SCHOOLS CUP 2nd ROUND DRAW CLICK HERE: Excitement is building ahead of the start of the annual Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Competition.

The traditional St Patrick’s Day Final of what is the second oldest rugby competition in the world after The Hospitals Cup, is one of the great occasions in the rugby calendar and eagerly anticipated by all followers of the game.

The preliminary rounds of the 2010-11 Northern Bank Schools’ Cup competition have concluded, with Wellington College claiming the final place in the Cup competition despite challenges from Lurgan College and Strabane Grammar.

Tyrone Howe of the Northern Bank and John Wilson, Chairman of the Ulster Schools’ Committee made the draw for the second round of the competition which involves twelve teams. The draw is as follows, with matches due to be played on Saturday 8thJanuary 2011 ;

Royal School Dungannon v Antrim Grammar School
Carrick Grammar School v Belfast High School
Portadown College v Wellington College
Portora Royal School v Larne Grammar School
Cambridge House School v Grosvenor Grammar School
Omagh Academy v Rainey Endowed School

The winning teams from the Round 2 matches will progress to the third round of competition and will be joined by: Regent House, Friends School, Down High School, Foyle & Londonderry College, Limavday Grammar School, Dalriada, Banbridge Academy, Sullivan Upper School, Bangor Grammar School. Third round matches will be played on Saturday 22ndJanuary.

The final 8 seeded teams; Methodist College, BRA, RBAI, Ballymena Academy, Wallace High School, Royal School Armagh, Ballyclare High School and Campbell College, will join the winners of Round 3 for Round 4 of competition on Saturday 5thFebruary.

Quarter-Finals: 19thFebruary
Semi-Finals: 28thFeb and 2ndMarch
Final: 17thMarch – Final