This season's opening Danske Bank Schools Cup fixtures is where Schools PRO Barney McGonigle begins his latest round-up. Last week saw matches in both the Danske Bank Under 16 Cup and Danske Bank Schools Cup.
The first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ competitions got underway on Wednesday 23rd September when two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup Group A group stage games and two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup Group B group stage games took place.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup Group A games, Omagh Academy played Ballymena Academy and Wallace High School played Methodist College, Belfast.
Omagh Academy defeated Ballymena Academy by 19-14 while the Methodist College, Belfast team won their game v Wallace High School by 26-5.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Cup Group B games, Royal School, Armagh played Campbell College, Belfast and Sullivan Upper School played Coleraine Grammar School.
Campbell College, Belfast defeated Royal School, Armagh by 45-5 with Sullivan Upper School winning their game by against Coleraine Grammar School by 54-26.
On the same afternoon, the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Shield, two Group Stage games took place.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Shield Group A game, Regent House School hosted Ballyclare High School in a game the Ballyclare High School team came away with a five-point bonus point victory.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U16 Shield Group B, Belfast Royal Academy played Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and won the game by 26-12
On Saturday 26th September, the first of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup games took place when Grosvenor Grammar School played Lurgan College in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ qualifier game.
The Grosvenor Grammar school team won this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup qualifier game by 14-0.
Zane Greenlees and Zayn Ahmed scored the Grosvenor Grammar School tries to which James Campbell added two successful conversion kicks.
This Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup game was refereed by Mark Orr, that doyen of USRFR referees, who is now in his 43rd season of refereeing Ulster Schools’ Cup matches
Meanwhile, at the Magheralave Road venue, Friends’ School, Lisburn hosted Dromore High School in a 1stxv friendly game the Friends’ School, Lisburn team won by 19-0.
The Friends’ School, Lisburn points came through tries from Marc Conn, Joel Irwin and Harry Brady.
John Hall was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
On Friday 25th September, Upritchard Park, the home of Bangor Rugby and Cricket Club, Bangor Grammar School entertained Sullivan Upper School in a well-attended floodlit game.
The Sullivan Upper School team won the game by 40-0 with players such as Benjamin French, Henry Calvert, Patrick McClelland, Scott Henderson, Lucas McKeown, Ronan Naysmith and Ross Alderdice all contributing to the Sullivan Upper School score.
Both teams, their coaches and supporters, would like to thank Bangor Rugby and Cricket Club for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
On the same afternoon, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School played Ballymena Academy at Mullaghmeen, home of Enniskillen RFC, in a game the Ballymena Academy team won by 47-7.
Harry Breen scored the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School try to which he added the extras.
The Ballymena Academy team, captained by the impressive Jamie Gregg, had players such as Daniel McKeown, Leo Smith, Jeremiah Gallagher, Lewis Greer, Charlie Stewart, Reuben Skelly and Daniel Mullan to thank for putting points on the scoreboard.
Both teams, their coaches and supporters, would like to thank Enniskillen RFC for the use of facilities and hosting the game.
On the same morning quite a number of 1stxv friendly games took place.
Ballyclare High School played Larne Grammar School and recorded a 60-21 victory.
Austin Adair, Zach Thompson, Adam Johnston, William Shiels, Josh Nesbitt, Jack Morrow, with two, Daniel Montgomery, with two and Ollie Falls were the Ballyclare High School try scorers.
Jack Smyth was successful with five of his conversion kicks.
The Larne Grammar School team scored three tries through Rory Meldrum, the impressive Ben Ledlie and Jamie Jones.
Matthew Crawford added one successful conversion kick with Zak Duncan adding two.
Banbridge Academy hosted Omagh Academy in a game the Banbridge Academy team won by 28-17.
On the back of a great performance from James Kerr, the Banbridge Academy team scored four tries through Seth Martin, Sam Leslie, Daniel Byrne and Conor Comiskey.
Daniel capped a fine personal performance with four successful conversion kicks.
The Omagh Academy team scored three tries through Adam Keys, Ashton Hassard and Ryan Elliott.
Sami Braden added the extras to one of the Omagh Academy tries.
Coleraine Grammar School played Regent House School and won the game by 43-5.
Sedhlim Penfold, with two, Joe Coates, Luke McMillen, Austin Henry and George McLean scored the Coleraine Grammar School tries to which Reuben Nicholl added one successful penalty goal as well as five successful penalty kicks.
Jack Heron ran in for an unconverted try for the Regent House School team.
Dalriada School played Cambridge House Grammar School in a closely contested game the Cambridge House Grammar School team won by 19-14.
The Dalriada School points came through the outstanding Chris Finney who ran in for two tries both of which he converted.
The Cambridge House Grammar School team scored three tries with Ronan Carr touching down for two alongside a third from Thomas Calwell.
James Johnston was successful with two of his conversion kicks.
Down High School entertained Royal School, Armagh in a game the Royal School, Armagh team won by 49-19.
The Down High School team scored three tries through Matthew Horner, with two and Graham Moore.
Logan Carr and Barry Cooke each kicked one successful conversion.
The Royal School, Armagh team ran in seven tries with James Hamilton scoring four and Ayrton Pienaar James Flanagan and Joel Clarke scoring one try apiece.
Joel Clarke had an excellent game “off the tee” with all seven successful conversion kicks.
Methodist College, Belfast hosted Blackrock College, Dublin in a game the Blackrock College, Dublin team won by 26-10.
Paul Stevenson touched down for a Methodist College, Belfast try with Brody McGowan Gould adding one successful conversion as well as a penalty goal.
The Blackrock College, Dublin team scored four tries through Juliane Browne, Eoghan Rowlands, Felix Burke and Peter Le Roux.
Harry Clancy added one successful conversion kick with Felix Burke adding two.
Portadown College played Belfast High School and won the game by 52-14.
Ben McBurney, Daniel Rankin, Isaac Bell, Andrew Galloway, Harvey Creaney, with two, Harry Ritchie and Caleb Ruddell were the try scorers for the Portadown College team.
Charlie Rodgers was successful with six of his conversion kicks.
The Belfast High School team ran in for two unconverted tries from Hubert Jaszczak and Will McIlveen.
Rainey Endowed School played Foyle College and continued their recent run of good form with a 40-24 victory.
Adrian Martin scored two Rainey Endowed School tries with James Bell, Rafe Hastings, Senan McNulty and Alfie Paul each scoring one try.
Adrian was successful with five of his conversion kicks.
The Foyle College team added a lot of the game and scored four tries in the process.
Cian O’Leary, Thomas O’Neill, George Rough and Luke Wilson scored the tries with Ethan Gallick adding the extras to two of the Foyle College tries.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution played Terenure College, Dublin in a game the Terenure College, Dublin team won by 24-14.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution points came through tries from Benjamin McCarten and Eliot Magowan with Jonny Kennedy adding two successful conversion kicks.
Rowan Balamash, Harry Nolan, Rory Curry and Sean Ringwood scored the Terenure College, Dublin tries to which Jamie Sharpe added two successful conversion kicks.
Wallace High School played Campbell College, Belfast in a game the Campbell College, Belfast team won by 45-0.
The Campbell College, Belfast team scored seven tries through Zach Thompson, Harry Wells, with two, Sam Bowen, Theo Scott, Dylan Armstrong and Tom Osborne.
Jack Best was successful with five of his conversion kicks.