Down High Medallion team through to last four

Down High Medallion team through to last four

18 February 2015

DOWN High’s Medallion squad bounced back from their disappointing Medallion Shield exit by recording a comprehensive win over Ballyclare in Downpatrick on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the Medallion Plate.

The side managed eight tries, including a Robin Wilson hat-trick, to progress to the last four of the competition.

Ballyclare spent much of the first 15 minutes camped deep in Down High territory, but were consistently met by a very solid defensive line.

Indeed, when Ballyclare opened the scoring with a penalty, Down High will have been somewhat pleased that the visitors weren’t leaving with more for their efforts. 

Crucially, the Ballyclare penalty and the resultant restart allowed Down High to regain some territorial position. Within minutes winger Rhys Patterson had crossed the line after a driven maul off a line-out and a well-worked set piece by the back line. Wilson added the extras.

R. Patterson was on the scoresheet again a few minutes later, although this time it was centre Ronan Patterson. He broke through the Ballyclare back line defence on the back of patient phase play by Down High’s busy pack, including a noticeable carry by hooker Chris Scurfield, and some well-timed passes by the back line.

Rhys Patterson scored his second of the day about 10 minutes before half time when he finished off another attack that combined incursive carries by the pack and some neat handling by the backs. 

In the second half the tries continued to flow for the home side. Harris McConnell was next to cross the whitewash when the Down High pack got a turnover at the first ruck after the restart and Lewis Finlay moved the ball away with McConnell being the last of a number of backs to get his hands on it. The conversion drifted wide.

The next three Down High tries were scored by Robin Wilson. His first came after William Browne fielded a high ball and passed to Wilson who ran from his own 10-metre line, stepped the Ballyclare full back and scored.

His next owed much to Lewis Finlay who carried off a ruck, drawing in the defence to put Wilson away. His final try involved some fine interplay by the Down High backs and he converted it himself. Ballyclare did manage a consolation converted try after Wilson’s second.

Ronan Patterson scored his second and the last of Down High’s tries when he rounded off an excellent piece of set play which came on the back of a fantastic carry by prop Aaron Haslett who broke off an equally impressive 30 yard driven maul by the pack. The ref blew the full time whistle just after Wilson had added the extras

The boys have drawn Friends School Lisburn at home in their semi-final on February 28.

Down High first XV take on Bangor Grammar at home this Saturday (10.30am kick-off) in the quarter-finals of the Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield. The two sides have met twice this season, taking one win apiece.

Down High School 48

Ballyclare High School 10

MEDALLION PLATE QUARTER-FINAL