There was one midweek friendly game, as well as two Danske Bank 2nd xv Cup games, played in the lead up to a full list of fixtures on Saturday 13th December.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup competition, Larne Grammar School entertained Regent House in very cold conditions on Wednesday 10th. In an extraordinary game, the Regent team emerged as 34-26 winners. Meanwhile, the Friends’ School 2ndxv, despite playing with great determination against the Methodist College 2ndxv, lost their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup game by 41-5.
Wallace High School hosted Sullivan Upper in a midweek friendly which the Wallace High School team won by 3-0. Despite the icy conditions, both teams made every effort to play the game in a constructive manner. The Sullivan Upper team was missing a number of key regulars, including Chris Jordan and Jonny Betts. They had a fair share of possession and territory in the first half but could find no way through a resolute Wallace High School defence. There was no score at the break.
The second half was closely contested but it was the Wallace team that controlled the possession. This time, the Sullivan team had to display good organisational skills in defence and, through the hard work of players such as Fergus Jemphrey, Max Clarke and Calum Jeffrey, they did so. All that separated the teams at the end of the game was a successful penalty kick from the Wallace High School outhalf, Ryan Wilson. This ensured it was the Wallace High School team that secured a hard earned 3-0 win at the end of the game.
Both teams are to be congratulated for putting on most competitive displays in the course of the game. Both teams wish to thank the referee, Mark Orr, for the way in which he controlled the game which was played in very difficult weather conditions.
A large number of school friendly fixtures, scheduled for Saturday 13th December, were not played due to the inclement weather conditions. However, some games did go ahead.
Campbell College hosted Ballymena Academy in a game originally scheduled to take place in Ballymena. The Ballymena team had built up a 17-14 lead, at the end of a closely contested first half, before going on to win the game by 22-14. Andrew Magrath had given his Ballymena team a 3-0 lead, with a well struck penalty, early in the game. The Campbell College team responded with an excellent try from Jack Howard who broke through the Ballymena defence by running great line. Cameron Stewart added the conversion to give the Campbell College team a 7-3 lead. Andrew Small, the Ballymena Academy right winger, then got in on the try scoring act when he finished off good work from Andrew Magrath and Josh McIlroy to run in for a touchdown. Andrew Magrath was successful with his conversion kick to put his team into a 10-7 lead. This became 17-7 when Andrew Magrath scored a super try which he converted. Campbell College responded with a try from their hard working 2nd Row, Adam Walmsley. Cameron Stewart added the conversion to reduce the arrears to 17-14 at the interval.
The second half saw both teams keen to move the ball around at every opportunity but both defences were on top for large periods of time. The only score of the second period of play came when Azur Allison scored an unconverted try for the Ballymena Academy team to secure their 22-14 victory.
Royal School, Armagh and Grosvenor Grammar School played out a game the RS Armagh team won by 24-17. The Grosvenor team took a 7-0 lead when Taylor Pollock ran in for try which was converted by Mark Johnston. Mark added a penalty a short time later to increase the Grosvenor Grammar School lead to 10-0. The RS Armagh team replied with three tries, one of which was converted, to take a 17-10 lead into the break.
The RS Armagh started the second half strongly and scored another converted try to increase their lead to 24-10. The Grosvenor GS team rallied and Ethan Kee took advantage of great work from “Man of the Match” Taylor Pollock, to score a try under the posts. Mark Johnston added the conversion to reduce the deficit to 24-17. There were no further scores which ensured the Royal School, Armagh victory by 24-17.
Foyle and Londonderry College travelled with an extended squad to play Belfast Metropolitan College in a game the Foyle team won by 33-18. The Belfast Met team took an early 3-0 lead with a penalty. Foyle replied with an unconverted try from Robbie House to take a 5-3 lead. Belfast Met then scored an unconverted try to take an 8-5 lead. Thomas Cole scored a try for the Foyle College team, which Alex McDonnell converted, to see the visitors into a 12-8 lead at halftime.
This was extended to 19-8 at the start of the second half when Matthew Orr touched down for the Foyle College team. Alex McDonnell was successful with the conversion. Belfast Met reduced the deficit to 19-11, with a penalty, before the Foyle lead was extended to 26-11 when Robbie House scored his second try of the game. Alex Mc Donnell was successful, once again, with the conversion. The Belfast Met team then scored a converted try to take the score to 26-18 in favour of the Foyle College team. The final outcome of the game was sealed when Matthew Orr scored his second try of the game, which Alex McDonnell converted, to see the Foyle and Londonderry College team emerge as 33-18 winners.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution hosted St Michael’s College from Dublin in a very close encounter at Osborne Park which the St Michael’s team won by 19-16. The Belfast Inst team started the game perfectly when James Hume scored a try in the third minute. TJ Morris added the conversion to put the Belfast Inst team into a 7-0 lead. TJ increased the lead to 10-0 when he converted a penalty kick a few minutes later. Two more TJ Morris penalties and the Belfast Inst team now had a 16-0 lead. However, the St Michael’s team then scored two converted tries in the latter stages of the first half to leave the Belfast Inst team with a 16-14 lead at the break.
The second half saw the Belfast Inst team create a lot of opportunities but they were unable to finish any of them off. Five minutes from the end of the game the St Michael’s capt, and No 8, scored an unconverted try to secure their 19-16 victory against a very gallant Royal Belfast Academical Insitution team.
Larne Grammar School defeated Cambridge House by 18-0 but, unfortunately, no report was received about this game.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup, Methodist College defeated Ballyclare High School by 8-6.
The Coleraine Academical Institution 3rd xv started their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup campaign on Saturday with a decisive win 24-3 over Dalriada. The match kicked off in cold conditions but it was obvious from the first crunching tackles that both sides had no intention of letting the cold conditions spoil the game. In the first half, the Coleraine AI team had an obvious game plan which was forward dominated. The lineout was proving a valuable source of possession and it was a lineout, inside the opposition 22 metre area, which led to the first try. The lineout was caught by Jake King and the pack started to drive at the line. The maul finally collapsed but pod after pod continued to attack and it was Niall Carey-Brownlow who managed to force the ball over the line from close range. The conversion was missed but the Coleraine AI team had a 5-0 lead. Dalriada fought back and came very close to scoring a try on a number of occasions. The home side defended ferociously and eventually were drawn into giving away a penalty in front of the posts. This was slotted over to make the score 5-3. The two teams were evenly matched at this point and, despite powerful running from Joel Heggarty and Harry Murdie, the Coleraine AI team couldn’t get across the try line. They made too many handling errors at this stage to extend their lead but their defence stayed strong.
The home side started the second half well with another rolling maul ending with an unconverted try for Andrew McKee to put his team into a 10-0 lead. Coleraine AI continued to take the ball to Dalriada and their backs started to get more possession. Paddy Chambers linked well with Callum Faith-Crothers who made a good break before off-loading to Jamie Taggart who showed speed and strength to score a great try. The conversion was slotted over to give the home team a little bit of breathing space on the score board with a 17-0 lead. James Campbell, Nile McWilliam and Sam Abernethy continued to show great determination at the breakdown delivering quality ball to Campbell Rodgers at scrum half. The Ballymoney side’s outhalf tried to kick his team out of trouble but Glen Scroggie and Isaac Pollock returned his kicks with a vengeance. Adam Sherrard, who had a great game at full back, found himself in a little space. He managed to out-pace the opposition defence to score Coleraine’s fourth try of the match. Campbell Rodgers slotted over the conversion to make the score 24-3 which was how the game finished.
