DANSKE BANK SCHOOLS’ CUP ROUND 3
RAINEY ENDOWED 5 DOWN HS 6
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round 3 game played in Magherafelt the visiting Down High School team not only defeated the elements but they caused a major upset by defeating the Rainey Endowed team by 6-5. Down HS travelled with confidence on the back of a mature performance against Lurgan College in Round 2, but they knew their Rainey rivals would present a much sterner challenge.
Down started the game with the strong wind on their backs and got off to a shaky start. In the initial exchanges they showed poor discipline at the breakdown resulting in Rainey being able to clear their lines on a number of occasions. The Down team also struggled to kick effectively in the strong wind with several kicks going out on the full, again allowing Rainey to gain significant yardage. Indeed, it was Rainey who recorded the first score of the game around the twelve minute mark when, after carrying well into the Down half, they identified and exploited an overlap that saw their winger, Andrew Nicholl, cross the whitewash untouched. The tough conversion fell to the outside of the posts but the Rainey Endowed team had a 5-0 lead.
This score seemed to galvanise the Down High players as they began to make smarter use of the wind and found themselves being able to mount a number of promising attacks deep in Rainey territory. Within three minutes of the Rainey opening try, the Down High team came very close to scoring in the corner when Peter Calvert gave a pass to Nathan Gibson only for the mobile prop to be bumped into touch by the scrambling home defence. Eventually, all the pressure provided Down with a chance to reduce Rainey's lead when the hosts were adjudged to have illegally slowed ball up at the breakdown. Patrick Wright kept his nerve and struck the resultant penalty very successfully to open the Down account and reduce the deficit to 5-3.
For the remainder of the half Down continued to throw everything at Rainey and occasionally looked like getting a line break that might lead to a try. However, the home defence was resolute and they constantly snuffed out Down's threats. Fortunately, they were able to add one crucial penalty before half time, again through Patrick Wright, to take a 6-5 lead into the break.
As the second half got underway Down High knew they would have produce an exceptional performance to protect their slender lead as they faced the strong wind and a Rainey team who had showed both strong kicking and carrying ability in the first half. Inevitably, long periods of the half were played in Down High territory but the visitors were ruthless in defence and smart with ball in hand. They consistently soaked up the charges of the strong Rainey pack and forced errors from the host's backline. When in possession they kept the ball tight and did all they could to reduce Rainey's time on the ball. Of particular note was the strong Down line out, with Thomas Donnan leading by example. Time after time the Down backs were with chances to clear play out of the 22m area after accurate kicking from Rainey had put Down under pressure.
As the clock ticked on, Rainey continued to threaten and any neutral observer knew it would only take one line break or one piece of Down indiscipline to see Rainey overcome the narrow Down lead. However, in the tense final encounters that elusive score never came for the home side and, following a crucial lineout, the Down High pack bundled the Rainey pack into touch to signal a historic win for the boys in green who enter the quarter finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup for the first time following their narrow, but deserved, 6-5 win.
METHODIST COLLEGE 29 LIMAVADY GS 0
The Methodist College team had to overcome the dogged Limavady Grammar School team to win 29-0 in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rd Round game. The Limavady Grammar School team started the game strongly and put Methody under pressure in the opening quarter of the game. Players such as Scott McLean, Michael Barr and Jamie Millar all asked questions of the Methody defence but could not manage to find any way through.
After this opening onslaught, the Methodist College team took a hold on the game and started to control both territory and possession for long periods of time. The Methody pack got an upper hand in both the set piece exchanges as well as at the breakdown. Michael Lagan, Steven Weir and Alex Thompson showed why they had been selected on the Ireland U19 team with their dominant performances in both the scrums and lineouts. This ensured their back division got some quality possession which they used to good effect.
Connor McKee made the best possible use of the possession he received and went on to score a hat trick of tries. With his robust attacking flair, Connor was also able to open up the opportunity for his pacey winger, Wolfe Diamond, to run in for a try. Then Saul Herdman, coming on in the unusual position of hooker, touched down for a try. Gareth Millar had to settle for two out of five conversions but this was enough to ensure a well-deserved 29-0 win for a very confident Methodist College team at the end of this Danske bank Ulster Schools’ Round 3 game.
COLERAINE AI 41 REGENT HOUSE 0
Coleraine Academical Institution and Regent House met in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rd Round game on a morning that was not conducive to the playing of the game! The Coleraine AI team won the toss and decided to play into the wind and rain. Coleraine AI opened the scoring on seven minutes when their centre, Mark Gordon, chipped over the Regent blitz defence on the half way line. Mark was first to the ball and he side- stepped the Regent fullback before outpacing the remaining defenders to score close a try to the posts! Conor Shiels missed the conversion when the ball fell off the tee but his team had a 5-0 lead.
Regent showed great spirit and rallied with a very positive display. However, they failed to capitalise and were beaten at the breakdown by the more physical Coleraine pack. On seventeen minutes, Brad Dempster made a telling break on the half way line. He carried the ball deep into the Regent 22m area when a last ditch tackle was made by the visitor’s full back. From the ensuing ruck, Regent infringed and Conor Shiels converted a penalty from the ensauing ruck to put his team into an 8-0 lead.
Twenty five minutes into the game the Coleraine AI scored again when Joel Stanbridge took advantage of a great break from Mark Gordon. Joel barged his way over the Regent House line to touch down for a try. Conor Shiels converted the try to see his team into a 15-0 lead, a lead the Coleraine AI team held until the interval. From the restart, Callum Smith pinned Regent back into their half with some excellent tactical kicking. Mark Gordon used this field position to good effect and was the next to add to the Coleraine AI tally. From another phase of play Conor Shiels put in a deft kick which allowed Mark to reclaim the ball and proceed to outpace the defence to score under the posts. Conor Shiels converted the try to increase the Coleraine AI lead to 29-0.
Coleraine AI then made a raft of changes but it did not change the momentum of the match. On fifty five minutes Coleraine AI scored another well worked try! A missed touch allowed scrum half, Ryan Gillan, to make a telling break up the line. He fed the ball to Callum Smith who drew the final defender and passed to Mark Gordon who made ran in to score his hat trick! Conor Shiels converted the try to put his team into a 36-0 lead. With just two minutes of the game remaining, Alross Alejo ghosted past a number of defenders when a Regent House kick didn't make touch. The winger drew the last defender and then fed inside to his supporting 2nd row, Thomas Pethick, who ran in for an unconverted try. This ensured it was the Coleraine Academical Institution team that won this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rd Round game by 41-0.
BELFAST HS 13 WALLACE HS 20
Belfast High School hosted Wallace High School and made the Lisburn team work hard before they left with a 20-13 win at the end of this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rd Round game. The Belfast High School team took a 3-0 lead when Robbie Reid converted an early penalty kick opportunity. The Wallace High school team replied with a Jonny Stewart try, following a charge down, to take the score to 5-3. Another Wallace High School infringement gave the chance to Robbie Reid to kick another penalty to put his Belfast High School team into a 6-5 lead.
After this the Wallace high school team enjoyed a lot of territorial advantage but could find no way to cross the Belfast High School line. Indeed, it was the Belfast High School team that increased their lead just before the interval. Jordan Garford took full advantage of some slack Wallace High School defence when he ran in for a try. Robbie Reid converted the try to give his team a 13-5 lead at the interval.
The Wallace High School team had the advantage of the wind in their backs in the course of the second half. Following a series of penalties in the Belfast High School 22m area, and good work from the Wallace High School pack, Jacob Stockdale stormed over the line to score a converted try and reduce the deficit to 13-10. This try seemed to instill a lot of confidence into the Wallace High School team. Josh Collingwood scored a try, which Ryan Moore converted, to give the Wallace High School team a 17-13 lead.
Now it was the turn of the High School team to attack but they could not find any way through. It was Ryan Moore that sealed the game for the Wallace High School team when he converted a penalty kick which gave his team a 20-13 lead. The Belfast School team, once again, besieged the Wallace High School line. However, the Wallace captain, Callum Irvine displayed magnificent leadership skills, on his return from injury, to ensure there were no further scores. The Wallace High School team held out until the end of this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game, a game they won by 20-13.
BALLYCLARE HS 10 BALLYMENA ACADEMY 9
In Ballyclare, the Ballyclare High School team hosted a Ballymena Academy team that did not do enough to win this close Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 3 game. The Ballyclare High School team took an early 3-0 lead when Matthew McDowell converted a penalty opportunity following a Ballymena Academy infringement at a scrum. After this, for long periods of the first half, it was the Ballymena academy team that was in the ascendancy. They pressurised the Ballyclare High School line and came close to scoring on a number of occasions. However, they could find no way to get over the line. Instead, they converted three penalty opportunities through Andrew Magrath to give them a 9-3 lead at the end of the first half.
The Ballyclare High School team played with the wind in their backs in the second half but could not break down the Ballymena Academy defence, despite the best efforts of players such as Zack McMorran and Matthew Darling. That was until the last minute of the game when their hard working 2nd row Ross Johnston, scrambled over for a try to reduce the arrears to 9-8. Up stepped the sure footed Matthew McDowell to convert the try to secure the narrowest of 10-9 wins for the Ballyclare High School team and, with it a place in the draw for the Quarter-Finals of The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup.
DALRIADA SCHOOL 7 RBAI 14
The Dalriada School team made the fancied Royal Belfast Academical Institution team work hard before the Ballymoney boys lost out by 14-7. In a game played in tough conditions and, on a pitch that had been subject to the poor weather conditions of the last week, the physical Dalriada XV delivered a performance to be proud of despite losing to the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team by 14-7.
The Dalriada forwards pressed hard in the first half, leading to their team conceding only 7 points when it came to the interval. The Belfast Inst points came from a quickly tapped penalty taken by Cameron Black which saw his Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd row Harry Cleland, charge over the line for the first points of the half. The try successfully converted by his outhalf, Fraser Wright, to give the Belfast Inst team a 7-0 lead. The Dalriada half backs kept causing problems for the Royal Belfast Academical defence as did the strength and power of the Dalriada pack. However, they could not find a way across the whitewash ensuring it was the Belfast Inst team that turned around at the interval with their 7-0 lead intact.
The second half saw both teams struggle with the conditions but the Dalriada team still managed to spend a lot of time in the Belfast Inst 22m area. However, it was the visitors that increased their lead when Andrew McGrath got on the end of a series of ‘pick and go’ attacks to touch down for a try for his Belfast Inst team. Frazer Wright was delighted to convert the try to give his team a 14-0 lead with just a quarter of the game remaining.
The Dalriada men refused to be disheartened and showed what they were capable of with a brilliant “up and under” kick by Peter Dunlop who followed up with a superb take to score a try. Peter converted his try to bring the Dalriada team back into the game by reducing the arrears to 14-7. However, time was not on the side of the Dalriada team and it was the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team that celebrated their hard-earned 14-7 win at the end of this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rd Round encounter.
CAMPBELL COLLEGE 28 RS ARMAGH 3
Campbell College overcame the challenge of the Royal School, Armagh team by 28-3 when the two sides met in their eagerly anticipated Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 3rd round Clash at Fox’s Field. The Campbell College team opened up a 7-0 lead early in the game with a try from their elusive winger, Seb Heinrich, who took advantage of some excellent phase play from his team mates. Jack Owens converted the try.
Armagh were not fazed by this setback and attacked at every opportunity. They got some reward for their endeavours when a Matthew Hooks penalty reduced the arrears to 7-3. Jack Owens in the Campbell College centre impressed in all that he did. Time and again he caused problems for the RS Armagh defence and, following one of his surging runs, the ball ended up in the hands of Jack Glendinning who ran in for a try. Jack Owens converted the try to give his Campbell College team a 14-3 lead at the interval.
Back came the RS Armagh team at the start of the second half with Matthew Hooks and Mervyn Brown asking questions of the Campbell College defence. However, they found the Campbell College defence to be giving nothing away and all the early RS Armagh attacks in the second half were thwarted. The Campbell College pack then started to get on top at set piece time. From a driven maul following a lineout, and then a series of ‘pick and go’ attacks, Jack Glendinning scored his second try of the game. Jack Owens stepped up to convert t