Friends’ School travelled to play Belfast HS and came away with a very satisfactory 0-44 victory. Meanwhile, the Down HS recorded a well-deserved 29-0 win against Coleraine Academical Institution. Grosvenor GS hosted Portora RS in game that finished in a 3-3 draw. The replay of that game should be scheduled for Tuesday 20th January.
The postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield third round games involving Rainey Endowed and Banbrdge Academy, RS Armagh and RS Dungannon, Limavady GS and Portadown College, BRA and Regent House, and Dromore HS and Bangor GS should be re-scheduled for Tuesday 20th January.
SCHOOL FRIENDLIES
Methodist College 51 Friends’ School 35
Friends’ School travelled to play a Methodist College ‘Select’ XV and despite good performances from some of younger players such as Curtis Dundas and Ryan Hall, the Lisburn team lost a very entertaining game by 51-35.
Methodist College 26 Christian Brothers College 18
The Methodist College 1st XV was entertaining Christian Brothers College from Monkstown in Dublin. In another entertaining game, which saw the Methody team take control of affairs early on, the Methodist College team emerged as 26-18 winners. Josh Jordan opened the Methodist College account with a try which the impressive Robert Lyttle converted. The Methodist College 7-0 lead soon became 14-0 when Ben O’Reilly touched down for a try following good work from his backs. Lyttle added the extras. The CBC Monkstown team came back with a drop goal, as well a converted try, to reduce the arrears to 14-10 at the break.
The second half saw the Methodist College captain, Saul Herdman, take advantage of a well-controlled driven maul by the Methody pack to touch down for an unconverted try and give his team a 19-10 lead. The CBC Monkstown team responded with a penalty, as well as an unconverted try, to reduce the deficit to 19-18. However, a second well-organised Methodist College driven maul, following a lineout, ended with Ben O’Reilly touching down for his second try of the game. Lyttle added the conversion to secure the 26-18 victory for the Methodist College team.
Antrim GS 0 RS Dungannon 43
Royal School Dungannon travelled to play Antrim Grammar School and returned home with a resounding 0-43 win. This game turned out to be a useful run out both teams who will play their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy quarter final games next weekend. The RS Dungannon team will travel to play Cambridge House under the lights at Eaton Park on the evening of Friday 23rd January.
The first score of the game came midway through the first half when Adam Cranston took advantage of a clever off-load to run in for a try. John Buckley converted the try to give his team a 7-0 lead. Five minutes later, Jonny Black ran in from forty metres to touch down for an unconverted try and increase the RS Dungannon lead to 12-0. Pressure from the RS Dungannon scrum led to a second try from Adam Cranston. Buckley converted the try and the RS Dungannon lead was now 19-0. Just before the interval, the hard-working Peter Doran scored a try, which Buckley converted, to increase the Dungannon lead to 26-0 at halftime.
The Antrim Grammar School team came out at the start of the second half and put a lot of pressure on the RS Dungannon defence. They should have scored on a number of occasions only to be let down by the final pass. The RS Dunganon team recovered from the onslaught and Black touched down for his second try of the game to increase their lead to 31-0. A third Black try, converted by Buckley, increased the lead to 38-0 going in to the final quarter of the game. The final try of the game came from Archie Hanna who broke away from his half before he touched down for an unconverted try.
Campbell College 10 St. Andrew’s School 19
No report available for this match.
Blackrock College 11 Wallace HS 16
Wallace High School travelled to play a Blackrock College Development team in Dublin. The game was played at a great pace with both schools willing to move the ball at every opportunity. The Wallace High School team recorded an excellent 11-16 victory, one which maintained their undefeated run this season. Michael Smyth and Andrew Cardosi scored tries when they took advantage of good work from Neil Kilpatrick and Ryan Wilson. Wilson added two penalties to secure the Wallace win.