Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 13th January 2024.
The Sullivan Upper School 1stxv recently played Wesley College, Dublin in a close encounter the Wesley College team won by 28-26.
The Sullivan Upper School points came through tries from Jacob McKeown, Max Readman, Harry McKeown and a team try involving an exchange of plays, involving both forwards and backs, which was finished off by Cameron Irwin. Harry McKeown was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
For the Wesley College team, Charlie Hempenstall put on a “Man of the Match” performance with a brace of tries and four successful conversions. Jack Freyne and David Gilmore scored the other two Wesley College tries.
On Wednesday 10th January, the two outstanding games in the 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup and the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy took place.
In the previously postponed 3rd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup, Rainey Endowed School 2ndxv hosted Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv in a game the Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv won by 26-17.
Methodist College, Belfast 2ndxv will now play at home to Enniskillen Royal Grammar School 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup on/before Saturday 20th January.
Rainey Endowed School 2ndxv will now play Royal School, Armagh 2ndxv at home in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate on/before Saturday 20th January.
In the previously postponed 1st Round Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy game, Belfast High School played Antrim Grammar School in a game the Belfast High School 2ndxv won by 34-22.
This means that Belfast High School 2ndxv will now play at home against Foyle and Londonderry College 2ndxv in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Trophy on/before Saturday 20th January.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate, Down High School 3rdxv played Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv in a game the Methodist College, Belfast team won by 17-5.
This game was played at Ballymacarn Park and both teams, their coaches and travelling spectators, would like to thank Ballynahinch RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
In a friendly game, Wellington College, Belfast 1stxv played a Royal Belfast Academical Institution “Select” xv with the Belfast Inst team winning the game by 30-14.
Ethan White and Max Downing each scored a try for the Wellington College, Belfast team with Finn Ritchie adding the extras to both tries. The Wellington College players displayed great commitment and determination throughout the game. None more so that their captain, John Valeixo, who led by example and was well supported by players such as Leon Sadria.
On the same afternoon the Omagh Academy team was to have played Strabane Academy in their previously postponed 1stxv friendly game at the Campsie Playing Fields. However, a severe covering of frost on the Campsie Pitches ensured the game had to be cancelled.
On Friday 12th January Ballymena Academy hosted Sullivan Upper School at Eaton Park, home of Ballymena RFC, for a 1stxv friendly game. The game was played in front of a good crowd of enthusiastic supporters which included a number of interested Belfast Royal Academy staff members.
The Ballymena Academy squad had come to the end of a four-week break and recorded an impressive 38-7 victory by the no-side whistle.
Daniel Vercoe Rodgers, Charlie Hargy, Henry Lamont, Ben Millar, with two, and Callum Mustoe scored the Ballymena Academy tries. Robbie Coleman was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
Sullivan Upper School contributed a lot to the game with players such as Will Sheridan Josh Davidson, Harry McKeown and Cameron Irwin impressing with their performances.
Josh Davidson ran in for a consolation Sullivan Upper School try which was converted by Harry McKeown.
Both teams, their coaches and travelling spectators, would like to thank Ballymena RFC RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
Another 1stxv game took place on Friday 12th January when Wallace High School travelled to the Belfield Bowl, home of University College, Dublin RFC, where they played Cistercian College, Roscrea in their annual fixture.
This was an extremely closely contested game which the Cistercian College, Roscrea team might have won only to see a last kick of the game conversion attempt rebound off the upright to leave the Wallace High School team as 32-31 victors.
The Wallace High School team scored four tries through Carter Thompson, Michael McCavery, Matthew Dickson and Jon Rodgers. Lewis Stevenson added three successful conversions as well as two successful penalty kicks.
The Cistercian College, Roscrea team had a “Man of the Match” performance from Jack Deegan, who ran in for three tries, all of which he converted. Billy Hayes and Sean Killeen each touched down for an unconverted try.
Both teams, their coaches and travelling spectators, would like to thank University College, Dublin RFC for the provision of facilities and hosting the game.
On Saturday 13th January the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl Preliminary Round game, featuring Limavady Grammar School and Lurgan College, took place.
The Limavady Grammar School team recorded a 40-0 victory and will now entertain Omagh Academy in the 1/4 Final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Bowl competition on/before Saturday 27th January.
Odhran Clenaghan, Cooper McCausland, with two, James Laird, Jack Butcher, with two, and James Rhodes were the Limavady Grammar School try scorers. James Laird added the remaining points with one successful conversion as well as one successful penalty kick.
Despite losing the game players such as Ben Maxwell, Daniel Wilson, Pedro Melo and Adam Ewart displayed great skills and determination in their approach to the game for the Lurgan College team.,
On the same morning, one of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1/4 Final games took place when Ballymena Academy 3rdxv hosted Wallace High School 3rdxv in a game which, most unusually, finished as a 0-0 draw.
In the 1st Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Plate, the Methodist College, Belfast 5thxv was to have played the Royal School, Armagh 4thxv and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 5thxv team was to have played the Regent House School 3rdxv team. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, these games did not take place and have had to be rescheduled.
Quite a few Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 1stxv friendly fixtures took place on Saturday 13th January.
Antrim Grammar School hosted a round-robin blitz tournament with Ballyclare High School and Enniskillen Royal Grammar School. This gave all three teams the opportunity to use extended squads of players with each player getting at least one start.
The Antrim Grammar School team had good performances from players such as Jake Quigley, Eoin Byrne, Bailey Coates, Boris Lestianskey and Jack McNeilly.
Ballyclare High School had players such as Harry Thompson, Joel Logan, Josh McColgan, Isaac Shiels and Jacob Scarlett who impressed with their performances.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team had good performances from players such as Cameron Smith, Jake Irwin, Jamie Morrow, James Trotter, Ben Shaw, Morgan Graham and Clarke Balfour.
Banbridge Academy hosted Royal School, Dungannon and won the closely contested encounter by 12-7.
Despite being 7-0 behind at the interval, the Banbridge Academy team scored two second half tries through the impressive Conor Magee, one of which was converted by Andrew Jackson.
Ben Hazlett impressed for the Royal School, Dungannon team throughout the game and capped a fine personal performance with a try. James Gibson added the conversion to the try.
Belfast High School hosted Down High School in a game the Down High School team won by 48-7.
The Belfast High School points came through a Joey Ashby try which was converted by Archie Cruickshank.
Down High School scored eight tries through “Man of the Match, Ryan Connolly, who ran in for a hattrick, Jonny Russell, who scored a brace, and Scott Mitchel, Eoin McMullan and Bailey Parker who each scored one try. Josh McCaughey added three successful conversions with Conor Powderly adding a fourth successful conversion.
Carrickfergus Grammar School played a Campbell College, Belfast “Select” xv in a game the Campbell College, “Select” team won by 39-5.
Ellis Branagh scored the unconverted Carrickfergus Grammar School try with Aaron McReynolds, Alex Pherson, Cameron Brown, Logan McLaughlin and Harry Kennedy all impressing with their performances for the Carrickfergus Grammar School team.
The Campbell College, Belfast “Select” xv points came three tries from Leo Graham, two tries each from Ollie Armstrong and Matthew Thompson and two successful conversions from Matthew Thompson.
At the same time Campbell College, Belfast 2ndxv played the Bangor RFC U18 team in a game the Campbell College team won by 31-10.
Dromore High School entertained Royal School, Armagh at the Barban Hill venue and won the game by 26-19.
The Dromore High School team scored four tries through Harry Cromie, Josh Brown, Matthew Heasley and Eren Strydom. Daniel Ennis-McMannus was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
The Royal School, Armagh team scored three tries through Kai Sterritt, Archie Johnston and Will Boyd with Josh Lowey adding two successful conversion kicks.
Foyle and Londonderry College played Coleraine Grammar School and the Coleraine Grammar School team emerged as 42-32 winners following a twelve try thriller.
The Foyle College try scorers were James Kelly, with two, Adam Woods, Oliver Allen, Robbie Patterson and Markus Smith. Darwyn Nutt was successful with one conversion kick.
The Coleraine Grammar School points came through two tries from Jordan McAuley and one try apiece from Clarke Logan, Joel Madden, Archie McClenaghan and Myles Jordan. Jordan McAuley had a fine morning off the tee with six successful conversion kicks.
Friends’ School, Lisburn played Dalriada School and had to produce a watertight defensive display in the first half, before going on to win the game by 28-0.
Following a scoreless first half, the Friends’ School, Lisburn team ran in four tries in the second half when Paddy Donaghey and Joel Barron each touched down for a brace of tries. Harry Moore added the extras to all four tries thus securing the 28-0 win for the Friends’ School, Lisburn team.
Grosvenor Grammar School played Cambridge House Grammar School in a game the Cambridge House Grammar School team won by 42-0.
Justin Mark, with two, Josh Dobbin, with two, Alex Murphy and Paddy Roberts, with one try each, were the Cambridge House Grammar School team try scorers. Paddy Roberts rounded off a fine personal display with six successful conversion kicks.
Methodist College, Belfast travelled to Dublin once again. This week the opposition was from Christian Brother’s College, Monkstown.
The Methodist College, Belfast team was leading by 20-17 going into the final minute of the game when, a counter attack from the home team finished with a try in the corner, which was converted, to see the final result read Christian Brother’s College, Monkstown 24 Methodist College, Belfast 20.
Eoghan O’Hanlon, the CBC Monkstown captain, scored their opening try with Ben Sharpe, Chris O’Toole and “Hero of the Day”, replacement winger, Charlie O’Connor, touching down for the other three CBC Monkstown tries. Eoghan O’ Hanlon was successful with two conversions, including the last kick of the game conversion from the touchline.
The Methodist College, Belfast team scored their points through tries from Lewis Doherty, Scott Harrower, and Oliver Gartley. Jack Tindal added one successful conversion as well as one penalty kick.
Omagh Academy entertained a Belfast Royal Academy “Select” xv in a high scoring game the Omagh Academy team won by 48-26.
Callum Doherty, with two, Andrew King, Harry McIlwaine, with two, Jamie Mitchell, with two and Matthew Moore scored the Omagh Academy tries. Samuel Busby added the extras to four of the tries.
The Belfast Royal Academy “Select” xv scored four tries through Jayden Irwin, who ran in for a brace, Zac Archer and Jack Bacon. Jake Carpenter was successful with three of his conversion kicks.
Portadown College played Regent House School in a game the Regent House School team won by 43-0.
Nathan Bell, with two, Jack Sharpe, Tom Bell, Isaac Lowe, Ethan Spratt and Evan McGonigle scored the Regent House School tries. Evan McGonigle completed a fine morning’s work when he added the extras to four of the Regent House School tries.
Rainey Endowed School continued their recent run of good form when they played Larne Grammar School in a controlled training session game which ended with the Rainey Endowed School team running in six tries.
Luke Caskey, Steffan Lloyd Evans, Charlie McConville, Peter Craig, Rossa Bell and Matthew Chambers each scored one try for the Rainey Endowed School team.
