Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 4th March 2017
There were two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-finals, the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl final, the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup and Plate finals and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy final played during the week in the lead up to the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield semi-finals played on Saturday 4th March.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution continued their hunt for three Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup titles in a row with an emphatic 41-8 victory over Ballymena Academy at Kingspan Stadium on Monday afternoon. Ballymena Academy started the game in bright fashion and took the game to their Belfast opponents forcing them back inside their 22m area with some powerful drives. However, it was RBAI who opened the scoring on nine minutes when an Academy attack broke down and winger, Zak Davidson, picked up possession before sprinting in from sixty metres to touch down for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. Ballymena Academy responded brightly again forcing their way deep into opposition territory but the Belfast Inst defence held firm thwarting several drives for the line before eventually forcing Ballymena into touch. RBAI got their second try on twenty minutes after some good work brought them up to the Ballymena 22m area. The Ballymena defence temporarily stood up with some huge tackles but a well worked scrum move released the Belfast Inst winger, Niall Armstrong, who darted over for the first of his three tries. James Hume knocked over the conversion to make it 12-0. Shortly before the interval Ballymena scuppered a great scoring opportunity when a quick lineout opened up the Royal Belfast Academical Institution defence. With the defence scrambling the ball was spread from right to left but was knocked forward on the final pass with the try line beckoning.
Belfast Inst got off to a flying start in the second half with a try from their very first attack with Niall Armstrong squeezing over in the left corner for his second try of the game just ninety seconds after the restart. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Belfast Inst team now had a 17-0 lead. Then Ballymena’s endeavour was eventually rewarded on forty minutes when out-half Bruce Houston knocked over a penalty from 25 metres to reduce the arrears to 17-3. Four minutes later RBAI touched down again when flanker, David McCann, broke through before releasing No 8, Yasser Omar, to finish things off with an unconverted try to increase the lead to 22-3. Five minutes later captain, Michael Lowry, got in on the act with a superb individual effort. The out-half jinked his way past a couple of would-be defenders in midfield before running in from half-way. Full back, Joseph Finnegan, had now assumed place-kicking duties and he added the extras to make it 29-3. Ballymena Academy got their sole try on fifty two minutes when No 8, Azur Allison, broke in from the left following good initial breaks by Stewart Moore and Alexander Clarke to touch down for an unconverted try and reduce the Ballymena arears to 29-8. Niall Armstrong then completed his hat-trick on sixty one minutes when some excellent fast hands released the winger who had the easy task of dotting down under the posts. Joe Finnegan nudged the simplest of conversions to extend the lead to 36-8. While the result was beyond doubt the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team remained relentless in attack. With the last play of the game and following several phases of pressure space opened up for their impressive prop, Callum Reid, to bustle over from close range and touch down for an unconverted try to seal the 41-8 victory for the reigning champions.
Methodist College and Belfast Royal Academy met in the second Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup semi-final on Tuesday afternoon at the Kingspan Stadium, to see who will join RBAI in the St Patrick’s Day showdown. Three tries from Methody centre Paul Kerr helped his side secure a 37-21 victory over Belfast Royal Academy this afternoon, and book a place in the 2017 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Final versus RBAI on St Patrick’s Day. Methody got off to a dream start when centre, James McConnell, burst through before releasing to his midfield partner Paul Kerr who fended off the last defender to slide over inside the left corner flag after just three minutes. Belfast Royal Academy responded on eleven minutes through a penalty from captain, Conor McAuley, to reduce their arrears to 5-3. Four minutes later Paul Kerr got his, and his teams, second try of the game when he was on hand to finish off a break by full back, Connor Scollan. Paul added the conversion himself plus a penalty four minutes later to make it 15-3. Belfast Royal Academy began to enjoy several phases of possession inside the opposition 22m area and opted for quick taps on two occasions as they sought out their first try. On both occasions they were forced into touch. Shortly after this they forced the Methody defence into conceding another penalty and Conor McAuley knocked over the resulting goal kick to see the scoreboard reading 15-6 in favour of the Methody team. Two minutes later Methody celebrated another try as a well worked play off a 22m scrum released James McConnell to score under the posts. Paul Kerr added the elementary conversion to extend the lead to 22-6. On the half-hour mark Conor McAuley gratefully accepted another simple penalty as the Methody defence was penalised at the breakdown inside their own 22, having initially forced the turnover, leaving the score 22-9 at the interval.
Methody got the first try of the second half through Johnny Jordan following great work by No 8, Thomas Gallagher, who broke off the narrow side of a ruck before off-loading to the scrum-half. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful but the Methody team now had a 27-9 lead. BRA did touch down for their first try on forty nine minutes when several phases of heavy carries were eventually rewarded when lock Bradley Luney barged overfor an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to 27-14. On sixty two minutes Thomas Gallagher pounced to touch down for another Methody try when he made the most of a mix-up in the BRA defence as they tried to exit from a lineout ball close to their own try line. Paul Kerr completed his hat-trick on sixty eight minutes with a fantastic line through the middle before beating the defensive cover to touch down in the left corner. While the result was beyond doubt the BRA flanker, Matthew Dalton, capped off a fine individual performance with a consolation try as the clock edged towards seventy minutes. Conor McAuley added the conversion as the referee blew the full-time whistle confirming a 37-21 win for the Methodist College team.
The 2017 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Final between Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Methodist College, Belfast will take place on St Patrick’s Day, Friday 17th March, at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 3.00pm). Tickets are available to purchase online now at www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets
There were four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ finals played on Wednesday 1st March.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl final was played at Pirrie Park with Bangor Grammar School and Regent House School contesting the final. The Bangor Grammar School team won the game by 41-3.
After the game Neil Workman, a member of the Ulster Branch and a former Regent House 1stxv captain, congratulated both teams on reaching the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl final, thanked the players for all their hard work during the season and for their positive input to the game, thanked the coaches and the parents of the players for their all their hard work and support throughout the season, thanked the referee, Peter McClure, and his assistants for the manner in which they controlled the game, thanked Methodist College for the provision of excellent facilities and hosting the game and thanked the Danske Bank for their continued support of Ulster Schools’ Rugby. Neil then presented medals to all the players and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl to the victorious Bangor Grammar School team.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup final Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv defeated Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4thxv by 24-19 in a very closely contested game played at Campbell College.
After the game Gerry Drennan, a member of the Irish Rugby Football Union, congratulated both teams on reaching the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup final, thanked the players for all their hard work during the season and for their positive input to the game, thanked the coaches and the parents of the players for their all their hard work and support throughout the season, thanked the referee, Glenda Mellon and her assistants for the manner in which they controlled the game, thanked Campbell College for the provision of excellent facilities and hosting the game and thanked the Danske Bank for their continued support of Ulster Schools’ Rugby. Neil then presented medals to all the players and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup to the victorious Methodist College team.
In the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate Campbell College 3rdxv defeated Ballymena Academy 3rdxv by 14-10 in another very closely contested game played on an excellent pitch at the Belfast Royal Academy grounds at Roughfort. A large crowd of over four hundred supporters had gathered to watch the game and the crowd added considerably to the atmosphere surrounding the game with their singing and good natured banter.
After the game Mr Stephen Black, Principal of Ballymena Academy and a member of the Ulster Branch, congratulated both teams on reaching the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate final, thanked the players for all their hard work during the season and for their positive input to the game, thanked the coaches and the parents of the players for their all their hard work and support throughout the season, thanked the referee for the manner in which he controlled the game, thanked Belfast Royal Academy, and their head groundsman, Anton, for the provision of excellent facilities and hosting the game and thanked the Danske Bank for their continued support of Ulster Schools’ Rugby. Such was the jovial atmosphere at the presentation ceremony Mr Black might have needed a megaphone before he presented the medals to all the players and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl to the victorious Campbell College team.
In the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Ballyclare Secondary School defeated Grosvenor Grammar School by 14-12 in a game played under floodlights at Ballymena Rugby Club. This game attracted a large crowd of interested spectators who added considerably to the positive experience which was enjoyed by all the players involved in this final.
After the game Ian McIlrath, Junior Vice-President of the Irish Rugby Football Union, congratulated both teams on reaching the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy final, thanked the players for all their hard work during the season and for their positive input to the exciting game, thanked the coaches and the parents of the players for their all their hard work and support throughout the season, thanked the referee, Norman Gamble, and his assistants, for the manner in which they controlled the game, thanked Ballymena Rugby Club for the provision of excellent facilities and hosting the game and thanked the Danske Bank for their continued support of Ulster Schools’ Rugby. Ian then presented medals to all the players and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy to the victorious Ballyclare Secondary School team.
There were two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield semi-final games scheduled to have been played on Saturday 4th March.
The Omagh Academy team was scheduled to host Down High School but the inclement weather conditions rendered the rugby pitches at Campsie unplayable. The game should now be re- scheduled for Wednesday 8th March
Ballyclare High School hosted Grosvenor Grammar School in a Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield semi-final game the Ballyclare High School team won by 24-7. Aaron Playfair, James Nelson, Owen Clarke and Aaron Coleman each scored a try for the Ballyclare High School team with Adam Clarke adding two conversions.
Ben Davies scored a try for the Grosvenor Grammar School team which was converted by Daniel Martin.
The Balyclare High School team now await the outcome of the Omagh Academy v Down High School re-scheduled game to establish who they will play in the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Subsidiary Shield. That final is scheduled to be played at the Queen’s University Arena on Monday 13th February.
