To follow INTOUCH RUGBY on Facebook CLICK HERE to Follow InTouch Schools & Clubs Rugby in Ulster & Lifestyle Specials page on Facebook CLICK HERE for TWITTER CLICK HERE
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 15th December 2018
On Monday 10th December Omagh Academy played their previously postponed Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup match against St Columba’s College, Stranorlar at Strabane Academy. The Omagh Academy team won the game by 36-15 and will now play away to Enniskillen Royal Grammar School in the next round.
Both teams would like to thank Mr David Hampton, Principal of Strabane Academy, and his staff for the use of facilities and hosting the game.
Later that evening the Grosvenor Grammar School 1stxv team played a floodlit game against the Instonian’s RFC U18 team. The Grosvenor Grammar School 1stxv won their game by 17-12. Mark McCance, Jordan Brown and James McMaster scored the tries for the Grosvenor GS team with Daniel Armstrong adding one conversion.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution had a close, but morale boosting, 6-3 victory against the St Michael’s College team from Dublin. Robin McIlveen was successful with two penalty kicks for the Belfast Inst team.
On Wednesday 12th December Campbell College, Belfast defeated Bangor Grammar School by 31-0 in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup.
In the one remaining Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup 1st Round game Methodist College, Belfast 4thxv defeated Down High School 3rdxv by 40-6.
On Thursday 13th December Friends’ School, Lisburn played Bangor Academy in the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield. The Friends’ School team recorded a 54-0 victory.
On Saturday 15th December the two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 1 games were played.
Antrim Grammar School hosted Carrickfergus Grammar School in an exciting game played in dreadful conditions which the Carrickfergus Grammar school team won by 24-10. The Antrim Grammar School team started the game in a very positive manner and had built up an early 10-0 lead after only a few minutes play. Ross Mackay broke away from his own 22m area and left a trail of despairing defenders in his wake before touching down for a try. Callum Hull added the extras to give the Antrim Grammar School team a 7-0 lead. This became 10-0 when Callum converted a penalty opportunity. The Carrickfergus Grammar School team gradually worked their way back into the game following the early setbacks. Their pack started to gain ascendancy and Josh Ervine crashed over the Antrim Grammar School line to score an unconverted try and reduce the deficit to 10-5.
Early in the second half Liam Kaprigiannis-Green touched down for a try, which Daniel Curley converted, to give the Carrickfergus GS team a 12-10 lead. Daniel Curley made good use of the wind advantage and his game management skills shone through. A period of concerted Carrickfergus Grammar School pressure forced the Antrim Grammar School team into conceding possession in their 22m area. Ellis Bradley took full advantage of this and ran in for a try, one again converted by Daniel Curley, to extend the Carrickfergus Grammar School lead to 19-10. With the prevailing conditions worsening Josh Ervine secured possession before touching down for an unconverted try which ensured the Carrickfergus Grammar School team recorded a 24-10 win at the no-side whistle.
Despite the difficult weather conditions both teams really stepped up to the mark in terms of their standard of play. Callum Hull, Callum McComb, Ethan McGarry, Jack Craig, Stewart Smyth and Adam Carville all impressed for the Antrim Grammar School team.
Daniel Curley, Jack Dick, Ellis Bradley, Adam Anthony, Josh Ervine and Liam Kiprigiannis-Green were the leading lights in terms of performance in a very committed Carrickfergus Grammar School team.
That doyen of the Ulster Society of Rugby Football Referees, Mark Orr, was refereeing in his 31st consecutive Ulster Schools’ Cup campaign when he officiated at the Strabane Academy v Wellington College, Belfast game. Despite being played in dreadful conditions the players on both teams put in splendidly combative cup performances before the Strabane Academy team emerged as 21-17 winners. The Strabane Academy team had built up a 21-10 lead by the interval and had to put in a big defensive performance in the second half when they had to thwart wave after wave of Wellington College attacks.
The Strabane Academy points came through tries in the first half from Reuben Orr, who took full advantage of great work from his pack after a lineout, Nicky Sayers, who touched down following Finn Hampton charging down a Wellington College clearance kick and Gavin Doherty, who ran straight and hard at the Wellington College defence. Harry McCrossan was successful with all three conversion kicks. The Wellington College, Belfast points, in the first half of the game, came through unconverted tries from Chris Campbell and Marcus Smyth.
The second half saw the Wellington College team dominate the game in terms of possession and territory. However, the Strabane Academy defence restricted the Wellington College team to just one more try. No 8, Adam Savage, picked the ball from the base of a scrum and powered over from 15 metres out. Marcus Smyth added the conversion to see the scoreboard reading Strabane Academy 21 Wellington College, Belfast 17 at the end of the game.
Despite the horrendous weather conditions cancelling quite a number of 1stxv friendly, as well as some Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Round 2 games, a few 1stxv friendly games were played on Saturday 15th December.
Ballymena Academy hosted Dalriada School in a game the Ballymena Academy team won by 5-0. The Ballymena Academy points came from an unconverted try by Adam Lamont who touched down, following a flowing attack, just before half time.
Bangor Grammar School got back to winning ways with a 33-0 win against Dromore High School. The game was abandoned after fifty minutes but the Bangor team had scored five tries by that stage. Ben McCrossan and Gareth Wells each touched down twice with Colin Lusty scoring the fifth. Rhys Larmour was successful with four of his conversion kicks.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School hosted their near neighbours from Omagh Academy in a game the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team won by 15-0. The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School points came through unconverted tries from David Stinson, Alex Parke and Ryan Phair.
Wallace High School and Royal Belfast Academical Institution played out a 6-6 draw at the Magheralave Road venue. Nathan Doak was successful with two penalty kicks for the Wallace High School team while Robin McIlveen was successful with two penalty kicks for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team.
In the 2nd Round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Craigavon Senior High School defeated Larne Grammar school by 12-10 and Enniskillen Royal Grammar School lost by 28-0 at home against Dalriada School.
