Sullivan Upper entertained the Cathedral School from Cairns in Australia in a midweek fixture that the Holywood team won by 51-12.
The Sullivan management team was able to call upon the services of a large number of representative players for parts of the game.
The Sullivan Upper team had built up a 36-0 lead at the interval with tries from David McMaster, Lewis Smyth, Fergus Jemphrey and a hat trick from their athletic second row forward, Max Clarke. Mark Adair was successful with three of his conversion attempts.
The Australian visitors responded with an unconverted try early in the second half to reduce the arrears to 36-5. The Sullivan Upper team then scored two unconverted tries through Harry Harper and Mark Adair. The Australian replied with a converted try when their outside centre took advantage of some slack Sullivan Upper defence. However, it was the Sullivan Upper team that had the final say when Michael Cartmill got just reward for a fine display when he touched down for an unconverted try to leave his team as 51-12 winners of an entertaining game.
With the Age Grade Inter-Provincial games finished quite a few schools were able to welcome players back for games played on Saturday 28th September.
Ballyclare High School had their Ulster U19 winger, James Beattie, to thank when he ran in five tries in the course of the 53-0 victory the Ballyclare High School team registered against their near neighbours from Larne Grammar School.
Michael Stevenson, Matt Brolly and Zak McMurray also touched down for the Ballyclare team with Matthew McDowell weighing in with five conversions and a penalty.
The Banbridge Academy team got back to winning ways when they recorded a 10-0 victory at home to Omagh Academy.
In an error riddled game the Banbridge team had taken a 10-0 lead at the interval with a penalty from Daniel McElderry after twenty five minutes and a try from Dylan McAteer, which was converted by Daniel McElderry, just before halftime.
The second half saw both teams struggle to get anything in terms of worthwhile possession which ensured there were no further scores. Despite losing the game the Omagh Academy team will have been pleased with the performance of debutant player, Clive Hawkes, as well as the performances of players such as James Catterson, Stuart Allen and their captain, Lloyd Kane.
The Lurgan College team hosted a very determined Antrim Grammar School team and found themselves going into the final quarter of the game 12-8 down before emerging as 32-12 winners.
The Lurgan College team opened the scoring with a try from their No 8, Matthew Laird, after just four minutes of the game. James Patterson added a penalty midway through the first half to increase the Lurgan College lead to 8-0. The Antrim team responded with an un converted try from Chris Donnelly to reduce the arrears to 8-5 at halftime.
The Antrim team then took a deserved 12-8 lead when John Adair crossed for a converted try early in the second half. The Antrim team held this lead until the closing stages of the game when the Lurgan College team managed to gain some worthwhile possession. The Lurgan College right winger, Jordan McIlwaine, took full advantage and ran in four tries, one of which he started from his own 22m area. Ryan Mooney added a try of his own. James Patterson converted one try, with Ryan Mooney converting another, to leave the Lurgan College team as 32-12 winners.
Dalriada hosted a Royal Belfast Academical Institution team that had a number of Ulster players, including Andrew McGrath and Robert Lyttle, returning to the ranks.
The Dalriada team made the Belfast Inst team work hard before the Inst team emerged as 22-12 winners. In a scrappy first half the Belfast Inst team took a 5-0 lead when their winger, Connor Field, touched down for an unconverted try. The Dalriada team then drew level when Peter Dunlop made the break to put Robert Hunter in for an unconverted try. The Belfast Inst team regained the lead when Ben McGavock converted a penalty opportunity to give his team an 8-5 lead at the interval.
In the second half the Belfast boys scored two converted tries through Andrew McGrath and Robert Lyttle to increase the Inst lead to 22-5. The Dalriada team responded with a converted try from Ryan Malcolmson, who made a great break in the middle of the pitch, to leave the final score reading 22-12 in favour of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team.
Royal School, Dungannon hosted Grosvenor Grammar School in their annual WK Armstrong Trophy game.
CLICK HERE for action shots from both I & II XV Games
The Grosvenor Grammar School team put on a fine display going on to win the game by 26-7. The Grosvenor Grammar School dominated the opening exchanges before the Royal School, Dungannon team regrouped and came back into the game. Marcus Nelson took advantage of a Grosvenor mistake to kick the ball through and touch down under the posts for a try. John Buckley converted the try to give the RS Dungannon team a 7-0 lead. The Grosvenor team responded with two tries from Sam Purdon, one of which was converted, to leave the halftime score reading 12-7 in favour of the Grosvenor Grammar School team.
The home team started the second half with the majority of possession but could not find a way through the solid Grosvenor defence. The RS Dungannon team missed a number of golden opportunities but the Grosvenor Grammar School team sealed the result with two second half converted tries from Isaac Richardson and Jay McConnell, who ran his try in following a break from inside his own half, to win the game by 26-7.
Royal School, Armagh and Portora Royal School met at the College Hill venue in a game the RS Armagh team won by 33-8.
The return of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ U18 prop, John Clarke, to the ranks of the Portora RS team had a positive impact on his team mates in the opening exchanges of the game. However, it was the RS Armagh team that had opened up an 18-3 lead at halftime. Mervyn Brown took advantage of good work from Gerald Trainor to run in for an unconverted try to give his team a 5-0 lead. This became 8-0 when Gerald Trainor was successful with a penalty kick. The Portora team reduced the arrears to 8-3 when they converted a penalty opportunity. From that stage on it was all RS Armagh. Matthew McSorley scored a try which was converted by Gerald Trainor who also added a penalty to give his team their halftime lead.
Portora RS started the second half well and scored a try with John Clarke getting the touch down. Jonny Morton was ruling things in the RS Armagh lineout and scored two tries, one of which was converted to put the RS Armagh team into a 30-8 lead. Gerald Trainor was successful with another penalty opportunity to leave the Royal School, Armagh team as deserved 33-8 winners.
Conal Murphy returned from Inter Provincial duty for the Rainey Endowed School team and Conal went on to play a leading role for the Rainey Endowed team when they defeated Foyle and Londonderry College by 28-7.
The game was played for the Hugh Rainey Cup as part of the Rainey Endowed School Tercentenary celebrations. The Foyle College team started well and scored a converted try through Alex McDonnell to take a 7-0 lead. The Rainey Endowed team responded positively and scored two first half tries through Kieran Lynch and Andrew Nicholl. Kieran converted both tries to see his Rainey team into a 24-7 lead at the interval.
The Rainey team controlled proceedings in the second half and scored two further tries through Kieran Lynch and Eunan Shaw. Kieran was successful, once again, with his conversion kicks to leave the Rainey Endowed School team as deserved 28-7 winners.
Limavady travelled to Carrickfergus on the back of a comfortable midweek victory over Matthew Finder’s School from Australia and were looking to continue on from this win with a victory against Carrickfergus Grammar School.
They succeeded with a 42-14 win. It was Limavady who made the better start and, within ten minutes, after successive drives, Michael McMullan crossed over to give Limavady a 5-0 lead. Scott McClean converted from the touchline to increase the lead to 7-0. However, the rest of the half saw Limavady’s performance dip. Poor effort in the ruck area saw the ball turned over and the Carrick pack powered over the line with Jake Porter touching down for a try which David Carse converted to level the game at 7-7. From the restart, Limavady fumbled the ball and, from the resultant scrum, the Carrick Full-Back, Karl McClean, broke clear and had a clear run to the line to touch down for a try. Again, David Carse converted the try to put the Carrickfertgus Grammar School team, into a 14-7 lead. However, with half time looming, Limavady had a line-out deep in the opposition half, and managed to maul the ball over the line with Brendan Ferguson touching down. The conversion was missed to ensure Carrickfergus Grammar School had a 14-12 lead at the break.
The second period saw a much changed Limavady side. Playing with a greater intensity, they again worked the driving maul and, again, Brendan Ferguson crossed over to touch down for a try. The Limavady Grammar School team was now playing with a greater confidence and well worked moves from the backline saw both wingers, Tom McClelland and Ethan Sherrard, score tries in their respective corners. The Limavady pack was now controlling the game and presenting great ball for their backs to use. This was exemplified when a great midfield break ended with Sam Mackey crossing over the Carrickfergus Grammar School line in the corner. The final score ended as 32-14 to Limavady Grammar School, who will be pleased with their second half performance.
Belfast Royal Academy, Methodist College, Belfast and the Cathedral School from Cairns in Australia played out a three team tournament at Roughfort with the Methodist College team emerging as winners of both their games.
The Regent House team was unable to maintain their recent run of good form when they hosted Coleraine Academical Institution.
The Coleraine AI team controlled all aspects of the game from start to finish before emerging as 52-0 winners. Coleraine Inst started the match strongly with a try early on. Quick ball from the ruck enabled space in the midfield to open up and Conor Shiels took his chance to score underneath the posts. The try was converted by Callum Smith to give his team a 7-0 lead. Regent regrouped well and pressured the Coleraine AI line with several phases of play. However, with committed defence from hooker Kieran Burns and open side, Oliver McDowell, the visitors were able to secure a turn over. Coleraine worked their way up the pitch and strong running from second row, Thomas Pethick, proved to be too much for the Regent defence and he scored in the corner. The conversion was missed but Coleraine AI had a 12-0 lead. The last attack of the first half came from a set piece move from a Coleraine scrum. Their backline’s handling proved to be too slick for the defence and winger, Luke Scott, burst through to show great strength and the score in the corner. The conversion was slotted from Callum Smith who kept his nerve to put his team into a 17-0 lead at the interval.
Coleraine started the second half strongly, scoring three tries early on. One of these was created by full back, Johnny Crowe, who showed a flash of pace down the wing to put winger, Bradley Dempster, in for a try. Number 8, Joel Stanbridge proved to be a rock in defence turning over ball and putting opposition players back. Regent’s heads dropped and Coleraine AI began to apply the pressure. Outside centre, Mark Gordon, showed a real turn of pace down the wing. The ball was recycled and out half, Callum Smith, went in to score near the corner. Callum held his nerve and struck the ball to see it safely through the posts for a conversion and ensure his team’s 52-0 victory.
Ballymena Academy got back to winning ways when they travelled to play Bangor Grammar School where they defeated the Bangor team by 12-3.
Ballymena fielded a team showing several changes, with some players making their debuts at 1stxv level. The home team started strongly and were awarded an early penalty following a Ballymena infringement at the breakdown. John McCloskey made no mistake with the kick and the lead allowed Bangor to settle into the game more quickly than the Co. Antrim school. Ballymena were unlucky not to score midway through the first half when Ryan McKee narrowly failed to gather a cross kick following an excellent Craig Hanna break. After multiple phases on the Bangor line, Ballymena recycled the ball for Michael Gillan to power over. Marcus Rea just missed the conversion and the score remained 5-3.Immediately from the restart, Bangor won possession and kicked long. The ball was fielded by Dean Reynolds, who spotted space and showed excellent pace and awareness to run seventy metres for an outstanding individual try. Marcus Rea was successful with the touchline conversion to leave the score reading 12 – 3 at half time.
The second half was a stop-start affair. However, Ballymena’s Jonathan McKeown, Joe Thompson and Justin Jolly showed up well at the breakdown. Tom Alexander made a powerful break but was well tackled by the Bangor full-back just metres from the try line. Despite both teams having several try-scoring opportunities, no further points were added and Ballymena Academy finished as 12-3 winners.
Wallace High School travelled to play Campbell College and came away with a tremendous 50-10 victory.
Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ full back, Jacob Stockdale, marked his return to the team with a hat trick of tries with Gary Martin scoring two tries and Jonny Stewart scoring one. Ryan Moore converted all six tries as well as three penalties in the course of the game.
Sullivan Upper travelled to Down High School using some of the fringe players from their extended squad.
Despite struggling to get any rhythm into their first half performance the Sullivan team had a 12-0 lead at the interval with tries from Fergus Jemphrey and Chris Griffiths. Mark Adair was successful with one of the conversion kicks.
The second half was dominated by the Sullivan Upper team who ran out as 49-0
