The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield Final took place at Ravenhill on Monday 11th March when Wallace High School and Campbell College played out an enthralling game in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd. The Campbell College team emerged as deserved 17-0 winners but not before the Wallace High School team had made them work hard for their victory.
Two late tries for Campbell College put the gloss on a hard earned 17-0 win over Wallace High School in the Danske Bank Medallion Shield Final at Ravenhill on Monday afternoon.
Both teams contributed to a high energy encounter but it was Campbell who emerged as deserved winners thanks to tries from Jonathan Haldane, Paddy Beverland and Jack Howard.
It was Jack Howard’s strong running that created the opening score of the game after nineteen minutes. The outside centre spotted a gap in midfield and made forty metres before being hauled to ground by two covering Wallace High School defenders. The ball was quickly recycled and Paddy Beverland found his captain, Marcus Collim, who, in turn, enabled Jonathan Haldane to cross the line despite the close attentions of three Wallace defenders. Blindside flanker, Matthew Crowther hit the conversion attempt but it fell short but the Campbell College team had a 5-0 lead.
Shortly after this setback, the Wallace High School fullback, Kyle Hayes, had an opportunity to cut the Campbell lead to just two points but his penalty attempt drifted wide. That left the half time score reading 5-0 to the Campbell College team.
Team captain, Jonny Stewart, and his Wallace team mates produced some good rugby in the second half, with Ben Finlay and Adam McCallum making good inroads and asking questions of the Campbell College defence. They threatened to score on a number of occasions but the Campbell defence stood firm and, despite the pressure, it was Campbell who scored next.
The impressive Campbell College Number 8, Jack Barry-Glendinning, made some good ground with a strong run and that created space for Paddy Beverland who evaded two would-be tacklers to touch down under the posts. Matthew Crowther made no mistake with the simple conversion kick and extended his side’s lead to 12-0 with five minutes to play.
With Wallace chasing the game, Jack Howard, who had an extremely impressive showing, broke away down the left touchline and a strong fend on the covering defender allowed him to slide over in the corner for a well-deserved try. Matthew Crowther missed his final kick but it was insignificant as the scoreline read 17-0. It was a comprehensive win for Campbell College was the scoreboard was an unfair reflection of the game and credit must go to the Wallace High School team for their energetic input into an excellent game.
Following the final whistle, medals were presented to the players from both teams, as well as the match officials, by Mr Lewis McCallen, representing The Danske Bank sponsors.
Mr Robin Cole, President of the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union, then presented the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield to Marcus Collim, captain of the victorious Campbell College, Belfast Medallion team.
Lurgan College Medallion, who play Dalriada School in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Final toured to Gloucester in preparation for the Medallion Trophy Final.
The team played Sir Thomas Rich’s School, Gloucester on Thursday 7th March after flying into Bristol and lost 17-0 in miserable conditions. The opposition had been at the Daily Mail finals at Twickenham last year and turned out to be a strong, physical team. On Friday 8th March the Lurgan College played The Crypt Grammar School in Gloucester. They started slowly again but came back from 0-5 down to win 39-5 by playing really well in second half . Tries were scored by Harry Simpson, James Patterson, Jamie Hunter, Joel McCreary and Ryan Osbourne. These tough, physical games proved to be ideal preparation for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy final.
There were two Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Finals played on Tuesday 12th March.
Methodist College and Down High School travelled to play the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate at Wallace High School.
Despite the committed and spirited efforts of the Down High School players, it was the pace, power and poise of the Methodist College team that saw the Belfast boys through the game by 60-3. The Methody team controlled all aspects of play for most of the game.
The Methodist College team started strongly and scored four first half tries through Matthew Reid, Jonathan Gourley, Josh Jordan and Ben Sterritt. In response, the Down High School team kicked a penalty through Charlie Power. None of the tries was converted so it was the Methodist College team that had built up a 20-3 lead at the interval.
The Methody team managed to raise their game to an even higher level in the second half. They ran in tries with two from Jach Jordan, two from Jamie McCann and one each from Ben Martin and Thomas Muldoon. Josh Jordan added one conversion while Cameron McAteer was successful with four conversion attempts.
After the final whistle, Barney McGonigle, Ulster Schools’ PRO, congratulated both teams on the standard of play throughout the game, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of the Ulster Schools’ programme, thanked the referee and his officials for their contribution to the smooth running of the game and paid tribute to Wallace High School for the provision of excellent facilities and for hosting the game. Darryl Callaghan, Talent Identification Manager for Ulster Rugby, then presented both teams with their medals. Michael Reid, former CEO of Ulster Rugby, then presented the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Plate to, Zach Jordan, captain of the victorious Methodist College team.
Meanwhile, the final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl took place at the Belfast Royal Academy playing fields at Roughfort.
Carrickfergus Grammar School and Grosvenor Grammar School met in an exciting game which the Grosvenor team won by 17-10.
In excellent conditions at Roughfort, Carrickfergus Grammar School and Grosvenor Grammar School fought an evenly contested Danske Bank Medallion Trophy encounter. Early pressure from Carrick brought lots of effort but nothing on the scoreboard. Grosvenor rallied and following sustained pressure on the Carrickfergus line centre, Jonah McDowell, outsprinted the Carrick defence for a try, which he could not convert, to give his Grosvenor team a 5-0 lead. Carrickfergus Grammar School responded by talking play close to the Grosvenor line and were rewarded with a penalty which was converted by centre, Marc Ellison, bringing the score to 5-3 in Grosvenor’s favour. The half time whistle was nearing when a series of forward drives resulted in burly Grosvenor tight head prop, Andrew Boyd, smashing his way over for a try, which, once again, was not converted. However, it was the Grosvenor Grammar School team that had a 10-3 lead at the interval.
The second half showed that the Carrickfergus Grammar School team was not going to lie down and they started to ask questions of Grosvenor’s resolute defence. The defence held out despite being under under extreme pressure. Eventually, Grosvenor broke out of their half and, against the run of play, centre Jonah McDowell scampered over for his second try, which he was able to convert from a tight angle to put Gorvenor Grammar School into a 17-3 lead. Carrick refused to give in and, following a quick penalty, their out half, Fionn McCormack, scored a well- taken try. The conversion attempt from Marc Ellison was successful taking the score to 17-10 in Grosvenor’s favour. The final minutes were contested in the Carrick 22m area and the final whistle blew, leaving Grosvenor Grammar School narrow, but deserved, victors. The Grosvenor centre, Jonah McDowell, in scoring twelve points for his team was outstanding as was the tireless Grosvenor Grammar School flanker, Medani Elshibly.
Following the final whistle, Mr Ian H Graham, former Director of Physical Recreation and Movement Studies at Grosvenor Grammar School and current Chairman of the Ulster Schools’ Rugby Committee, congratulated both teams on their contribution to an excellent final, thanked the referee and his officials for their input, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship and thanked the Principal and ground staff of Belfast Royal Academy for the use of their excellent facilities.
Mr Graham then presented the medals to both teams and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Bowl to the captain of the victorious Grosvenor Grammar School team.
The final of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy took place at Antrim Grammar School on Thursday 14th March when Lurgan College played Dalriada School. The game proved to be a very close encounter which Lurgan College eventually won by 8-0.
The Dalriada team dominated most of the territory and possession in the first half. Players such as Andy Stevenson and Alan Montgomery in the Dalriada pack ensured a good supply of ball which the Dalriada backs, especially the midfield trio of Angus Johnston, Denis Posternaks and Matthew Lockhart used well. However, they could not find a way through a dogged Lurgan College defence. Indeed, on the rare occasion the Lurgan College team got close to the Dalriada posts, they might have taken a first half lead but managed to miss two relatively simple penalty opportunities.
The second half saw the Lurgan College team take play deep into Dalriada territory and eventually get points on the board when Jamie Patterson converted a penalty opportunity to give his team 3-0 lead just minutes after the restart. Both teams had opportunities to score tries during the remainder of the second half but it was minutes before the final whistle that the enthusiastic crowd witnessed one. Lurgan College captain, Ryan Osbourne, took advantage of a tiring Dalriada defence to score the only try of the game. The conversion was missed but the Lurgan team had done enough to win the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion trophy Final by 8-0 against a gallant Dalriada School Medallion team.
Following the final whistle, Mr Stephen Black, Principal of Antrim Grammar School and School Principals’ representative on the Ulster Branch, congratulated both teams on their achievement of reaching the final, thanked the referee and his officials for their control of the game and thanked the Danske Bank for their continuing sponsorship of Ulster Schools’ Rugby. Mr Black then presented both teams with their medals and Lurgan College captain, Ryan Osbourne, with the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy.
Mr Brian Hanna, Director of Physical Recreation at Lurgan College, spoke to thank Mr Stephen Black and his staff at Antrim Grammar School for all their hard work in providing facilities and hosting the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Trophy Final.
In the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup, Campbell College defeated Belfast Royal Academy by 36-0 while Friends’ School, Lisburn defeated Lurgan College by 10-0 in the 2ndxv Plate Competition. Following these games the draw for the semi-finals of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup and Plate took place.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup Semi-Finals.
Royal School, Armagh v Methodist College, Belfast
Campbell College, Belfast v Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Plate Semi-Finals
Coleraine Academical Institution v Friends’ School, Lisburn
Ballymena Academy v Wallace High School
Ballymena Academy defeated Wallace High School by 19-13 in the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2nd xv Plate semi-final. The 2nd semi-final, featuring Coleraine AI and Friends’ School, Lisburn is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 20th March.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Seven-a-Side tournament, hosted by Campbell College and superbly organised by Mr John McKinney.
Sullivan Upper came through as the winners of the Senior competition, Wellington College as winners of the Junior competition and Wallace High School as winners of the Medallion competition. Over fifty teams took part in a tournament that was a great advertisement for Ulster Schools’ Rugby.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 3rdxv Cup final will take place at Pirrie Park on Tuesday 19th March when the Royal Belfast Academical Institution 3rdxv team will play the Campbell College 3rdxv team. This game will kick off at 3-00pm.
