Down High lose out to battling Academy

10 February 2016

IT was the North Belfast side who took the spoils in this bruising encounter with Down High

unable to undo the damage of the opening 20 minutes when they conceded 13 unanswered points.

Right from the outset BRA, under the tutelage of former Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin, demonstrated they were going to bring a ferocious, ball hungry style of defence to the game.

Within the first 12 minutes, under immense pressure from the BRA kick-and-chase game and not helped by the strong head wind, Down had conceded three penalties, two of which the BRA full back slotted through the uprights for a 6-0 lead.

A fourth penalty attempt for the visitors followed around the 18-minute mark and whilst the attempt drifted wide of the posts, a most peculiar event followed. Down scrum half Lewis Finlay, standing at the dead ball line attempted to trap the ball at his feet, but it bounced back into the in goal area.

Confusion reigned amongst the surrounding Down High players while an opportunistic BRA player, who had chased the kick, dived on the ball for a score and left his kicker a straightforward conversion.

Down regathered towards the end of the half and for a 10-minute period applied sustained pressure in BRA territory.

Great carries from William Martin and Claytan Milligan saw the local lads making great progress up the pitch with the latter evening crossing the line with the ball, but was unable to get it touched down.

BRA went in at half-time relieved that they hadn’t conceded any points, but also with great confidence in their solid defence.

Despite the 13-point deficit, Down entered the second half with optimism given the strength of the wind behind them.

However, as the half got underway they struggled with accuracy in their kicking game and also lost focus in their defence on multiple occasions, allowing BRA more yard gains than the large home crowd would have liked, although the visitors weren’t able to add to their points tally.

With 10 minutes to go, hope did spring for the home side when Down High number 8 Zac Ward, opportunistically lifted a ball that had popped out of a BRA ruck deep in the visitors’ territory and dived over for a try. Charlie Power added the conversion leaving the hosts within a converted score of their opponents.

The closing moments of the game were tense as Down chased the elusive try that would reverse the damage of the first half, but it never came and the full time whistle was greeted with great elation by the boys in maroon and equal heartache for the boys in green.

This result leaves Down High in the quarter-finals of the Subsidiary Shield, a competition in which they were finalists last season. They will face Ballyclare High School at home on Saturday, February 20.

In other rugby Down High U-12s recorded a fine 5 tries to 1 victory against Regent House in Newtownards on Friday.

The boys played a lovely style of rugby and although smaller than their North Down opponents rose to the physical challenge with great gusto while keeping the ball on the move when in attack.

Tries came from Finian Cross, Ross Graham, Cameron McGaughey and Luka Kendall. The B side lost 4 tries to 2.

Down High School 7

Belfast Royal Academy 13

DANSKE BANK SCHOOLS CUP 3RD ROUND

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