Northern Bank Ulster Schools' Roundup: Saturday 26th September

Methodist College had a blank Saturday the previous week but got back on the road again with a clinical 50-0 win against a Ballyclare HS team that made the Methody boys work hard for their victory.

Foyle and Londonderry College hosted a very lively Sligo GS team. The Connacht visitors won by 16-8 against a Foyle team that was not at full strength. The visitors scored tries through scrum half Oskar Van Der Grijn and out half Scott Oates. Scott Oates added two penalties to add to a fine personal performance.

Foyle then proceeded to play the visiting Lindisfarne College from New Zealand, at the City of Derry RFC grounds, on Friday evening. Playing against one of the top New Zealand schoolboy teams did not discourage the Foyle team. They put on an excellent display despite losing by 30-0. The locals impressed the large crowd, as well as the visitors, with their effort, determination and positive attitude in the course of the game.

Methody entertained the well organised Belfast Royal Academy team on Saturday morning. The Methody team was without Rory Harrison, Paddy Jackson, Gareth Reilly, Conor Carey, Paddy Mc Kee and Blane Mc Ilroy who were rested in the lead up to the Schools' Inter Provincial games on Wednesday 30th. BRA lost the services of the influential Callum Leckey for the same reason. With just five minutes remaining it looked as if a major shock could be on the cards with the Belfast Royal Academy team leading by 17-6. Methody led 6-3 at half time with but the second half saw BRA score tries through Marc Glover and Thomas Vincent. These were converted by David Cartmill and the North Belfast team was looking comfortable with only minutes remaining. However, they had not counted on the spirit of the Methody team who scored two late tries, both of which were converted, to see them safely through this tricky encounter and keep their undefeated record intact.

Royal Belfast Academical Institution hosted Dublin giants, Blackrock College. Both teams had players unavailable due to requests from the Inter Pro management teams not to play the players involved. This mean't that RBAI lost Michael Mc Auley, Jack Carlisle, Kevin Mc Lean, Alistair Andress and Michael Kilpatrick to the Inter Pro preparation session. Blackrock won the entertaining game comfortably.

Bangor GS and Ballymena Academy were unable to play their fixture at the Ballymacormick Road venue due to a virus impacting on the North Down school.

Portadown College played Belfast HS with both teams determined to record their first victory of the season. Portadown opened their account with a try from centre, Stephen Hyde. Chis Goodland added the points to give his team a 7-0 lead. Belfast HS came storming back and scored two unconverted tries on either side of halftime. The Portadown team grew stronger as the game went on with Daniel Coulter and Mark Beggs getting through a lot of work in the pack. With a constant supply of ball it was only a matter of time before they scored again. Flying winger Conor Carville and that man, Stephen Hyde, scored the tries which Chris Goodland converted. The Portadown team was delighted to hear the final whistle and record a deserved 21-10 win.

Banbridge Academy played Omagh Academy, a team in confident mood after their impressive recent win against Coleraine AI. Both teams lost players to the Ulster Schools' session with Shandon Scott unavailable for Banbridge and David Thompson unavailable for Omagh. In what was always going to be a close game there was no score in the first half, with both defences coming out on top.

Early in the second half Banbridge Academy opened their accouint when Mark Sinton was awarded the touchdown following good work from his pack and a well organised driven maul. Marc Stevenson added the conversion to give the home team a 7-0 lead. Omagh cam,e back strongly but all they had to show for their hard work in the second half was one penalty leaving the Banbridge Academy team as 7-3 winners.

Grosvenor GS travelled to play RS Dungannon on the W K Armstrong pitch at the Royal School. RS Dungannon had their star centre, Peter Nelson, unavailable due to Ulster commitments. In a closely contested first half the visitors established a 7-5 lead through a Chris Sinclair try which was converted by Matthew Little. Adam Mc Carter had impressed with his first half performance for the home team and was rewarded with an unconverted try. RS Dungannon scored again in the second half with a well constructed try and conversion following a good interchange of play involving both forwards and backs in which Andrew Creaney and Andrew Clingan were prominent. Grosvenor GS scored further tries through Peter Jamison and Matthew Little with Matthew adding two conversions. He also punished RS Dungannon indiscretions when he converted two penalties as well. The final score was 25-12 in favour of Grosvenor GS.

Sullivan Upper had overcome some early season anxieties and produced some fine performances in recent matches. They hosted a Friends' School team that had made a positive start to the season with a well-earned victory against Cambridge House in their last outing. They took a first half lead through tries from Andrew Vance and Dessie Eastwood. Rory Mc Ivor added the conversion to give the visitors a 12-0 halftime lead. Unfortunately the Friends' team was unable to keep the momentum going in the second half. Their impressive first half defence was disrupted when the team lost three players to injury, including impressive scrum half, Ben Semple. Sullivan rebounded positively from their first half performance to score four second half tries and conversions as well as kicking a penalty. Rory Eves and Hamish Graham impressed for the home team who recorded a 31-12 victory.

The so far undefeated Limavady GS travelled to play Carrickfergus GS, a team still in very positive mood after their recent win against Belfast HS. The home team opened their account very quickly when Peter Stewart touched down for a try following good work from his pack. Andrew Fulto added the conversion to put his team 7-0 in the lead. Limavady GS replied quickly with unconverted tries from winger Allen Robinson and Ulster Schools' U19's replacement flanker, Robin Craig. Outhalf Nathan Barr kicked a first half penalty to give his team a 13-7 halftime lead. In the second half the physically bigger Limavady team came through strongly with their recently acquired No 8, Shay Mc Intosh, featuring more and more as the game went on. The visitors scored four unconverted tries through Shay Mc Intosh, Adam Blair, Allen Robinson and Joe O'Hara to leave them as comfortable 33-7 winners at full time.

Regent House played against the Belfast Harlequins U19 team and recorded an impressive 60-0 victory. Winning 29-0 at halftime, the Newtownards boys kept working hard for the duration of the game. Thomas Slane scored a hat trick of tries scoring twice. Nathan Burns, Matthew Wallace, Jordan Ellingham, Luke Mc Cartney and Ryan Yates all scored one try each. Paul Mawhinney completed the Regent scoring with five conversions.

Ballyclare HS recovered from their midweek defeat at Pirrie Park to record a very positive 31-0 victory over East Antrim rivals, Larne GS. The Larne team was restricted to very few scoring opportunities while the home team took full advantage of any chances that came their way. Ballyclare HS was 19-0 ahead at halftime with tries from Peter Mc Meachan, Luc Baillie and Simon Beattie, two of which were converted by Luc. In the second half they extended their lead with further tries from Mitchell Mc Comb and Paddy Hamill, one of which Luc Baillie converted.

Lurgan College, playing their first full game of the new season, hosted Antrim GS at the Lough Road. Prop, Brett Kirk, scored the first try for the Lurgan team with Josh Mc Kay adding the conversion. The Antrim team came back strongly and scored a fine try, following good work from the pack, to leave the score at 7-5 in favour of the home team at halftime. Antrim scored a try and kicked a conversion in the second half with Lurgan getting a try through full back, Peter Cullen. Just as it seemed the game was heading for a draw up stepped Josh Mc Kay who struck an excellent drop goal to leave his team delighted with their 15-12 win at the end of the game.

Dalriada School 1st xv has gone through the season undefeated so far. The team kept this impressive record intact following a 30-0 win at Cambridge House. The Dalriada backline was impressive with their Northern Bank Ulster Schools' U18 squad member, Jonny Mc Laughlin, playing in the centre for his team, displaying an impressive array of skills in this comprehensive victory.

Due to the Ulster Schools' call ups, both Campbell College and Wallace HS were short of players when the teams met at Foxes Field. The Campbell team was missing Chris Best, Rory Scholes, John Creighton and Cory Tipping while the Wallace team was missing Rory Stewart and Kyle Mc Call.

Both teams played their parts in a most entertaining game which Wallace HS eventually won by 26-22. David Scott added to his three tries the previous week against RS Dungannon with one against Campbell. The hard working Jamie Clements was rewarded for his endeavours with a try while Adam Hanley capped an excellent all round game with two tries. His second try proved to be the match winner coming from the last play of the game. Alistair Mc Collum kicked three conversions to complete the scoring for the Wallace team.

RS Armagh hosted Portora RS in a game where both teams were missing first choice players. The Portora team was without star second row forward James Brady while RS Armagh had to play without Ulster and Irish Schools' winger, Chris Colvin, as well as Andrew Magowan, Andrew Smyth and Neil Falloon. Ulster and Irish Schools' U18 scrum half, Harry Doyle, was released to play and it was Harry who was able to fire his team up for this game. That well rounded RS Armagh coach, Kenny Hooks, set out a well rounded game plan for the game and his team carried it out to perfection. Central to their effort was the performance of Harry Doyle who rounded of his personal tally with two well taken tries. No 8 David Bingham scored two tries as well. The impressive RS Armagh flanker, Stewart Hooks, scored one as did both RS Armagh wingers, Phil Megaw and Paddy Steed. Their very competent full back, Timmy Mc Neice, kicked five conversions. Prop, Simon Carlisle, was another impressive performer on the day for his team. Matthew Tanswell worked exceedingly hard for the visitors and was rewarded with a try for his team just before halftime. The RS Armagh recorded an impressive 45-5 victory in this game.

The Ulster schools' teams will continue their Inter-provincial campaiagn this Wednesday when they both take on their Leinster counterparts at Malone RFC. Details of the matches can be seen along with team announcements in separate article.