2012 schools Cup.

[Beattiespastie]

Another year beckons at Ravenhill come St Paddys day and it's interesting to speculate what will unfold over the coming few months.The usual suspects will be in the mix and based on results/performances thus far it's going to be a close run race once again.
Methodist College have been building slowly all season and have managed some great,hard fought victories in recent weeks and they have retained the traditional steel in the pack despite the set back of losing loose head Ross Kane for the majority of the season with a bad knee injury. With only one narrow defeat in unlucky circumstances thus far the team can look forward to a good tour in Rome to recharge the batteries.
Campbell College once again look strong contenders but they were outmuscled at Pirrie Park on Saturday running out 19 v5 losers but they were without the impressive Mark Best and it should be a closer call come cup time.
RBAI are looking strong again this year and have a huge pack and they will be in the mix again come crunch time as will Royal School Armagh. Sullivan and Coleraine Inst are going through a transition period and are perhaps lacking a bit of experience this year but they have a lot of youth coming through in the next two years that should bode well for them.
Good luck to all the sides and hopefully the winter chill won't disrupt preparation.

[Snipe Watson]

Personally I feel Portora will put in another strong cup run this season.

[pwrmoore]

Personally I feel Portora will put in another strong cup run this season.

I do hope so snipe - do you have any sound basis for this or is it just perennial optimism?

[Snipe Watson]

Personally I feel Portora will put in another strong cup run this season.

I do hope so snipe - do you have any sound basis for this or is it just perennial optimism?

What part does sound basis play in anything I write Paul? The latter would be the accurate assessment.

[pwrmoore]

Personally I feel Portora will put in another strong cup run this season.

I do hope so snipe - do you have any sound basis for this or is it just perennial optimism?

What part does sound basis play in anything I write Paul? The latter would be the accurate assessment.

Dalriada at home in the second round - immediate conflict with her indoors

[ColinM]

2nd Round Draw Northern Bank Schools' Cup

Belfast High School v Larne Grammar School
Lurgan College v Cambridge House School
Friends School v Antrim Grammar or Wellington College
Portora Royal School v Dalriada
Rainey Endowed School v Carrick Grammar School
Omagh Academy v Banbridge Academy

The winning teams from the Round 2 matches will progress to the third round of competition and will be joined by 10 teams: Bangor Grammar, Belfast Royal Academy, Coleraine Academical Institution, Down High School, Foyle & Londonderry College, Grosvenor Grammar School, Portadown College, Regent House School, Royal School Dungannon and Sullivan Upper School.

Third round matches will be played on Saturday 28th January 2012

The final 8 seeded teams; Ballyclare High School, Ballymena Academy, Campbell College, Limavady Grammar, Methodist College Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Royal School Armagh and Wallace High School will join the winners of Round 3 for Round 4 of competition on Saturday 11th February.

Quarter-Finals: Saturday 25th February 2012
Semi-Finals: 5th and 7th March 2012, 2.30pm (Ravenhill)
Final: Monday 19th March 2012, 3pm (Ravenhill)

[Snipe Watson]

How depressing, to be ranked below: Coleraine Academical Institution, Down High School, Foyle & Londonderry College, Portadown College and help us all Royal School Dungannon

[Jordy]

Usual suspects, though seemingly Ballyclare HS could be a threat. MCB are the form team turning over both CC and Inst comfortably......

[Harold7]

Any standout youngsters at Schools level this season? Last year we had Nelson and Farrell and the year before Jackson and the year before that Annett, Marshall, Gilroy (though I understand he didn't really take off until afterwards) and Allen (what's the craic with his progress anyway?), anyone this year, preferably a couple of back rows or second rows! I remember the Campbell flanker Best looked pretty useful last year and I think he has a year left. Anyone else?

[Beattiespastie]

Mark Gribben ( centre), MCB...Harrison ( tight head)' MCB, ...Gallagher (fullback) MCB ...Methody have a large contingent of 5th and lower 6th players in their first and second 15 that are coming along well under the watchful eye of Nicky Wells but as ever it's staying uninjured that's the real issue. Arguably Methodys brightest prospect is sitting the season out namely Ross Kane..great player at loosehead.

[Jordy]

MCB have an embarrassment of riches. Paddy Colhoun(wing), flying machine and great finisher who represents Irish School's over 100m, scores tries freely at will. Wasn't considered for Ulster Schools U18's due to hamstring injury otherwise he was a shoe in, only in L6. Rudolph Benade also MCB(wing,centre,fullback!) only in 5th year,oozes confidence and happily shoulders the responsibility of taking the kicks, silky with ball in hand and very versatile. Campbell have Rob Haldane, whom along with Mark Best, this team fail to tick if both not playing.....

[Beattiespastie]

MCB completed 2011with a hard fought 10 v 6 victory away to Royal School Armagh today giving them a 100% record thus far. The seconds also chalked up an excellent 12 v 10 victory against their RSA counterparts despite some bewildering reffing and awful pitch.
Despite early season injury worries the Methody squad has shown it has the depth to give the 2012 schools cup a real go this year with the first and second squad successful on their recent Italian tour as well illustrating a great bond in this years senior set-up.
It's great to see a good number of fifth year lads in the senior set up doing so well and this can only bode well for the next couple of years.

[cjp]

MCB completed 2011with a hard fought 10 v 6 victory away to Royal School Armagh today giving them a 100% record thus far. The seconds also chalked up an excellent 12 v 10 victory against their RSA counterparts despite some bewildering reffing and awful pitch.
Despite early season injury worries the Methody squad has shown it has the depth to give the 2012 schools cup a real go this year with the first and second squad successful on their recent Italian tour as well illustrating a great bond in this years senior set-up.
It's great to see a good number of fifth year lads in the senior set up doing so well and this can only bode well for the next couple of years.

Rockwell or somebody not beat them at Pirrie this year?

[Beattiespastie]

Unbeaten against other Ulster schools sides...Rockwell did beat MCB in a close fought match but as already pointed out I was referring to other schools involved in the schools cup in 2012...should be a good,close run cup competition this year with all the big schools looking good

[ruckover]

4th round draw:

Ballyclare High School v Royal School Armagh
RBAI v Royal School Dungannon
Dalriada v Bangor Grammar
Coleraine Inst v Ballymena Academy
Foyle College/Banbridge Academy v Cambridge House/Wellington College
Wallace High School v Limavady Grammar
Campbell College v Grosvenor Grammar
Rainey Endowed v Methodist College

CAI v Ballymena really stands out, MCB and RBAI seem to have an easy passage through to the next round though.