match” performance for the Coleraine Grammar School team with two well taken tries while Chris Logan, Joshua Stewart, Harry Hughes and Nathan Ogborne each scored one try. Jordan McAuley added three conversions as well as one penalty. The Omagh Academy try scorers were Jamie Matthews, who took advantage of an excellent Omagh Academy lineout before bursting through for the try, and Reece Braden, who finished off a flowing Omagh Academy attack with a try. Andrew Johnston added one conversion. Down High School played Bangor Grammar School in a game the Down High School team won by 46-17. The Down High School team scored seven tries in the course of the game. Rhodri Philips and Josh Sweeney scored one try each in the first half to which Ross Graham added one conversion as well as a penalty. The second half saw the Down High School team run in tries from Ross Wilson, Ross Graham, Brian Mitchell, Ethan Fitzsimmons and Joseph Dooley. Ross Graham was successful with three further conversions. In response the Bangor Grammar School team points came through a hat trick of tries from Ben McLean and one successful conversion from Calum Campbell. Enniskillen Royal Grammar School entertained the Regent House School team and, following a recent loss, got back to winning ways with a 38-5 victory. The Enniskillen RGS team scored a penalty try, which was followed by tries from Nathan Cullinan, Peter Reid, Darragh Love, Harry Ingram and Eamon Greene. Tadhg Hambley was successful with three of his conversion kicks. The Regent House School team scored an unconverted try in first half try with the hard-working Matthew McBride awarded the touchdown. Friends’ School, Lisburn entertained Cambridge House Grammar School in a game which finished with the Friends’ School, Lisburn team having scored 12 points. Joel Barron and Peter Brown each scored a try with Alex Topping adding one conversion. Foyle and Londonderry College hosted their near neighbours and close rivals, Limavady Grammar School, in an eagerly anticipated North West Schools derby game. The game was a closely contested affair with the Foyle and Londonderry College team eventually emerging as 12-7 winners. The first Foyle College try came as the result of a dominant scrum from which their scrum half, Adam Killeen, secured possession before dotting the ball down under the Limavady Grammar School posts. Callum Gillen was successful with the conversion to give the Foyle College team a 7-0 lead. The Limavady Grammar School team responded with a try from Ben Nutt, which was converted by Benjamin Howe, to draw the scores level at 7-7. With little time remaining the Foyle College team was camped on the Limavady Grammar School line and, with the final play of the game, Adam Killeen squeezed over the line to score his second try of the game. The try was not converted but the Foyle and Londonderry College team had secured their hard earned 12-7 victory. Larne Grammar School played Grosvenor Grammar School in a game the Grosvenor Grammar School team won by 17-14. The first half saw the Grosvenor Grammar School team take an early 5-0 lead when they scored an unconverted try through Ben Johnston. The Larne Grammar School team then exerted a period of pressure on the Grosvenor GS defence. This was rewarded when flanker, Josh Walker, scrambled over for a try, which was converted by Luke Farquhar, to see the home side into a 7-5 lead. Jack Wallace then intercepted a loose Grosvenor Grammar School pass and won the foot race for the try. Another Luke Farquhar conversion secured a 14-5 lead for the Larne GS team. The Grosvenor GS got the second half of to a good start when they scored another unconverted try, once again through Ben Johnston, to reduce their deficit to 14-10. A number of poor exit plays from the Larne Grammar School team proved costly as the Grosvenor Grammar School team took full advantage and scored a try through Euan Bailie, which was converted by Ben Johnston, to secure their 17-14 lead. In the last seven minutes of the game it was all Larne Grammar School as they sought out a winning score. However, it was not to be as the Grosvenor Grammar School defence was resolute and held out for their hard earned 17-14 victory. Rainey Endowed School played Dalriada School in their annual Arthur Topping Memorial Cup game. The Rainey Endowed School team put on a dominant performance in the course of this game and emerged as 26-3 winners. Billy Allen scored two tries for the Rainey team with Ben Brown and Gavin Paul each scoring one. Callum Nugent was successful with three of his conversion kicks. The Dalriada School points came from a successful Jonny Kirk penalty kick. Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Ballymena Academy at both 1stxv and U16 level and both games were very evenly contested. The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team won the 1stxv game by 19-14. Refereed by Mark Patton, who gave the players every opportunity to play the game in an attacking manner, this game proved to be a very positive outing for both teams. The Belfast Inst team took an early 5-0 lead through an unconverted try from James Hillman. Ballymena Academy then hit back with a try from Daniel Thompson, who took full advantage of good work from his pack, before running in for the score. Alex McBurney nailed the touchline conversion to see his team into a 7-5 lead at the interval. The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team started the second half strongly and took a 12-7 lead when their scrum half, and captain, Conor McGrath, ran in for a try which was converted by Josh Eagleson. The game now started to open up and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team scored their third try of the game when Bryn Ward sniped around the side of a ruck to run in for the try. Josh Eagleson was successful with the conversion to see his team into a 19-7 lead. The Ballymena Academy team hit back with an excellent try from Conor Drain, which was converted by Alex McBurney, to reduce their arrears to 19-14. The Ballymena Academy team then took play deep into Belfast Inst territory and came close to scoring on a number of occasions only to find their efforts thwarted by the well-organised Belfast Inst defence. This ensured that the final score board read Ballymena Academy 14 Royal Belfast Academical Institution 19 at the end of this exciting game. The U16 game was won by the Ballymena Academy team with the scoreboard reading 10-7 in their favour. Reece Williamson and Sean McKay each scored an unconverted try for the Ballymena Academy team. With the final play of the game the Royal Belfast Academical Institution U16 team got some reward for their hard work throughout the game when Luke Beattie scored a try which was converted by Daniel Parker. Royal School, Armagh and Belfast Royal Academy met at the College Hill venue and played out a very closely contested game which the RS Armagh team won by 19-12. Matthew Whittle, Harry Davey and Kristoffer McKenzie each scored a try for the RS Armagh team with Matthew Monaghan adding two conversions. The Belfast Royal Academy points came from Callum Savage and Ryan Armstrong with Henry George adding one conversion. Royal School, Dungannon played Sullivan Upper School on the WK Armstrong pitch in a game the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 31-21. The RS Dungannon team had built up a 14-7 lead by the half time break with tries from Jacob Clarke and Ryan Evans. James Girvan added the extras to both tries. In response the Sullivan Upper team scored a try through Sam Brown which was converted by Patrick McFerran. The second half saw the RS Dungannon team run in three more tries through Ryan Evans, who touched down for his second, Alfie Lewis and Alex Kennedy. James Girvan converted one of these tries to secure the thirty-one points for the Royal School, Dungannon team. Two further converted tries for Sullivan Upper School from Sam Brown and James Redpath-Wooley, both converted by Patrick McFerran, saw the final scoreboard reading Royal School, Dungannon 31 Sullivan Upper School 21. Wallace High School and Methodist College, Belfast met in an eagerly anticipated clash from which the Methodist College, Belfast team emerged as 72-0 winners. The Methody team scored twelve tries in the course of the game. Liam Black and Chris Bradley each weighed in with a brace of tries while Peter O’Hagan, team captain, Patrick Fullarton-Healey, Michael Crothers, Johnny O’Kane, Dave Armstrong, Ben McFarlane, Harry Pratt and Josh Stevens each scored one try. Ben McFarlane was successful with five of his conversion while Ryan Lindsay kicked one.

Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round-Up: Saturday 18th September 2021

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