bangorgrammarschool.org.uk

2015 DANSKE BANK SCHOOLS’ CUP THIRD ROUND

- - - - - - - - 06 / 02 / 2015

RASHEE ROAD, BALLYCLARE

Programme Credits

Editor: Simon Hull

Pictures & Analysis: Giles Strutt

Columnist: Robert Gamble

Highlights of the Last Round Online

Antrim Ballyclare Ballymena Banbridge

Bangor Belfast High

Campbell

Cambridge B.R.A.

Carrick Coleraine Dalriada

Down High Foyle Friends’ Grosvenor

Larne Limavady Lurgan Methody

Omagh Portadown Portora R.B.A.I.

Rainey Regent Armagh Dungannon

Sullivan Wallace Wellington

2015 Schools’ Cup Rd 2

BGS vs Dalriada School

@ http://tinyurl.com/bgsdal15

Highlights of today’s game will be

online later next week

@ http://tinyurl.com/bclbgs15

TOILET HUMOUR

Our win in the last round against Dalriada

was undoubtedly the best moment of the

season so far. Going in at half time down 5

-0, to come back and win the game 26-15

in the second half shows the belief and

character that we possess in the squad.

The senior players in the team really front-

ed up in the second half and set the stand-

ard for the rest of the boys. However, if we

want to progress further in the competi-

tion we need to be more clinical and learn

from our mistakes.

Looking ahead to Ballyclare, we know we

are coming up against a quality opposi-

tion. Having played them earlier in the

season we know a few things about them

and feel we have enough in us to beat

them. In the previous match they beat us

comfortably but as a squad of players we

feel we have come on leaps and bounds

since that match and we were also missing

several key players on that day. With a

good 2 weeks of training and our confi-

dence being high from the last round we

will use this as momentum to push our-

selves past Ballyclare and into the QF.

Once again, I’d like to thank the travel-

ling support for coming to support us to-

day. It’s very much appreciated by myself

and the rest of the boys.

Robert Gamble

1st XV Front Row Union Rankings

POS SCHOOL RATING

1. R. B. A. I. 88.6% 2. Wallace High 84.2%

3. Methody 82.4% 4. Ballyclare High 75.3%

5. Sullivan Upper 73.9% 6. Ballymena Ac. 68.4%

7. Down High 66.1%

8. Coleraine A. I. 65.7% 9. Omagh Academy 61.0%

10. Campbell College 60.5% 11. Foyle College 57.4%

12. R.S. Armagh 55.4% 13. Carrickfergus GS 52.4%

14. Belfast High 51.6%

23. Bangor Grammar 39.6%

thefrontrowunion.com

14 10

0

4

FOUNDED: Approx. 1890

PRINCIPAL: Mr D. A. Knox

SCHOOLS’ CUP RECORD

WINS: 1 (1973)

RUNNERS UP: 1 (2012)

2015 1st XV KEY PEOPLE

HEAD COACH: Mr M McKeever

CAPTAIN: Matthew McDowell

“Playing in front of our home crowd is good ad-

vantage for us and I feel it will make some of the

younger members of the squad more at ease with the

occasion. But we know it is not going to make beat-

ing Bangor much easier and we still have to carry

out our game plan effectively.” Matthew McDowell

LAST SEASON

ROUND 3: Ballyclare 10-9 Ballymena

CUP QF: Coleraine 10-9 Ballyclare

KEY PLAYER

James Douglas

Prop

1856 :FOUNDED

Mrs E. Huddleson :PRINCIPAL

SCHOOLS’ CUP RECORD

(69, 78, 85, 86, 88) 5 :WINS

(79, 81, 87, 95) 4 :RUNNERS UP

2015 1st XV KEY PEOPLE

Mr J. Morgan :COACHES

Mr D. Kennedy, Mr P. Cartmill

Robert Gamble :CAPTAIN

CAMPAIGN SO FAR

Bangor 26-15 Dalriada :ROUND 2

Ballyclare vs Bangor :ROUND 3

KEY PLAYER

Adam Brennan

Second Row

12 4

FOUNDED: Approx. 1890

PRINCIPAL: Mr D. A. Knox

SCHOOLS’ CUP RECORD

WINS: 1 (1973)

RUNNERS UP: 1 (2012)

2015 1st XV KEY PEOPLE

HEAD COACH: Mr M McKeever

CAPTAIN: Matthew McDowell

“Playing in front of our home crowd is good ad-

vantage for us and I feel it will make some of the

younger members of the squad more at ease with the

occasion. But we know it is not going to make beat-

ing Bangor much easier and we still have to carry

out our game plan effectively.” Matthew McDowell

LAST SEASON

ROUND 3: Ballyclare 10-9 Ballymena

CUP QF: Coleraine 10-9 Ballyclare

KEY PLAYER

James Douglas

Prop

1856 :FOUNDED

Mrs E. Huddleson :PRINCIPAL

SCHOOLS’ CUP RECORD

(69, 78, 85, 86, 88) 5 :WINS

(79, 81, 87, 95) 4 :RUNNERS UP

2015 1st XV KEY PEOPLE

Mr J. Morgan :COACHES

Mr D. Kennedy, Mr P. Cartmill

Robert Gamble :CAPTAIN

CAMPAIGN SO FAR

Bangor 26-15 Dalriada :ROUND 2

Ballyclare vs Bangor :ROUND 3

KEY PLAYER

Adam Brennan

Second Row

8

0

It’s fair to assume that

expectations weren’t

greatly high ahead of

this year’s Schools’ Cup

campaign. The main

reason being that the

second round opposition

(after a first round bye),

Dalriada School, were

the last team to beat the

B a n g o r G r a m m a r

School competitively in

last season’s Subsidiary

Shield Semi Final.

From the kickoff on

Saturday 24th January

2015, it was clear that

Dalriada were the

better side. This was

emphasised when after

three phases of coming

close to breaking the

Bangor defence, they

finally did so through

Alan Montgomery.

W i t h w i n d a

challenging factor, the

c o n v e r s i o n w a s

unsuccessful. Could this

poor opening just be

put down to the peren-

nial BGS slow start?

At this point, it may

have been understanda-

ble if Bangor heads had

dropped, but to the

team and players’ cred-

it, they used the score-

line as a motivator,

dominating play during

the twenty minutes

prior to half time.

After the break it was

much of the same, but

it surely couldn’t be

long before Dalriada

would crack? Indeed,

no sooner had the half

begun, that Bangor’s

Adam Brennan leapt

over the line and several

‘Ballymoney’ players

with it.

N o t l o n g a f t e r

Brennan’s try and

Fulton’s conversion for

Bangor, the visitors

retook the lead by a

slender point through

kicker Aaron Sparks

dead centre in front of

the posts.

Robert Gamble was

having a fine morning

at outside centre,

c a p t a i n i n g B G S

competitively for the

first time and in the

early absence of play-

maker Connor McKee,

created most chances.

He was rewarded with a

try of his own, using

pace and strong

positional instinct to

charge through a

surprised Dalriada de-

fence, and even had

time to show off his

trademark out stuck,

wagging tongue as he

did so.

Gamble also set up Ban-

gor scrum half Shaun

Fair on 50

m i n u t e s .

With Jonny

Baxter outside, the

easy option may have

been to off load the

ball behind his left

shoulder to the pacy

winger, but instead

Fair chose to go for it

himself. Leaping for-

ward with a burst of

speed akin to Usain

Bolt, Fair left as many

of his own teammates

as shocked as the blue,

white and maroon

shirted opposition he

had just parted. Jamie

Fulton converted

successfully for the

third successive time,

giving Bangor a 21-8

advantage.

The home support had

done a fine job,

cheering their side all

through the match,

but were disappointed

and nervous after

Denis Posternak spot-

ted a lapse in Bangor

concentration to touch

down. Sparks convert-

ed to bring the score to

21-15. Another con-

verted try for Dalriada

would steal them the

game, and with it a

third round away tie in

Ballyclare.

However, as Dalriada

pushed for more

points, they left a

plethora of gaps in

their wake. These were

exploited by Robert

Gamble as he set up a

c h a r g i n g J o n n y

Baxter, keen to add his

name to the score

sheet. This try came

right on the final whis-

tle and whilst not con-

verted, a 26-15 victory

was secured for the

host. Not bad for a

morning’s work!

The Ballymoney side

visiting were rightly

disappointed. This was

a stark contrast to the

joy last season lifting

the Subsidiary Shield.

For Bangor, a trip to

Ballyclare now awaits,

but the challenge will

be as tough as ever.

More pictures on

page 12...

ADVERTISEMENT

MYSTIC WILL’S SCHOOLS’ CUP PREDICTIONS

Ballymena vs Methody

WL: “I’m going with

Methody because they

beat Ballymena by two

points, two weeks ago

and they always find a

way!”

Carrickfergus vs Omagh

Academy

WL: “Omagh will have

too much fire power up-

front and have a danger-

ous back line.”

Down High vs Coleraine

WL: “This will be tight

but I think Coleraine

Inst. will edge it.”

Limavady vs Armagh

WL: “Armagh have had

a better season and saw

off a decent Belfast High

team in the last round.”

Portora vs Wallace High

WL: “Portora won’t

make it easy but Wal-

lace have had a great

season and will be too

strong.”

R.B.A.I. vs Regent

House

WL: “This won’t be as

one sided for R.B.A.I. as

people think but is too

big a step for Regent.

Sullivan vs Campbell

WL: “Home advantage

plus a win against

Campbell earlier in the

season should help Sulli-

van to a win.”

1. How is the mood in

the camp after the

Dalriada win?

EWM: “We are very

happy with the win and it

has given us great confi-

dence for this round.”

2. What can you do to

improve your perfor-

mance after losing to

Ballyclare earlier in the

season?

EWM: “We just have to

be clinical in their half

and not let them get easy

points.”

3. Would you prefer

getting to the Schools’

Cup Quarter Final or

Subsidiary Shield Final?

EWM: “Schools’ Cup

QF.”

4. Who’s your pick for

the Six Nations this

year?

EWM: “Ireland of

course”

5. What’s been your

highlight playing for

BGS this season?

EWM: “It would have to

be the Dalriada game

[two weeks ago], it’s been

our best performance this

season.”

PLAYER PROFILE

FIVE MINUTES WITH… EVAN WELLARD-McMILLAN

With this year being

Adam Brennan's third

(and final) Schools' Cup

campaign he brings a lot

of experience to the

team.

Adam proves to be a

consistent and reliable

member of the team af-

ter producing a number

of impressive perfor-

mances in important

matches, last season

scoring a try in the Sub-

sidiary Shield QF vs Re-

gent and 2 weeks ago

scoring against Dalriada.

After a lengthy absence

due to illness Adam was

chomping at the bit to

get back onto the pitch -

and he hasn't disap-

pointed!

Hopefully today Adam

can put in another stel-

lar performance and lead

himself and his team

mates to victory.

DOB: 27/06/97

TRIES: 1

BANGOR GRAMMAR SCHOOL 26-15 DALRIADA SCHOOL

24/01/2015

Giles Strutt

If you wish to purchase a photo-

graph from this page, or any other

picture taken by Giles Strutt, send

your enquiry to:

gtastrutt@hotmail.co.uk

DANSKE BANK ULSTER SCHOOLS’ CUP

Third Round Result s

Bangor Grammar School 26-15 Dalr iada School 24 /01 /15

Carr ickfergus Grammar 17-08 Belfast Royal Acad. 24 /01 /15

Down High School 24-05 Rainey Endowed 24/01/15

Regent House 22-10 Foyle Col lege 24 /01 /15

Portadown Col lege 22-30 Limavady Grammar 24/01/15

Royal School Armagh 19-10 Belfast High 24 /01 /15

Portora Royal School 06-00 Banbridge Academy 24/01/15

Grosvenor Grammar 05-20 Omagh Academy 24/01/15

Ballyclare High, Ballymena Academy, Campbe ll Col lege , Coleraine A.I. ,

Methodis t College, R.B.A.I., Sul livan Upper and Wallace High wi l l

joined the winning teams f rom Round 2 in the draw for Round 3.

Fourth Round Fixtures :

Ballyclare High School v Bangor Grammar Sch. 07 /02 /15

Ballymena Academy v Methodist Col lege 07 /02/15

Carr ickfergus Grammar v Omagh Academy 07/02/15

Down High School v Co lera ine A. I . 07 /02 /15

Limavady Grammar School v Royal School Armagh 07/02/15

Portora Royal School v Wallace High School 07 /02 /15

R. B. A. I . v Regent House 07 /02 /15

Sul l ivan Upper v Campbel l Co l l ege 07 /02/15

Losing teams wi ll be t ransferred into the Subsidiary Shie ld competi tions

commencing at the Quarter Final s tage. Winning teams wil l be drawn in

the Schools ’ Cup Quarter Final draw.

MEDALLION SHIELD

Selected Fourth Round Result :

Campbel l Co l l ege Belfast 49-00 Bangor Grammar Sch. 31/01/15

MEDALLION PLATE

Selected Quarter Final Fixture:

Bangor Grammar School v Friends’ School 14 /02 /15

ALL IRELAND JUNIOR CUP

Final

Bangor RFC 1st XV 05-55 Dundalk 1st XV 31 /01/15

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REFEREE:

PETER

MARTIN

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BALLYCLARE HIGH

* TEAMSHEET

CORRECT AT TIME OF

PUBLISHING

SUBSTITUTES

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

TEAM

INFORMATION

WITHHELD

EVAN WELLARD McMILLAN

ZACK SLEVIN

PATRICK EVES

BRYN CRAWFORD

ADAM BRENNAN

ROSS MAXWELL

CHRIS GOLDTHORPE

MATTHEW AGNEW

SHAUN FAIR

LEWIS BRET

JONNY BAXTER

CHARLIE BLAIR

(C) ROBERT GAMBLE

WILL LOGAN

JAMIE FULTON

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

ROBBIE THOMPSON

THOMAS BOYD

MARTIN WITHERS

JACK WRIGHT

CONNOR McKEE

CAMERON WEBB

ADAM NORMAN

ALEX STEPHENSON