Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 7th September 2013. 3 Age Grade Inter-Pro games + 2 Schoolboy Tournaments & School Games – By Barney McGonigle
There were three age grade Inter-Provincial games, as well as a number of school friendly games, played on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th September.
The Ulster U20 team started the weekend age grade rugby activities with a narrow 27-25 loss against Connacht U20s at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday afternoon.
The young Ulster team started the game in a very positive manner with Paddy Colhoun scorching in for an unconverted try early in the game to give Ulster a 5-0 lead. The Connacht team responded positively to this early set back with a try from Sean O’Hagan after twelve minutes. Sean converted his try to put the Connacht team into a 7-5 lead. Midway through the first half Jacob Knight was on the end of a flowing Ulster move to touch down for a try. Mark Best converted the try to give the Ulster team a 12-7 lead. Good work from the Connacht flanker, Rory Moloney, paved the way for a Connacht penalty which Sean O’Hagan converted to reduce the arrears to 12-10. Just before the interval Mark Best converted a penalty for the Ulster team to leave the scoreline reading 15-10 in favour of the Ulster team at the interval.
Ten minutes into the second half Sean O’Hagan was successful with a Connacht penalty to leave the score at 15-13 in favour of the Ulster team. The home team, despite having a player sent to the “bin”, then took control of the game and scored two quick tries through Jacob Walsh and Sean O’Hagan. Once again, Sean O’Hagan was successful with his conversion kicks to put the home team into a 27-15 lead. The Ulster team made a determined effort to rescue the result in the final few minutes of the game. Josh Bingham kicked a penalty to take the score to 27-18 and a David Busby try which was converted by Mark Best left the final score reading 27-25 in favour of the Connacht U20 team.
The Ulster U20 team will regroup during the week before travelling to play Leinster U20’s at Donnybrook in Dublin on Friday 20th September.
The Ulster U19 maintained their undefeated status in the course of the season thus far when they travelled to Galway and defeated the Connacht U19 team by 13-9.
This was a close fought encounter which saw the half time score reading 6-6. The Ulster points came through two Rory Campbell penalties while Connacht responded with two Niall Tobin penalties. The second half saw the Ulster pack take control of the set piece and breakdown with the backrow trio of Daniel Dass, Dave Cave and Ross Todd getting through a lot of work. Good work from the pack provided the quality possession the Ulster back division needed. However, it was a Connacht attack that led to the only try of the game when, following a flowing backline move, Rory Campbell was presented with a try scoring opportunity when he intercepted a loose Connacht pass. Rory took full advantage and ran strongly down the length of the pitch to touch down for a try. Rory converted the try to take the Ulster lead to 13-6. Connacht responded with a third Tobin penalty but it was a case of “too little, too late” for the men from the West. The Ulster team celebrated their hard earned 13-9 victory at the final whistle and will now concentrate on their final Inter Provincial game of the season which will see them travel to play Leinster U19s at Donnybrook on Saturday 21st September.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team met Leinster Schools in the second series of games in the Schools’ Inter-Provincial competition at Belfast Harlequin’s RFC.
The Ulster team was in a confident mood in the lead up to the game having recorded a win against Connacht in their first game. However, the Leinster game proved to be a much more difficult encounter. The Ulster boys found themselves 20-0 down at the interval. The Leinster team scored three first half tries through Con Callan, Jimmy O’Brien and Charlie Cregan. Vice-Captain, Matthew Gilsenan, converted one of the tries, as well as kicking a penalty, to give the Leinster Schools’ team their strong half time lead. The second half saw something of an Ulster revival when they scored two tries through Mark Adair and Andrew McGrath. Robert Lyttle converted the tries. However, the Leinster team scored a try through replacement player, Max Deegan. Matthew Gilsenan converted the try and another replacement player, Tommy Whittle, converted a penalty opportunity to leave the Leinster team as convincing 30-14 winners. The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team will now travel to Cork where they will play Munster Schools at Musgrave Park on Saturday 21st September. This game is scheduled to kick off at 1-00pm.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution team was missing a number of players who were on Inter Provincial duty when they played the Ulster Youth U18 team on Friday 13th September.
The game proved to be an excellent run out for both teams who adopted a physical approach to proceedings in the opening exchanges. Both teams attacked with the ball in hand at every opportunity and both defences had to be well-organised.
The Belfast Inst team took a first half 5-0 lead when a great break by their hard running centre, Joe Fryers, was finished off by winger, Connor Field, who ran in for an unconverted try. Just before the interval, Frazer Wright, converted a penalty opportunity to give the Inst team an 8-0 lead at the interval.
The Belfast Inst team continued to control the game in the second half. They scored two unconverted tries through Scott McNamara and Jack Scott.
In response, The Ulster Youth team converted two penalty opportunities which left the final score reading 18-6 in favour of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team.
On Saturday 14th a Royal Belfast Academical Institution team hosted an Omagh Academy team that was missing experienced players such as Lloyd Kane and Robert White.
This presented young players such as Matthew Clyde and Luke Hanson with the opportunity of playing 1stxv rugby and both players adapted well to the demands of the game. The Belfast Inst team won the game by 22-3 with the Omagh Academy points coming from a Stuart Ballantine penalty in the second half after the home team had taken a 10-0 lead at the interval. The Belfast Inst try came from Ryan Campbell with a conversion and penalty accounting for the first half points. The Belfast Inst team scored two further tries from Alistair Hill and Jake Chambers, one of which was converted, in the course of second half with their defence having to work hard to prevent the Omagh Academy team scoring a consolation try in the closing stages of the game.
Portadown College and Banbridge Academy played out a training game over three sessions.
The game proved to be an ideal season opener for both teams with the Banbridge Academy team scoring tries through Daniel McIlderry and Rhys Mackey. Daniel converted both tries to give the Banbridge team a 14-0 lead after the first two sessions. The Portadown College team finished the third session strongly and scored a fine try through James Hewitt.
Both sets of coaches and players will have got a lot from the training game with Rory Carson, Nathan McKinley and Ethan Harbinson displaying good form for the Banbridge team. For the Portadown College team, Thomas Troughton, Niall Davidson and Jack Orr all impressed with their performances.
Friends’ School hosted a Royal School, Dungannon team that had toured successfully in New Zealand and Australia during the summer period.
The Royal School team had built up a 10-0 at half time, with Matthew Montgomery and Nathan McCammon each scoring one try. The Friends’ consolation try was scored by Steven Kay midway through the second half following further RS Dungannon tries from Stuart Moore and John Buckley. Scott McLean was successful with one conversion attempt to leave the Tyrone team as 22-5 winners.
The Friends’ School 2ndxv defeated their Royal School, Dungannon counterparts by 20-15.
Foyle and Londonderry College defeated Portora Royal School at Springtown in a game which the home team won by 12-0.
Ten minutes into the first half the Foyle team scored a try through their full back, Robbie House. Alex McDonnell converted the try to give his team a 7-0 lead, a lead they held until the interval.
Midway through the second half, the Foyle lead was extended to 12-0 when their industrious hooker, Callum Watson, powered over the Portora RS line to touch down for an unconverted try, a try which ensured a 12-0 victory for the Foyle and Londonderry College team.
Limavady Grammar School travelled to play Belfast High School and took a 3-0 lead early in the game.
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However, that was the last score for the Limavady team as the Belfast High School team went on to win the game by 40-3.
Rainey Endowed followed up on their midweek 19-12 “A” team win against St John’s School, Chile with a 26-12 victory against Regent House.
The Rainey tries against St John’s came from Kieran Lynch, Eunan Shaw and Rigan Shaw with Kieran successful with two conversions.
In the game against Regent House both teams were missing players on Inter-Provincial duty but this did not inhibit both teams playing a game that was free flowing from start to finish. The Rainey team took a 7-0 lead in the first half when Kieran Lynch ran in for a try which he converted. Another Kieran Lynch try in the second half, alongside tries from Rory Nicholl and Eunan Shaw, with two Kieran Lynch conversions, accounted for the Rainey Endowed points. The Regent team scored two second half tries, one of which was converted, to account for their points.
Grosvenor Grammar School and Dalriada School played out a game which saw the Ballymoney boys record a hard earned 24-7 win.
Dalriada started brightly with their winger, Gavin McCaughern, taking advantage of good work from his lineout forwards to run in for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. On fifteen minutes the Grosvenor Grammar School team had their first opportunity for points but a penalty attempt was pulled wide. However, a mistake from Dalriada at a scrum saw Sam Purdon crash over for a try, which Shane Johnston converted, to take the score to 7-5. Shortly after this a well organised driven maul by the Dalriada pack resulted in a Robert Hunter try. Peter Dunlop was successful with the conversion to give the Dalriada team a 12-7 lead. This increased to 17-7 at the interval when Dalriada scored a second Gavin McCaughern try following good work from his forwards.
The Grosvenor Grammar School team played much better in the second half but the Dalriada defence was in no mood to give anything away. A defensive mistake from the Grosvenor Grammar School team allowed another Dalriada try with Michael Finnerty getting the touchdown. Peter Dunlop converted the try to leave the Ballymoney boys as deserved 24-7 winners.
Sullivan Upper and Methodist College were both missing a large number of 1st team regulars due to Inter-Provincial commitments when the two teams met in an interesting game in Holywood.
The Methodist College team had recorded an impressive 85-0 midweek victory against St John’s School, Chile and seemed to be well up for their visit to Holywood. This proved to be the case with the Methodist College team taking a 19-0 lead at the interval. Their first half performance was replicated in the second when they scored a further nineteen points to leave them as deserved 38-0 winners.
Cambridge House hosted a very spirited Strabane Academy team but the more experienced and bigger Cambridge House team proved too strong for the emerging team from Strabane.
The Ballymena boys ran in tries through Thomas Wilson, Andrew Whann, Stuart Gillan, Ben McIlroy, Chris Da Mata, Kane McBride, Sam Nicholl and Sam Junk. Stuart Gillan converted eight of the tries to leave his Cambridge House team as more than comfortable winners of this game.
The Royal School, Armagh team travelled to play Bangor Grammar School in a game that saw the home team emerge as 17-12 winners.
The Bangor team scored two first half tries, both of which were converted, as well as a penalty kick. In response, the Armagh team kicked three first half penalties through Kyle Faloon. The Bangor team took their 17-9 lead at the interval, into the second half hoping for more points. However, the only second half points came from the boot of Kyle Faloon who was successful with his fourth penalty of the game to leave the Bangor Grammar School team victorious by 17-12.
Coleraine Academical Institution welcomed back some seven players unavailable for their previous game when they hosted Carrickfergus Grammar School.
These players made a very positive impact in the course of the game, a game the home team won by 57-5. Joel Stanbridge started the score board ticking over when he scored a try after only three minutes of the game. The try was converted by Callum Smith to put the Coleraine AI team into a 7-0 lead. This became 12-0 six minutes later when Mark Gordon ran in for an unconverted try. Two minutes later Callum Smith kicked a penalty to increase the Coleraine lead to 15-0. Midway through the half a strong run from Joel Stanbridge resulted in a defensive lineout for the Carrickfergus Grammar School team. The Coleraine AI lock forward, Thomas Pethick, stole the ball and Brad Dempster went round the fringes to score a try. Callum Smith converted to increase the Coleraine AI lead to 22-0. Just before the interval, Thomas Pethick, Luke Scott and Joel Stanbridge combined to send Alross Alejo in under the Carrickfergus GS posts for a try. Callum Smith converted to put the Coleraine AI team into an unassailable 29-0 halftime lead.
Five minutes after the restart Jonny Crowe and Callum Smith combined to send Mark Gordon in for another try. Callum converted the try to increase the Coleraine AI lead to 36-0. The Carrickfergus GS players displayed great commitment to their cause and got some reward for their endeavours when they scored an unconverted try after forty minutes. The Coleraine team finished with two further tries from Matthew Norris and Ollie McDowell, both of which were converted by Callum Smith, to see them through this game as 57-5 winners.
Ballymena Academy hosted Wallace High School in almost perfect conditions in a game which saw both teams missing first choice regulars due to Inter-Provincial commitments.
From the kick off it was the Ballymena Academy team that took control of the game. Dean Reynolds and Gary Small combined to send Marcus Rea in for the first try of the game. Marcus converted his try to put the home team into a 7-0 lead. Shortly afterwards the score became 10-0 when Marcus was successful with a penalty opportunity. The remainder of the first half was a tightly contested affair with neither team really able to achieve much in terms of territory although the Ballymena team had a lot of possession.
An early second half try from Jonny Rossborough, following a clever kick from Craig Hanna, was converted by Marcus Rea to put the Ballymena Academy team into a 17-0 lead. Ten minutes later Jonny Rossborough left a trail of despairing Wal;lace High School defenders in his wake when he weaved through from sixty metres to score a fine individual try. Marcus Rea converted to increase the Ballymena Academy lead to 24-0. The Wallace High School team had opportunities to score points late in the game but the Ballymena Academy defence was in no mood to give anything away. The home team had the final say in the game when their scrum half, Craig Hanna, sniped through a gap to score under the Wallace High School posts. Marcus Rea was, again, successful with his conversion kick to leave the Ballymena Academy team as deserved 31-0 winners.
