There was one midweek fixture played on Tuesday 7th October when the Royal School Dungannon team hosted the touring Dilworth School from Auckland, New Zealand. Prior to the kick off the recently formed RS Dungannon Pipes and Drums ensemble led the players from both teams, along with the match officials, onto the WK Armstrong pitch. The Dilworth players then performed their version of the Haka which was well received by the large gathering of supporters who had come along, in glorious sunshine, to watch the game. The New Zealanders were on an end of season tour to various parts of the UK and this game was their final fixture, from which they emerged as10-53 winners.
The physically bigger New Zealand team set their stall out early in the game when their No 8, Shem Setu, raced in for a try with only minutes on the clock. David Alofi converted the try to give them a 0-7 lead. The RS Dungannon team displayed great character and determination throughout the game and got their first points of the game when captain John Buckley converted a penalty opportunity to reduce the arrears to 3-7. The Dilworth team then went on to control the game for long periods of time and took a 3-14 lead when Corey Betham touched down for a try which Alofi converted. An Alofi penalty was followed by a Matthew Peters try for a 3-22 advantage. This became 3-27 when replacement player, David Paea, touched down following a good interchange of passes involving both forwards and backs. Just before the break Setu scored his second of the game, which Alofi converted, to see his team into a 3-34 lead at the interval.
The RS Dungannon team started the second half displaying great determination with backrow players Josh Patton, Peter Doran and especially, Josh McKee, getting through a great deal of work. However, there was little they could do to prevent Sione Akokava running in for a try, which was converted by Alofi, to bring the score to 3-41. The hard working hosts then got some reward for their endeavours when the spurned a number of opportunities to kick penalty points. The impressive Josh McKee led the way with a number of pick and drive attacks before Thomas Dowling was awarded a well-deserved try. Buckley converted to reduce the deficit to 10-41. The Dilworth team sprang back into action once again but found the RS Dungannon scramble defence, at times, hard to break down. However, Selwyn Loamanu did find his way through to score an unconverted try and wth little time remaining, Norman Kupu scored an eighth Dilworth try, which David Alofi converted, to secure a 10-53 for the Dilworth School team.
Following the game, the real essence of schoolboy rugby was displayed when both teams joined together for a series of photographs and the Dilworth players and management poignantly reflected on their last match together as a team.
LARNE GS 27 FRIENDS’ SCHOOL 21
One further midweek game was played on Wednesday 8th October when Friends’ School, Lisburn travelled to play Larne Grammar School. Both teams endured dreadful overhead conditions in the course of the game with the Larne Grammar School team eventually emerging as 27-21 winners.
Friends' started the game slowly and conceded two tries within the first fifteen minutes with the dominant Larne pack causing the visitors all sorts of problems. Friends' bounced back quickly with a well worked try which was finished by Niall McCabe and converted by Ryan Hall. Missed tackles, due to difficult playing conditions, enabled Larne GS to score a further two tries in the first half to increase their lead to 24-7. However the half was not over as, with the final play, Curtis Dundas showed great strength and skill to go over the Larne line for a try, which Hall converted, to take the score at half time to 24-14 in favour of the Larne Grammar School.
The second half started off more positively for Friends' as they fronted up well in defence and held out a determined Larne pack. Through some good phases of play, Friends' managed to get the ball out wide with Hall finishing strongly in the corner. He then converted his own try from the touch line to reduce the arrears to 24-21.
A large amount of the half was spent in the middle of the park, with the two teams evenly matched, showing both strong attack and defence. After many phases of holding the Larne pack out, Friends' conceded a late penalty in front of the posts allowing Larne to get their first and only points of the half to take the score to 27-21. Friends' School tried to get back into the game but, with the clock against them, coupled with a strong Larne defence, they were unsuccessful. This ensured the Larne Grammar School team finished the game as 27-21 winners, despite the best intentions of Friends’ School players such as Hall, Dundas and captain, Thomas Boyde.
ANTRIM GS 20 DALRIADA SCHOOL 0
Antrim Grammar School had reason to celebrate when they defeated a Dalriada ‘Select’ XV by 20-0 in a recent game. The Antrim team scored four tries in the course of that game. Debutant, Louis Higgins scored the first try with JJ McKee running in for a fine solo try to touch down for the second try and give his team a 10-0 lead at the interval.
The second half saw the Antrim Grammar School team score two more tries with James Mawhinney taking advantage of good work from his team mates to score both. This was a well-deserved win for the young Antrim GS team with several of their players experiencing 1st XV rugby for the first time.
ANTRIM GS 5 CAMBRIDGE HOUSE 22
The Antrim Grammar School team went on to play Cambridge House on Saturday 11th October. The Antrim team started the game strongly but could not hold to an early lead and lost the game by 22-5. Antrim Grammar School opened their account when JJ McKee ran in for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. The Cambridge House team responded with an unconverted try from Aaron Henry to see the scoreline read 5-5 at the break.
The second half saw the Cambridge House team control the set piece plays which ensured they enjoyed a territorial advantage. Sam Nicholl displayed great awareness before rumbling over for an unconverted try to put his Cambridge House team into a 10-5 lead. This soon became 17-5 when Josh Henry cleverly off-loaded to Ben McIlroy and the full back touched down for a try. James Bovill was successful with his conversion kick. Close to the end of the game Cambridge House sealed their 22-5 win when Jack Livingstone scored an unconverted try in the corner.
RAINEY ENDOWED 28 LARNE GS 14
Rainey Endowed School produced a ‘Select’ XV to play Larne Grammar School in a game the Rainey team won by 28-14. The Rainey team had built up a 21-0 lead by half time with tries from Andrew Brown, Lorcan Quinn and Todd Smyth. Lorcan also converted all three tries.
The second half saw the Larne Grammar School team score two converted tries but the Rainey Endowed team had Andrew Conway to thank for their fourth try of the game. Lorcan Quinn converted the try to secure the 28-14 victory for the Rainey Endowed team.
WALLACE HS 65 BRA 0
Belfast Royal Academy has had a difficult start to the season and things did not get any easier when they hosted a very powerful Wallace High School team. The Wallace team won the game by 65-0, scoring eleven tries in the process. Star of the show was Ulster Schools’ full back, Philip Hylands, who scored four of the tries as well as adding two conversions. Not far behind came the Ulster Schools’ scrum half, Jonny Stewart, who touched down for two tries as well as being successful with three conversion kicks. Graham Malley, Connor Guiney, Ikenna Nzewi, Ben Finlay and Paddy Ferguson were the remaining Wallace High School try scorers.
METHODY 28 BALLYMENA ACADEMY 7
Methodist College hosted a Ballymena Academy that took an early 7-0 lead in the game with a try from Tom Alexander which was converted by Josh McIlroy. However, this lead appeared to be something of a false dawn as the Methody team went on to win the game by 28-7. Following the early setback, the Methody team responded positively and opened their account when Lewis Ioane took advantage of good work from Conor Kelly to run in for a try. Gareth Millar was successful with his conversion kick. Just before the end of the first half, Daniel Coulter took advantage of a very effective Methody maul to touch down for a try. Millar converted the try to see his team into 14-7 lead at the break.
The Ballymena Academy team launched a series of attacks throughout the second half but could find no way through a very effective Methody defence, in which Ali McIvor was outstanding. The Methody team worked out a couple of try scoring opportunities near the end of the game with Coulter scoring his second try of the game and Saul Herdman his first! Millar converted both tries to ensure the 28-7 victory for the Methodist College team.
BELFAST HS 3 BALLYCLARE HS 26
Belfast High School hosted Ballyclare High School in a game the Ballyclare High School team won 3-26. The Belfast High School team took a 3-0 lead when Joel McBride converted a penalty kick. This score might have doubled only for Joel to see a second well struck penalty kick rebound off the upright. There were no further scores in the first half.
The second half saw the Ballyclare High School team dominate proceedings with Matthew Darling intercepting a loose Belfast High School pass to run in from the half way line and touch down for an unconverted try which gave his team a 3-5 lead. Further pressure from the Ballyclare High School team presented Zac McMurran with a try scoring opportunity under the Belfast High School posts. Matthew McDowell converted the try to put the visitors into a 3-12 lead. Ballyclare HS winger, Paddy Mooney, then outwitted his opposite number to score a try which Matthew McDowell converted to put the Ballyclare team into a 3-19 lead. With the last play of the game Alistair Burke broke out of defence to run in for a fourth Ballyclare High School try. Matthew McDowell converted the try to ensure the 3-26 win for the Ballyclare High School team.
COLERAINE AI 7 RBAI 25
Coleraine Academical Institution hosted the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team in a game the Belfast team won by 7-25. The Belfast Inst team had opened up a 0-15 lead by the interval. Conor Field scored two tries with TJ Morris adding one conversion as well as a penalty kick.
The second half saw the Coleraine AI team dominate proceedings with their pack causing great concern for the Belfast Inst pack at set piece time. They got rewarded for their hard work when team captain, Peter Bonnar, was on the end of a driven maul to get the touch down. Callum Smith added the extras to reduce the arrears to 15-7. However, it was the Belfast Inst team that finished the stronger when Morris converted a penalty opportunity and Ben McGavock scored a try which Morris converted.
FOYLE COLLEGE 18 CARRICKFERGUS GS 12
Foyle College hosted Carrickfergus Grammar School in a game the Foyle team won by 18-12. Alex McDonnell put his Foyle College team into a 3-0 lead when he converted a penalty kick. The Carrickfergus Grammar School team responded positively when Jake Porter crashed through the Foyle defence to score a try. Jake added the conversion to give his team a 3-7 lead. McDonnell reduced the arrears to 7-6 when he was successful with his second penalty of the game. Foyle then scored a try through Philip Carroll, which was converted by McDonnell, to take a 13-7 lead by halftime.
Ryan Marshall gave the Foyle College team an 18-7 lead when he outpaced the Carrickfergus GS defence and ran in for an unconverted try. The Carrickfergus Grammar School team displayed great determination and good work from their pack allowed Adam Urquhart to make a break before off-loading to Reece Berry who finished with a fine try. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Carrickfergus team had reduced the deficit to 18-12. The Carrickfergus GS team went all out to win the game but good pressure from the Foyle defence forced them to cough up possession on numerous occasions.
LURGAN COLLEGE 14 BANBRIDGE ACADEMY 12
Lurgan College hosted a Banbridge Academy team that was delighted to win the game by 14-12. The Banbridge Academy team had built up a 14-0 lead by halftime with tries from Matthew Bell and their impressive scrum half, Jordan Mount. Outhalf, Ben Carson was successful with both conversions.
The second half saw the Lurgan College pack, with Harry Simpson and Nathan Moffett to the fore, win more set piece ball for their talented backline to use. Jonny Hunter made a telling break before finding Ryan Osborne who finished off with a fine try. The conversion kick was unsuccessful but the Lurgan College team had reduced the arrears to 14-5. Good defensive work from the Lurgan College team forced the Banbridge Academy team to turn over ball on a number of occasions. It was following one of these turnovers that Richie Hull was sent away to score a try in the corner for the Lurgan College team. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful and the Banbridge Academy team held out for their 14-10 victory.
DOWN HS 36 PORTADOWN COLLEGE 0
Down High School recorded an impressive 36-0 against a Portadown College team that was expecting to do better following the good form displayed in their previous game. The home team had opened up a 29-0 lead by the interval with tries from Johnny McCoubrey, Ross Carlisle, Aaron Chambers, Luke Dandford and Clayton Milligan. Ross Carlisle was successful with two conversions.
The second half proved to be a scrappy affair with the only score coming from Sandford who touched down having taken advantage of some slack Portadown College defence. Carlisle added the extras to give his team a comfortable 36-0 win.
CAMPBELL COLLEGE 20 REGENT HOUSE 5
Regent House made the Campbell College team work hard before the Campbell team emerged from the game as 20-5 winners. The first half proved to be evenly contested and the score was 0-0 at the break.
Injuries to three key players impacted on the Regent House team and they ran in twenty quick points in the third quarter of the game. The Regent House team did get some reward for all their efforts when Ryan McCarroll scored an unconverted try to leave the Campbell College team as 20-5 winners.
SULLIVAN UPPER 40 DALRIADA SCHOOL 17
Undefeated Sullivan Upper kept their record intact when they hosted Dalriada School. The Sullivan Upper team won the game by 40-17 against a team that made them work hard for the win. The game was played with both teams displaying a great deal of pace and intensity. The Ballymon