Antrim GS hosted a midweek game against a Limavady GS ‘Select’ XV on Wednesday afternoon. The home team was delighted to record a 22-7 victory as strong performances in the from players such as JJ McKee and Dean Macrory laid the foundations for this result. Centre, Adam Johnson, scored a hat trick of tries while team captain, Matthew Dunne, scored a converted try. Limavady got some reward for their endeavours when they scored a converted try late in the game.
WALLACE HS 24 CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE 8
Wallace High School hosted Castleknock College from Dublin in a midweek game where both teams used the game as an opportunity to play extended squads. The Lisburn boys won the game by 24-8.
Wallace High School started brightly and scored two early tries. The first try came through good work from a maul which was finished off by Michael Smyth. The second try followed a few minutes later and was an excellent open field try from Gary Dillon. Gary Chan added a third before half time following a sweeping backline move. Max Trouton was rewarded with a try just before the break following a ‘Man of the Match’ performance. Adam Heaps kicked two from four conversions.
The Castleknock College team scored a try and converted a penalty in the course of the first half to leave the score reading 24-8 at the interval. Both defences were well-organised and very disciplined in the second half ensuring there were no further scores in the game.
BRA 0 METHODY 71
Methodist College travelled to play Belfast Royal Academy with a full strength squad for the first time this season. The home team was missing a number of players due to injury and non-availability and found there was little they could do to prevent Methody from winning the game by 71-0. The visitors had taken a 33-0 lead by the interval, having scored five tries and kicked four conversions. Robert Lyttle scored two with Lewis Loane, Conor Kelly and Alex McAllister all scoring one try each. Gareth Millar was successful with four of the conversion kicks.
It was more of the same for the Methody team in the second half. Conor Gourley, Josh Jordan, Conor Kelly and Robert Lyttle all touched down for second half tries with Daniel Coulter scoring two. Millar added four second half conversions to leave Methodist College as convincing winners.
FOYLE COLLEGE 20 RAINEY ENDOWED 5
Foyle College entertained a Rainey Endowed team that lost a number of players to a Derry Minor Gaelic Football final and won 20-5. The Foyle team had built up a 10-5 lead by the break with a penalty from Alex McDonnell as well as a try and conversion from the same player. The Rainey team responded with a try from Richard Winder just before the break.
Foyle College controlled the game for long periods in the second half and scored a try through Thomas Cole which was converted by McDonnell to increase their lead to 17-5. A second penalty from McDonnell sealed the well-deserved 20-5 win for the Foyle and Londonderry College team.
BALLYMENA ACADEMY 32 BANGOR GS 5
Ballymena Academy hosted Bangor Grammar School in a game the Co Antrim team won by 32-5. The Galgorm Road team welcomed back several of their representative players. It was the Ulster Schools U18 captain, Jonathan McKeown, who opened the scoring for the home team when he peeled off the back of a driving maul to touch down in the corner.
The score remained at 5-0 for a long part of the first half, but, as the interval approached, Ballymena stepped up several gears. A clever kick by scrumhalf Michael Stronge was re-gathered by the Ulster U19 captain, Josh McIlroy, and, after several phases of quick ball, Josh was on hand again to score. McKeown scored his second try of the half and Craig Hanna touched down following a well-judged kick through by Jack Archer. McIlroy added one conversion to leave the half time score reading 22-0.
The second half was a more stop-start affair, with neither team able to dominate territory or possession. After a period of sustained pressure by the powerful Ballymena pack, McKeown capped a fine individual performance by completing his hat-trick. With ten minutes to go, McIlroy scored an outstanding individual try. The Number 8 generated a turnover in his own 22m area and broke through several tackles before chipping the full back and winning the race to the try line. At 32-0 the well-drilled Bangor Grammar side capitalised on a loss of concentration by Ballymena. The visitors showed skill and pace for a thoroughly deserved try which was finished of by their outside centre. The final whistle sounded immediately after the conversion attempt with the final score reading 32-5.
LIMAVADY GS 19 CARRICKFERGUS GS 38
Carrickfergus Grammar School recorded a 19-38 away win over Limavady Grammar School after racing into a 0-17 lead. They scored tries through David Stewart, Michael Black and Christian Robinson, one of which was converted by Michael Black. However, the hosts stepped up their performance in the latter stages of the first half and came close to scoring on a number of occasions.
The second half started with Limavady controlling both territory and possession and they were rewarded with two tries which reduced the deficit to 12-17. The Carrickfergus team then scored a converted try through Scott Williams to increase their lead to 12-24. Back came Limavady GS with a converted try to leave the score reading 24-19 in favour of the visitors. Just when it looked as if the home team was about to stage a miraculous comeback, the home team scored two late tries, both of which were converted, to secure their 38-19 victory at the end of this intriguing game.
OMAGH ACADEMY 28 BANBRIDGE ACADEMY 17
Omagh Academy hosted Banbridge Academy and finished as deserved 28-17 winners. They had Stuart Ballantine to thank for an early 6-0 lead when he was successful with two penalty kicks. Adam Stephenson then got in on the act when he ran in for a converted try from forty metres out. Banbridge recovered from their sluggish start to score a try through their hard-working flanker, Ritchie McNeill. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the visitors had reduced the arrears to 13-5. Following a strike against the head by the Omagh pack, Fintan Lagan released his backline and this move ended with Adam Stephenson touching down for an unconverted try in the corner to give his team an 18-5 lead at the break.
Shortly after the restart, the Banbridge team reduced the deficit to 18-17 when Michael McGaffin and Rhys Mackey scored tries, one of which was converted by Daniel McElderry. Midway through the second half, Stuart Ballantine kicked a penalty and converted a Fintan Lagan try. These 10 second half points ensured the Omagh Academy team emerged as deserved 28-17 winners at the end of the game.
GROSVENOR GS 19 RS DUNGANNON 12
Grosvenor Grammar School recovered from a major setback last week to record a 19-12 victory against Royal School Dungannon. The Tyrone side dominated the early exchanges and took a 5-0 lead when Peter Doran scored an unconverted try following good work from his pack. The Grosvenor GS team struggled, at times, to get into the game and gave away a lot of needless penalties. Eventually, they did take advantage of some good continuity work by their pack with Mark Johnston getting a try. Daniel Martin added the conversion to put his Grosvenor team into a 7-5 lead. Back came the RS Dungannon team with a try from Josh McKee, which was converted by John Buckley, to take a 12-7 lead into the break.
The Grosvenor GS team came out in the second half determined to put some pace into their game. Following a series of quickly taken penalties, James Cartilage bundled over the RS Dungannon line to score an unconverted try. The Grosvenor team was now playing with a lot more determination and took a 19-12 lead when Daniel Mayhew scored a try which Martin converted. Both teams had opportunities to score points before the final whistle but there were no further scores.
WALLACE HS 22 CAMPBELL COLLEGE 8
Wallace High School and Campbell College were at full strength when the teams met in Lisburn in a game the Wallace High School team won by 22-8. The Wallace HS team scored first half tries through Toby Kerr and Max Trouton with Jonny Stewart adding one conversion. The Campbell College team replied with a first half penalty to see the Wallace HS team take a 12-3 lead into the interval.
The solid performance of the Lisburn pack laid the foundations for two further Wallace tries in the second half. Ikenna Nzewi scored the first try with Gary Chan displaying great pace to run in for the second. Campbell College added a consolation try but there was little they could do to prevent the Wallace High School team running out as convincing 22-8 winners.
COLERAINE AI 24 REGENT HOUSE 7
Coleraine Academical Institution recorded their fourth win in a row when they defeated Regent House by 24-7 at the Castlerock Road venue. The home team opened their account when Peter Bonnar was driven over the line following a well-organised maul. Callum Smith added the extras. From the kick off Regent rallied and proceeded to spend the next fifteen minutes encamped on the Coleraine AI line which was eventually breached in the 20th minute when No 8 scored close to the posts. The try was converted to draw the scores level at 7-7. Coleraine AI then managed to rally and spend some time in the opposition half. Their persistence was rewarded when the Regent midfield was caught off side and Smith kicked the penalty to restore the 10-7 lead going into the interval.
In the second half Coleraine AI started in a positive manner with the pack scoring another well worked try from a lineout in the 40th minute. Once again, Peter Bonnar was awarded the touchdown from the back of a driven maul. Smith was successful with his conversion kick to put his team into a 17-7 lead.
Coleraine AI played with more control in the second half and dominated territory with Regent rarely getting into the home side's half. They scored their final try in the 55th minute when, having worked through several phases, their backs spread the ball well to Andrew Wisener who ghosted through a gap and timed his pass perfectly to wing Daniel McCreadie to race over the try line. Smith’s conversion rounded off the scoring.
RBAI 63 BELFAST MET 0
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution coaches played a ‘Select’ XV against the Belfast Metropolitan College team at Osborne Park, scoring 11 tries in a 63-0 victory. Jack Conlin scored three tries, Ethan Harbinson, Lewis McNamara and James Hume scored two tries each, with Micael Lowry and Ben McGavock also touching down. McGavock was successful with two conversion kicks as was James Hume.
Meanwhile, a second Royal Belfast Academical Institution ‘Select’ team played Wellington College in a game the Belfast Inst team won by 20-3.
DALRIADA SCHOOL 26 CAMBRIDGE HOUSE 10
Dalriada hosted a rejuvenated Cambridge House team and had to work hard to record a 26-10 victory. Hero of the day for the Dalriada team was Robert Hunter who ran in a hattrick of tries. Alan Montgomery scored a fourth try for the Dalriada team with Angus Johnston adding three conversions.
The Cambridge House points came from an Aaron Henry try which was converted by Matthew Wright, who also kicked a penalty.
PORTORA RS 6 RS ARMAGH 10
Portora Royal School hosted Royal School Armagh in a close encounter that finished with the visitors winning by 10-6. The Portora RS team controlled most of the possession in the first half but had only an Adam Lendrum penalty to show for all their hard work.
They took their 3-0 lead into the interval and extended it to 6-0 when Lendrum was successful with a second penalty early in the second half. The RS Armagh team then introduced their Ulster Schools’ U18 Prop, Philip Matthews into their front row. His performance, alongside that of fellow front row replacement, Grant Hutchinson, had a profound impact on the game. The RS Armagh pack was now in control and laid the foundations for two unconverted tries for winger David Agnew.
LARNE GS 0 BALLYCLARE HS 27
Larne Grammar School hosted a Ballyclare High School ‘Select’ XV and lost against their East Antrim rivals by 0-27.
SULLIVAN UPPER 40 DOWN HS 29
Sullivan Upper had to work hard to maintain their 100% start to the season when they played Down High School and won 40-29. Sullivan finished the game with ten Year 12 players on the pitch. They scored six tries with Fergus Jemphrey and Ryan Spence touching down twice and Lewis Smyth and Callum Jeffrey scoring one each. Jeffrey was successful with five out of six conversion attempts.
ANTRIM GS 5 LURGAN COLLEGE 52
Lurgan College travelled to play Antrim Grammar School and won the game by 5-52. The Lurgan College team, with players such as Jamie Hunter and Jamie Patterson to the fore, had opened up a 0-40 lead by halftime. The Antrim team came out in the second half and put on a much more positive performance but Lurgan scored two further tries. Antrim fought to the end and got some reward for their hard work when their young fullback, Ben McKnight, ran in for a well-deserved try.
BELFAST HS 40 PORTADOWN COLLEGE 0
Belfast High School hosted Portadown College and registered a 40-0 win. The Portadown team was without their captain, Niall Davidson, for the game but players such as Jacob McKeeman, Robert Bleakney and James Wright all featured strongly in the Portadown College pack while Jason Lau and Jordan Dowds put on good performances in the Portadown backline.
Despite these positive performances, there was little they could do to prevent the Belfast High School team from continuing with their impressive start to the season. Belfast High School welcomed back their very talented captain, Joel McBride, from Ulster Schools’ duty and he opened the scoring taking the final pass after a fine break from fellow centre, Harry Burbidge. McBride then converted his try to give his team a 7-0 lead.
Portadown then responded with a period of pressure but found the High School defence in mean form with hooker, Andrew Mitchell, using the chop tackle to great effect. After a period of ‘in your face’ defence, Portadown forced a pass and rookie out-half, Simon White, intercepted and ran in from 40