Friends’ School, Lisburn was the setting for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup final in which the Methodist College 2ndxv played the Down High School 2ndxv.
A large crowd of enthusiastic supporters, as well as members of the Ulster Rugby Academy staff, attended the game which the Methodist College team eventually won by 22-16. The Methodist College team got off to a great start and took a 7-0 lead early in the game. Joe Kennedy took advantage of a good scrum to launch an attack down the blindside and run in for a try. Paul Kerr added the extras to secure the 7-0 lead. Three minutes later the score was doubled when Oliver Cairns took advantage of a well-organised Methody driven maul. He touched down for a try, which Paul Kerr converted, to put his team into a 14-0 lead. Down High School recovered from these early setbacks and reduced the arrears to 14-3 when John Hyndman was successful with a penalty opportunity. Just before the interval John converted his second penalty of the game to leaver the Methody team with a 14-6 lead at halftime.
The Methody team took advasntahge of the wind in the early stages of the second half. They laid siege to the Down High School line but heroic defence from their Down High School team kept the attacks at bay. There was a delay to proceeding as staff dealt with an injury situation and it was the Down High School team that reacted more positively when the game restarted. Paddy Browne out thought the Methody defence and took play deep into Methody territory. A clever off-load to William Annett saw William touch down for a try. Patrick added the conversion to bring his Down High School team back into the game having reduced the deficit to 14-13. With just ten minutes of the game remaining Down High School took a 16-14 lead when Jonny McCoubrey was successful with a penalty kick following a Methody player straying into an off-side position. Paul Kerr then converted a penalty opportunity from the halfway line to put his team into a 17-16 lead with just eight minutes remaining. The Methody team went on to seal the game when Paul took advantage of some good work from his pack to touch down for an unconverted try which took the scoreline to 22-16, a scoreline which secured the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup for the Methodist College team.
Following the game John McKibbin, Junior Vice-President of the Ulster Branch, IRFU, congratulated both teams on their contribution to an exciting game, thanked Friends’ School for hosting the game, thanked the Danske Bank for their continued sponsorship of schools’ rugby and presented the medals to all the players and the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ 2ndxv Cup to the victorious Methodist College team.
