Despite the Christmas holidays being in full flow the last week in December, and the first week in January, saw quite a few Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ games, both friendly and competition, taking place.
On Wednesday 28th December four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly games took place.
Ballyclare High School and Cambridge House Grammar School played out a shortened game which the Ballyclare High School team won by 24-0.
Jacob Scarlett, Angus Catherwood, Ian O’Hara and Isaac Shields scored the Ballyclare High School tries. Jacob Scarlett converted one Ballyclare High School try with Joel Flynn adding the extras to another.
Coleraine Grammar School entertained Wallace High School with the Wallace High School team winning the game by 13-9.
Jordan McAuley was successful with three penalty goals for the Coleraine Grammar School team.
The Wallace High School points came through a Michael McCavery try, which was converted by Charlie Beattie. Charlie was also successful with two penalty kicks.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Royal School, Dungannon in a high scoring game the Royal School, Dungannon team won by 31-17.
The Enniskillen RGS team scored three tries through Cameron Smith and Reece Holmes, who ran in for two. James Trotter was successful with one conversion.
The RS Dungannon team scored five tries through Cameron Cummings, who touched down for a brace, Reuben Gibson, Alfie Lewis and Cameron Shaw. Jacob Clarke added the conversions to three of the Royal School, Dungannon tries.
Methodist College, Belfast hosted St Gerard’s School, Bray in a game the Methodist College team won by 24-19.
With a number of Methody players attending IRFU National Age Grade Camps at the High Performance Centre in Dublin it was an opportunity for the Methody coaches to give extended game time to other members of their senior squad.
The Methodist College, Belfast team scored four tries through Ryan Kidd, Lewis Doherty, Matthew Gourley and Nick Singh. Jack Tindal was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
On Thursday 29th January Omagh Academy hosted Rainey Endowed School in a 1stxv friendly game which the Omagh Academy team won by 24-19.
The Omagh Academy team scored three tries in the course of the game with Allister Crawford, Andrew Johnston and Conrad Hale all touching down for the Co Tyrone team. Andrew Johnston capped a fine personal performance with three successful conversion kicks as well as one successful penalty goal.
The Rainey Endowed School team scored three tries as well during the game.
Paul McCloskey, Billy Allen and Sean Bentley were the try scorers with Owen O’Kane adding two successful conversions.
On Friday 30th December, in the 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup, Regent House School defeated their Lurgan College counterparts by 40-0.
The new year was heralded in with quite a few schools playing a number of previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ competition games.
On Tuesday 3rd January Banbridge Academy defeated Carrickfergus Grammar School by 31-5 in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy competition.
On Wednesday 4th January Coleraine Grammar School 2ndxv hosted Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv in their previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup 3rd Round game.
Following a very entertaining game the Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv emerged as 24-10 winners.
On the same day Ballyclare High School 2ndxv played Banbridge Academy 2ndxv in the 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup.
This Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup game proved to be another very entertaining game which the Ballyclare High School team won by 33-26.
Later that evening Ballymena Academy hosted Dromore High School under the floodlights at Eaton Park, home of Ballymena RFC.
The Ballymena Academy team won the game by 43-5, scoring seven tries in the process.
Daniel Vercoe-Rogers scored a brace while Ben Fleming, Reuben Allen, Mark Glenn, Tom McMaster and Marshall Robinson touched down for one try apiece. Tristan Ferguson was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
The Dromore High School displayed great commitment throughout the game and got some reward for their endeavours when Nathan Hook ran in for an unconverted try.
Both teams, and their coaches, would like to thank Ballymena RFC for the provision of excellent facilities and hosting the game.
On Thursday 5th January two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Round 1 games took place.
Bangor Academy hosted Cambridge House Grammar School in a game that finished as a 19-19 draw.
The replay for this drawn Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy game will be expected take place on Tuesday 10th January.
Craigavon Senior High School played Wellington College, Belfast and recorded a 43-0 victory.
Ballymena Academy 3rdxv overcame Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 2nd Round game.
One Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly game took place on Thursday 5th January when Campbell College, Belfast travelled to play Clongowes Wood College, from Clane in Co Kildare, at the Donnybrook Energia Stadium in Dublin.
The Clongowes Wood College team won the game by 31-17. Ross Adams ran in a hat trick of tries for the Clongowes WC team with Harry Roche Nagle and Max Coveney each scoring one try. Tom Murtagh was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Flynn Longstaff scored two tries for the Campbell College, Belfast team with Sam Boomer scoring a third. Harry Dyer added the extras to one of the tries.
On Friday 6th January Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Limavady Grammar School in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy competition.
The Foyle College 2ndxv team won the game by 23-0.
On the same day Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv hosted Wallace High School 3rdxv in their postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 2nd Round game.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv won the game by 15-5.
At the same time in Cambrils, close to Barcelona, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution Senior team finished their week of warm weather training with a game against the Presentation Brother’s College team from Cork.
The final result in this high scoring game was Royal Belfast Academical Institution 26 Presentation Brother’s College, Cork 38.
Jacob Boyd scored two tries for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team with Euan Patterson and James Hilman touching down for one try each. Matthew Sweetlove converted two of the tries with Josh Eagleson adding the extras to one.
Meanwhile, Strabane Academy hosted Portadown College in the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
The Strabane Academy team put on a powerful display of attacking rugby and won the game by 26-0.
On Saturday 7th January the three previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games took place.
In Group A Cambridge House Grammar School played Dalriada School and won the game by 17-10.
Jacob Oliver scored two tries for the Cambridge House Grammar School team with Kaelan McGarrell touching down for a third. Dan Chestnutt converted one of the tries.
The Dalriada School points came through a try from Angus Graham which was converted by Paddy Cramsie. Gabriel Stubbs-Carton was successful with one penalty goal.
In Group D Friends’ School, Lisburn entertained Rainey Endowed School on an occasion that ran alongside the Friends’ School Open Morning. The game, which Rainey Endowed School won by 18-7, attracted a lot of attention from the many visitors to the school. Many people commented as to how impressive it was to see so many pupils involved in a variety of extra-curricular sport on the Friends’ School pitches on a Saturday morning.
The Friends’ School team scored their try through Ruari Doyle with the extras added by Samuel Dillon. Players such as Paddy Moore, Tom Rowlatt McCormack and Alex McKinley also impressed with their performance for the Friends’ School, Lisburn team.
The Rainey Endowed School team scored two tries through Paul McCloskey and Rossa Bell. Owen O’Kane added one conversion as well as two penalty goals.
In Group E Regent House School hosted Omagh Academy and recorded a hard-earned 17-12 victory.
Matthew McBride scored a first half unconverted try to see his Regent House School team into an early 5-0 lead.
The Omagh Academy team then responded with first half tries through Ben Henry and Andrew Crawford and, with one Andrew Johnston conversion, took a 12-5 lead into the break..
James McKenna and James Ward then scored two Regent House School tries in the course of the second half. Zach Campbell added the conversion to one of the tries to secure the 17-12 win for the Regent House School team.
There were eight Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 3 games scheduled to be played on Saturday 7th January.
Antrim Grammar School were unable to fulfil their fixture against Friends’ School, Lisburn. This game should be sorted out early next week.
Bangor Grammar School played Rainey Endowed School and won the game by 21-7.
Belfast High School played Dromore High School in a game the Dromore High School team won by 52-12.
Down High School played Regent House School in a 20-20 drawn game which will be expected to be replayed on Tuesday 10th January.
Foyle and Londonderry College hosted Omagh Academy and won the closely contested game by 7-5.
Larne Grammar School entertained Limavady Grammar School and won another very closely contested game by 13-10.
Royal School, Armagh hosted Lurgan College and won the game by 40-0.
Royal School, Dungannon entertained Coleraine Grammar School and recorded an impressive 34-3 win.
Once these results were known the draws for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen, Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Finals and Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Finals were released.
The results of these draws are as follows:-
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Finals.
- Dalriada School v Banbridge Academy
- Grosvenor Grammar School v Craigavon Senior High School
- Enniskillen Royal Grammar School v Bangor Academy/Cambridge House Grammar School
- Strabane Academy v Ballyclare Secondary School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy 1/4 Final games MUST be played on/before Saturday 21st January.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Finals.
- Antrim Grammar School/Friends’ School, Lisburn v Belfast High School
- Coleraine Grammar School v Omagh Academy
- Limavady Grammar School v Lurgan College
- Rainey Endowed School v Down High School/Regent House School
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl 1/4 Final games MUST be played on/before Saturday 21st January.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen Games.
- Antrim Grammar School/Friends’ School, Lisburn v Ballymena Academy
- Dromore High School V Larne Grammar School
- Royal Belfast Academical Institution v Wallace High School
- Foyle and Londonderry College v Bangor Grammar School
- Ballyclare High School v Royal School, Armagh
- Royal School, Dungannon v Down High School/Regent House School
- Belfast Royal Academy v Sullivan Upper School
- Methodist College, Belfast v Campbell College, Belfast
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round of Sixteen games MUST be played on/before Saturday 21st January
As well as the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Group Stage games and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield and Trophy games played on/before Saturday 7th January, quite a few Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly games took place.
Ballyclare High School played Coleraine Grammar School in a very competitive game the Coleraine Grammar School team won by 21-14.
Jamie Purdy scored one try for the Ballyclare High School team with Joel Flynn adding the conversion. The remaining Ballyclare High School points came through a penalty try.
Noah Gordon, Joel Madden and Conor Draycott scored the Coleraine Grammar School tries to which Jordan McAuley, with two, and Jacob Lennox, with one, added the conversions.
Ballymena Academy played Royal School, Armagh in a very close encounter which was not decided until the final play of the game when the Ballymena Academy team emerged as 24-19 winners.
Conor Drain made a successful return from injury for the Ballymena Academy team with one try, while Tom McMaster, Marshall Robinson and Daniel Vercoe-Rogers were the other Ballymena Academy try scorers. Tristan Ferguson was successful with two of his conversions.
The Royal School, Armagh team scored tries through the impressive Sam Montgomery, James Anderson and Lucas Armstrong. Josh Watterson added two conversions.
Banbridge Academy played Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 33-12.
Noah Myles and Ryan Matthews scored first half tries for the Banbridge Academy team with Andrew Jackson adding one conversion.
Fionn Carey, with two, Josh Sweeney, Ryan Connolly and Rhodri Phillips scored the Down High School tries with Rhodri adding to his growing reputation when he converted four of the tries.
Larne Grammar School played Limavady Grammar School in a game the Limavady Grammar School team won by 26-21.
Ethan Anderson, Charlie Wilson and Charlie Patterson scored the Larne Grammar School tries with Luke Farquhar adding all three conversions.
The Limavady Grammar School team scored four tries through Seth Guy, Joel Osbourne, Benjamin Howe and Scott Hawthorne. Benjamin Howe completed a fine personal performance with three successful conversions.
Methodist College, Belfast played Blackrock College, Dublin in a game the dominant Blackrock College team won by 39-3.
Early Methodist College pressure forced the Blackrock College team into conceding a penalty, which David Armstrong converted, to see his team into a 3-0 lead.
For long periods of time after this the Blackrock College team controlled both territory and possession.
They went on to score six tries with Mikey Yarr, son of former Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Ulster Schools’ player, Julian, Charlie Moloney, Greg Barron, Tommy Butler, Mark Walsh and Niall Smith all touching down. Oliver Coffey added one successful penalty goal as well as three successful conversions.
A Methodist College “Senior Select” team defeated Lurgan College by 35-26 at the end of a very entertaining game.
The Methodist College team scored five converted tries in the course of the game.
The Lurgan College team played a full part in this exciting game and scored four tries in the course of the game.
Harry McMeekin, Aaron Geddis, Peter Bird and Matthew Conn scored the tries with Peter adding two conversions and Matthew adding a third.
Portadown College played Foyle and Londonderry College and recorded a comfortable 24-0 win.
Scott Craig, Mike Flack, Tyler Jackson and Nathan Thornton scored the Portadown College tries with John Speers adding two conversions.
Wallace High School travelled to play St Mary’s College, Dublin in a game the St Mary’s team won by 41-24.
The St Mary’s College team scored seven tries with Fionn Devereux, Cillian Jacobs, Sam Ryan, David Leanne, Zack Hopkins, Luke McGill and Evan Moynihan all gracing the scoreboard. Cillian capped a fine personal performance with three successful conversions.
The Wallace High School tries were scored by the impressive Sam Warwick, with two, Ben Armstrong and William Sproule. Carlie Beattie added the extras to two of the tries.
The one remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy 1st Round game took place on Saturday 7th December when Grosvenor Grammar School lost by 60-24 against Belfast High School.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final and 3rdxv Plate 2nd Round draws took place on Monday 2nd January. The results of the draws are as follows: -
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final Draw
- Ballymena Academy 3rdxv v Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 3rdxv
- Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv v Campbell College, Belfast 3rdxv
- Ballyclare High School 3rdxv v Methodist College Belfast 3rdxv
- Campbell College, Belfast 4thxv v Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final games MUST be played on/before Saturday 28th January.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate–2nd Round Draw
- Dromore High School 3rdxv v Limavady Grammar School 3rdxv
- Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv v Royal School, Armagh 4thxv
- Down High School 3rdxv v Regent House 3rdxv
- Rainey Endowed School 3rdxv v Bye
- Wallace High School 3rdxv v Bye
- Belfast Royal Academy 3rdxv v Bye
- Royal School, Armagh 3rdxv v Bye
- Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv v Bye
These Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate 2nd Round games MUST be played on/before Saturday 14th January