Banbridge Academy played Grosvenor Grammar School under the floodlights at Banbridge Rugby Club on Friday night. A good crowd of enthusiastic supporters watched a game, in which the Grosvenor team probably put on their best performance of the season, winning 7-19.
The Grosvenor team controlled the game for long periods in the first half but could not get any points on the board. That was until the 35th minute when the visitors went through a lot of phase plays and James Cartilage bundled his way over the Banbridge Academy line to score a try. Daniel Martin added the conversion.
The second half was a more evenly contested affair with the Banbridge team creating a number of opportunities but they failed to finish. The visitors took advantage and Chris Allen finished off a flowing move for a converted try and a 14 point lead. This became 0-19 when Gareth Lammey took advantage of a cross field ‘kick pass’ to touch down for an unconverted try.
With just minutes of the game remaining, the Banbridge Academy team got some reward for their endeavours when Daniel McElderry scored a fine try which he converted. Both teams enjoyed the experience of playing under the excellent floodlights at Rifle Park and both schools would like to thank Banbridge Rugby Club for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
METHODIST COLLEGE 12 WALLACE HS 21
The ‘Match of the Day’ on Saturday 29th November was the clash involving Methodist College and the currently undefeated Wallace High School at Pirrie Park. The game finished with 12-21 away win.
Wallace edged a hard fought first half to enter the break 5-6. Jonny Stewart was successful with a penalty kick while Neil Kilpatrick hit an excellent drop goal. The Methodist College try came when Joe Kennedy took advantage of an excellent driven maul by the pack to touch down.
The second half saw Wallace score two tries from Andrew Irvine and Gary Dillon. Adam Heap converted one of the tries and Kilpatrick added a second drop goal. The hosts scored a try when Gareth Millar and Ali McIvor punched through the midfield defence and the ball was off-loaded to the supporting Ben O’Reilly, who crossed the whitewash. Robert Lyttle converted, however it was too late to change the final outcome of the game.
PORTORA RS 18 LIMAVADY GS 10
Portora Royal School hosted Limavady Grammar School and won 18-10. The Limavady boys took a 0-3 lead early on with a successful penalty kick. The Enniskillen school replied with an unconverted try from their centre, Alistair Crawford, to take a 5-3 lead. The Limavady GS team then took advantage of some poor Portora defence and scored a converted try to give them a 5-10 lead at the break.
Portora started the second half the stronger of the teams and Conor Keys ran in for a try. Adam Lendrum converted and kicked two late penalties to seal an 18-10 success.
RAINEY ENDOWED v OMAGH ACADEMY
Omagh Academy travelled to play Rainey Endowed and returned to Co Tyrone having secured a 12-21 victory. The Omagh team had built up a 5-14 lead by half time with two tries from Adam Stephenson, both of which were converted by Stuart Ballantine. The Rainey Endowed points came from an unconverted try from Anton Lupari.
The second half was a more evenly contested affair with Adam Patrick touching down for a Rainey try which was converted by Lorcan Quinn. Omagh secured their win when Fintan Lagan scored a fantastic solo try which saw him skip round a number of Rainey defenders before he touched down under the posts for a converted try.
REGENT HOUSE 24 BELFAST ROYAL ACADEMY 17
Regent House hosted an inexperienced Belfast Royal Academy and earned a 24-17 win having led 17-10 at the break. Regent had built up a 17-10 first half lead with tries from Alisdare Deering and Josh McFarland, with Taylor Nutt converting both, as well as a penalty kick. BRA managed two unconverted tries in the opening period.
The second half was evenly contested with the visitors scoring a converted try to draw the game level at 17-17. However, the Regent House team secured victory when, in the final quarter, Tommy Scullion scored a try which Nutt converted.
COLERAINE AI 40 RS DUNGANNON 0
Royal School Dungannon suffered a heavy 40-0 defeat when they travelled to play Coleraine Academical Institution. Despite a strong start to the game from the RS Dungannon team, they found it difficult to finish off a number of point scoring opportunities. Coleraine then managed to get some quality possession and built up a 26-0 lead by half time.
Matthew Norris took advantage of good work from Peter Bonnar, Peter Wisener and Alistair Corbett to run for an unconverted try and give his team a 5-0 lead. Calum Smyth then added a try which he converted to take his team into a 12-0 lead. Niall Cameron combined with Daniel McAllister to score a try, which Smyth converted for a 19-0 lead. Peter Bonnar then peeled off the back of a maul to score a try. One again, Calum Smyth converted the try to give his team a 26-0 lead at the break.
Coleraine AI scored two converted tries in the second half. Daniel McAllister was on hand to receive an off-load from Peter Bonnar and touch down for the fifth and try number six was scored by impact player, George McKeag. Smyth completed a successful morning with his boot by converting both tries.
LURGAN COLLEGE 19 RBAI 30
Lurgan College played a Royal Belfast Academical Institution ‘Select XV’ and came away from the game on the wrong end of a 30-19 scoreline. The Belfast Inst team scored two converted tries in the first half. The Lurgan College team responded positively with the Hunter brothers, Jonny and Jamie, combining to send Jamie in for a try. Robbie Norton converted the try but the Belfast Inst team had established a 7-14 lead by half time.
This became 7-19 early in the second half when the Belfast boys ran in for an unconverted try. Lurgan replied with a try from Thomas Neill, which Norton converted, to reduce the deficit to 19-14. Lewis Lawson then produced some great skills to send the Lurgan College captain, Matthew Laird, in for an unconverted try to draw the game level at 19-19. But RBAI took total control of the final quarter to score an unconverted try, as well as two penalties, to secure their 19-30 victory.
RBAI 16 DOWN HS 3
Meanwhile, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 1st XV played Down High School and the Belfast team had to work hard to secure a 16-3 win. RBAI’s points came from two unconverted tries and two penalties. Joe Bingham kicked a consolation penalty midway through the second half for Down HS.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team is looking for a Medallion fixture on Saturday 5th December. If anyone can help the team out they should contact Dan Soper at the school.
SULLIVAN UPPER 15 CAMPBELL COLLEGE 6
Sullivan Upper emerged as victorious 15-6 winners from their clash with their near neighbours from Campbell College. The Campbell College team had taken a 0-6 lead in the first half with two successful penalty kicks but Sullivan responded with a Peter Cooper to reduce the deficit to 5-6 at half time.
The second half saw the Sullivan Upper team step up a gear. The secured enough quality possession to score two tries with Fergus Jemphrey and Jules Storey getting the touchdowns. Neither try was converted but the Sullivan Upper team had secured their 15-6 win.
BALLYCLARE HS 17 DALRIADA 10
Ballyclare High School had to work very hard before they secured a 17-10 win against Dalriada. In a closely contested first half Michael Stevenson opened the scoring for Ballyclare with an unconverted try but Dalriada reduced the deficit to 5-3 when Angus Johnston kicked a penalty. Matthew Robson then broke away from his half to outpace the Dalriada defence and touch down unconverted. Close to the break Alan Montgomery touched down for a Dalriada try and Angus Johnston added the extras to draw the score level at 10-10.
The game continued to be evenly contested in the second half with little to separate the teams. That was until towards the end of the game when the Ballyclare High School pack presented Jack Black with the opportunity to score a try. Matthew McDowell converted to see his side through as 17-10 winners.
CAMBRIDGE HOUSE 47 BALLYMENA RFC 0
Cambridge House played a game against a Ballymena RFC Age Grade team and registered a comprehensive 47-0 win. The Cambridge House team had good performances from Sam Nicholl, Travis Boyd, Harry Spiers, David Glass and Lewis Wray, all of whom scored tries in the course of the game.
LARNE GS 19 CARRICKFERGUS GS 33
Larne Grammar School hosted their East Antrim neighbours from Carrickfergus Grammar School. The Carrickfergus GS team had built up a 7-19 lead by half time before going on to win the game by 33-19. Star of the show for the Carrick team was Christian Robinson who scored a hat trick of tries. Reece and Kris Berry touched down for one try each while Marc Ellison was successful with four out of five conversions.
WELLINGTON COLLEGE 24 PORTADOWN COLLEGE 17
Unfortunately, no report was received on this game.
IRFU CHARITABLE TRUST
Saturday 6th December sees the start of a week when rugby playing schools in Ulster will get involved in raising money for the IRFU Charitable Trust. This Trust has always been extremely well supported by all the schools in Ulster in years gone by and the Schools’ Committee is hopeful this staunch support will be continued by all our rugby playing schools.