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Subsidiary Shield Semi Final Success for 1st XV

3/6/2016

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Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield S/F: Down High 39 -10 Rainey Endowed

Down High and Rainey played out a physical and entertaining encounter in Magherafelt on Saturday in their Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield semi final. Despite Rainey starting strongest it was the Co. Down side whose mature performance allowed them to emerge as victors whilst securing a place in the final.

In the opening minutes, Rainey applied a lot of pressure in the Down High half and were helped by some defensive errors by the visiting side. This pressure generated a penalty on the 5 minute mark and Rainey opted for the kick at posts but the ball drifted wide. However Rainey did get reward for their hard work when they crashed over the line 10 minutes in. The conversion attempt drifted wide.

The restart following Rainey's try allowed Down to regain vital territory and within 5 minutes the boys in green had got their own scoring account opened. Captain William Martin crashed over the whitewash, taking a pass from Claytan Milligan following some patient phase play in the Rainey 22. Charlie Power's conversion attempt fell short. However Power soon added to the Down tally when he slotted 3 points after Rainey were deemed to be offside at a breakdown.

For the remainder of the first half Down managed territory effectively and coupled with good discipline in defence, they kept Rainey well pinned in their quarters. With 5 minutes to go before the break Matthew Porter extended the Down lead when he spotted a gap in the Rainey defence and took a neat pass off Lewis Finlay to dive over. Power added the extras giving Down a 15-5 lead going into the interval.

The second half got off to a pleasing start for the Downpatrick lads when Charlie Power landed a penalty with only 3 minutes played.

Despite conceding these early points Rainey kept fighting and forced Down to spend a considerable period of time defending however the visitors system stayed in tact.

With 15 minutes gone in the half, wing Harry Hitchens chased an excellent Jack Carlisle grubber kick and got the touchdown. Power had no problem converting.

Power then put the result beyond doubt when he intercepted the ball on a Rainey attack and had the straightforward job of running in for a try under the posts. He duly added the extras.

Down High emptied their bench with 12 minutes to go and despite some excellent performances from the replacements, Rainey did manage an unconverted consolation try.

The visitors had the final say of the day when Marcus Graham showed some excellent evasion skills to finish off a counter attack that had been started by second row Tom Martin who had an impressive showing throughout the match. Power added the 2 points leaving Down with a 39 points to 10 points victory at the final whistle.

Down will now play either Wallace or Coleraine, who drew on Saturday in their semi final. The final will be played at the Kingspan Stadium on Monday 14th March. Kick off will be at 2.30pm.

Ticketing information will be available via @downhighrugby twitter page in the coming days.

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Down High produce the goods against Ballyclare

2/20/2016

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Dankse Bank Subsidiary Shield Q/F

Down High 25 – 12 Ballyclare High

Down High bounced back from their disappointing Schools Cup defeat against Belfast Royal Academy two weeks ago to record a confidence boosting win over Ballyclare High School on Saturday’s subsidiary shield quarter final in Downpatrick.


The home side got off to fantastic start when Zac Ward crashed over the line in the third minute of action, finishing off a great series of phase play that included an incisive line break by William Annett. Charlie Power added the extras.


Ballyclare narrowed the gap around 10 minutes into the half when a missed tackle in the Down High defence allowed the visitor’s inside centre to make a major break into the home side’s territory.  Within a few phases after this break the boys in red had crossed the whitewash. However Down maintained their lead as the conversion attempt drifted wide.


Down responded well following the restart and good defensive work saw Ballyclare concede a penalty which Power slotted over.  The Down lead didn’t last long though, when another defensive error allowed the Ballyclare inside centre another massive line break and subsequent yard gain which, despite an outstanding tackle by William Annett, eventually led to the Co. Antrim men barging over under the posts for a try that was very straightforwardly converted.


A few minutes later, Power scored another penalty for the local lads after more solid work at the breakdown. Both Power and the Ballyclare kicker did miss penalties in the 5 minutes before half time leaving Down with a slender 13-12 lead at the interval.


In the second half Down continued to be dominant up front but most importantly they also managed to resolve their defensive issues in the backline and consistently contained any Ballyclare attacks. During the half they scored two unanswered tries that were ultimately enough to seal the win.


The first of these tries came through William Annett who along with Harry Hitchens chased an excellent Johnny McCoubrey kick up field and was fortunate when the ball popped up following a tackle. Once the ball was in his hands he had a fairly straightforward run in for a try that Charlie Power had no problem converting.

With 10 minutes to go Matthew Porter, who had put in a very convincing shift all day, crashed over on the back of some patient but dominant attacking play by the home side pack. Power missed the conversion.

In the closing minutes Ballyclare did play some rugby up at the Down end but the home side defence held firm until the final whistle. Down now progress to the semi final of the shield where they will play either Rainey Endowed or Regent away on Saturday 5th March.


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Team named for Subsidiary Shield Clash

2/18/2016

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Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield Q/F

Down High vs Ballyclare High

Saturday 20th February

Kick off 10.30

1. A Chambers

2. C Milligan

3. H McCormick

4. C Beattie

5. T Martin

6. M Porter

7. L Canning

8. Z Ward

9. L Finlay

10. P Browne

11. M Graham

12. C Power

13. J McCoubrey

14. H Hitchens

15. W Annett

16. A Haslett

17. C Scurfield

18. M Harper

19. M McDowell

20. B Keown

21. D Peters

22. J Carlisle

23. R Patterson

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First round out of the way for Third XV

11/30/2015

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Danske Bank 3rd XV Cup

Down High 23 Ballyclare High 5

Down High 3rd XV got their cup campaign off to a successful start on Saturday when they hosted a well drilled Ballyclare side in Downpatrick. Out half Daniel Millington made the most of the wind in the first half to keep Ballyclare well pinned in their own half.

Around the 10 minute mark, flanker Luke Thompson got the scoreboard ticking when he finished off a good sequence of play to touchdown for a try. Matthew Dougherty missed the conversion but added a penalty about 25 minutes into the game after Ballyclare strayed offside in defence.

In the second half Ballyclare got off to the better start and closed the gap to three points when they scored a try after a period of pressure in the Down 22. However Down didn’t take long to respond as Luke Thompson touched down in the corner for his second try.

Wing Michael Donaldson scored what was arguably the try of the match when he finished off a fine piece of backline play taking the final pass from full back Zac Fisher. In the closing minutes Andrew McNeilly added a final score for the boys in green when he touched down after some hard work by the green pack. 

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NEW SPONSORS LINE OUT FOR 1st XV

9/23/2015

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Photo courtesy of Chris Halpin/ Mourne Observer

After a number of successful seasons with their Senior Rugby Teams and with the hope of more to come in the forthcoming season, Down High have recently invested in a new 1st XV playing kit and a range of training gear. This investment was made possible through sponsorship from the main sponsorCanning Developments, Lindsay Graham Estate Agents andThe Book People book company.

The school is very grateful for the continued support offered by the sponsors and look forward to working in partnership with them as part of the school’s policy of establishing and developing links with the local community.

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Nail biting final for 2nd XV

4/22/2015

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Danske Bank 2nd XV Cup Final

Down High 16 Methodist College 22

The rugby season at Down High came to a nail biting finish on Saturday at Friends School, Lisburn where the 2nd XV played out an exciting final against Methodist College. The boys from Downpatrick didn’t have an easy run to this final, the first in Down High’s history, having defeated Rainey Endowed, Ballyclare High, Ballymena Academy and Belfast Royal Academy on their way. What this journey did give was confidence that they could overturn their rivals, Methodist College.

Despite playing with the wind on their backs, the opening 10 minutes proved very costly for Down High as they conceded two soft tries off Methody set piece plays, the first being off a scrum and the second of a driven lineout. On both occasions the neat boot of Methody’s out half added the conversions to give his side an early 14-point lead.

Despite going behind so early, Down High didn’t cave in and around 12 minutes with persistence in attack, Methody conceded a penalty just outside their 22 for going off their feet in a ruck. John Hyndman opted for the kick and slotted it nicely to begin the process of eroding Methody’s lead.

As the half progressed it was clear to see that Down High’s confidence was growing both in attack and defence as they matched the side from Belfast in every regard. Indeed Down High were next to score, when on the 28 minute mark, John Hyndman added another penalty.

The final encounters of the first half were entertaining as both teams showed attacking promise but were matched by equally impressive defensive systems leading to no further scores before the interval. Half time score 14-6.

The start of the second half showed much resemblance to the start of the first in that Methody, now with wind assistance, pressured Down High territory. However there was one crucial difference as this time the Down High defence  was rock solid with players like William Martin and Harry McCormick making some immense tackles. With each minute that the game went on, Methody’s frustration grew but equally did Down High confidence.

Play was stopped for a prolonged period 15 minutes into the half when Down High captain Stuart Cochrane received treatment for an injury. Proceedings resumed with Methody playing off a scrum 10 metres from the Down High line but Down High remained impenetrable and in a crucial play even managed to force a penalty allowing them to clear their lines.

The next 10 minutes of play were dominated by Down High and fruitful for them as they scored 10 points to take the lead in the game. William Annett scored the first of these points when he crossed the whitewash under the posts cutting a great line off Patrick Browne, who himself had found a gap in the Belfast side’s defence. Browne added the conversion to narrow the Methody lead to two points.  4 minutes later Methody strayed off side in their enthusiasm to keep Down High at bay and Johnny McCoubrey punished them by adding three points to give Down High the lead. 

With 11 minutes to go everyone watching sensed an upset may be on the cards. However 3 minutes later Methody were awarded a penalty after a Down High infringement in the ruck. Despite being on the 10 metre line the Methody out half confidently struck the ball and took his side back into a narrow lead.

In the final period of the game Down High chased after a score but in the end their fate was sealed with the side from Belfast adding an unconverted try with 2 minutes left.  Ultimately Down High will rue the opening minutes of this encounter but with reflection they will look back on a game and indeed a season where they have demonstrated outstanding rugby that has raised the bar of performance when a green shirt is put on.

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2s Secure place in Final

3/28/2015

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Down High 2nd XV side travelled to Roughfort for their semi final tie against BRA on Saturday in confident mood having recorded wins against Rainey, Ballyclare and Ballymena on their way. The wind turbine towering over the North Belfast venue was turning at full speed with the almost gale force wind that greeted the players as they took to the field.

It was the home side who opened the scoring on the 10 minute mark with a well struck penalty that had been awarded against Down High for not releasing the ball in the tackle.

In the minutes that followed, BRA made good use of the wind to pin the visitors back with Down High also struggling to clear their lines. However out half Patrick Browne responded well to these challenges and as the game developed opted to keep more ball in hand. Indeed Browne was instrumental in Down High's first score when he made an outstanding break from his own 22 before linking with John Hyndman who carried well and eventually fed winger Harry Hitchens who crossed for what turned out to be the try of the day. Hyndman's conversion into the wind fell well short of the target.

The final part of the half was played in the middle third of the pitch and there were no further scores before half time. Half time score BRA 3 DHS 5.

In the second half it took Down High 14 minutes to extend their lead. They did so through a well struck, wind assisted John Hyndman penalty from the 10 metre line.

Down High increased the gap further through an opportunistic Ewan Keers try with 10 minutes to go. BRA had won a ball in a scrum on their own 22 however Keers noticed that when the ball came to the back of the scrum that it had passed the number 8's feet before being dragged back in. The quick thinking scrum half then picked up the ball and showed good strength to fight his way past the covering defence to cross the whitewash.

Hyndman missed the conversion attempt but sealed the result and a place in the final with 2 minutes to go when he struck another penalty between the uprights.

The final against Methodist College will be played at Friends School Lisburn on Saturday 18th April.

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Down High leave the Kingspan with heads held high

3/23/2015

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Dankse Bank Subsidiary Shield Final

Down High 10 Ballymena Academy 20

Despite leaving the Kingspan Stadium on Thursday as runners up, the Down HS 1st XV left proud. They were the first Down High team in 33 years to have made this final and their performance on the day, in front of a buoyant travelling support, was of the highest order.

It was Down HS that dominated the opening exchanges, with Zac Ward and Luke Sandford particularly prominent around the park. But the Ballymena defence was resolute and they were able to launch some attacks of their own, although they were unable to cross the whitewash. Both sides were unsuccessful with penalty opportunities before Ballymena outhalf Andrew Magrath registered the first points of the game from the tee on the half hour mark. However, Down HS fullback Joe Bingham kicked a penalty two minutes later to draw level but there was still time for Magrath to push his side ahead with another three pointer on the stroke of half time.

Half time: Ballymena Academy 6 Down HS 3

Both teams had opportunities after the break, including a missed Down HS penalty, but it was Ballymena who made the first breakthrough in the 42nd minute. Joe Thompson and Jonny McKewon were involved in the initial burst, before Magrath sent Angus Kernohan racing clear to score under the posts. Magrath added the conversion for a 13-3 lead.

The next period of the game was played in the middle third of the pitch and despite some good phases by both teams, the defences were on top.

The result was sealed for Ballymena when captain Josh McIlroy started and finished an attack five minutes from the end, with Magrath’s conversion extending the advantage to 20-3.

In a fitting finish to what had been a tighly contested fixture, Bingham got a consolation score at the death when he collected the ball in his own 22 and outpaced the tiring defence to touch down for a fine individual try. His conversion reduced the gap 20-10 as the final whistle sounded following an excellent game.

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2's Secure place in Cup Semi Final

3/23/2015

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In the Danske Bank 2nd XV Cup Down High travelled to now familiar rivals Ballymena Academy on Saturday morning to replay their quarter final fixture with the two sides having drawn their previous tie 3-3. In what was another tightly contested affair second row Alex Martin opened the scoring for Down High with a try 10 minutes into the game. John Hyndman added 3 points before half time to give the visitors an 8-0 lead at half time. Ballymena clawed back some points with a try half way through the second period before scrum half Ewan Keers sealed the victory with a fine individual try in the dying minutes of the game. The boys now face BRA in the semi finals of this competition.

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Down High Secure Place in Final

3/7/2015

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Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield Semi Final
Regent 8 Down High 19

Down High produced a convincing performance on Saturday in Newtownards to comfortably defeat Regent and secure a place in the Danske Bank Subsidiary Shield Final. The two sides had met twice already this season with Down High coming out on top on both occasions however the boys in green had been well warned about complacency and knew Regent would make the most of their home field advantage.

Down High started the game kicking off into the very strong breeze and in the opening minutes looked very capable of scoring an early try however a few instances of poor decision making in the wide channels meant that Regent were able to contain them. The early exchanges at set piece suggested Regent had the more dominant scrum however the Down line out was superior.

As the half developed Regent began to make smarter use of the wind and made territorial gains with the boot. Around 8 minutes Regent did opt to kick a penalty to the corner in attempt to catch and drive off the lineout but the visiting defence held firm. However shortly afterwards, around the 10 minute mark, a penalty was awarded to the home side when Down High were deemed to be offside at a ruck. The Regent kicker gauged the wind effectively and slotted the kick to give his side the opening score.

During the following 10 minute period Down High retained possession well and mounted several promising attacks but also defended with great resilience when Regent were in possession. It took until the 20 minute mark until Down High managed to record points when Rory Kerr showed excellent pace to expose a gap in the home defence and run in for the score on the back of some excellent phase play by Down High. Jo Bingham read the wind to perfection when he added the difficult conversion.

Before half time both sides had opportunities to extend their tally of scores. Regent had a penalty attempt drift wide and Down High showed some excellent open play decision making that allowed Luke Sandford to run in from his own half only for him to be called back because the referee deemed the final pass to be forward. Given the strong wind Down High were delighted to head into half time with the lead. Half time score 7-3.

In the second half Down High took 7 minutes to extend their lead. They clearly appreciated the assistance of the wind to get into Regent territory and their first score of the half came from Luke Sandford who ran a great line off a backline set piece move to touch down under the posts. Bingham added the extras.

Down High did suffer a set back 13 minutes into the half when Zac Ward was yellow carded for being offside at the ruck however the Down High defence held firm during this period and never really looked like their line was under threat. Not long after they were restored to the full compliment, off some open play, Ross Carlisle showed some great footwork to slip through the defence and cross the whitewash. Uncharacteristically, Bingham's conversion drifted wide.

With the result now looking fairly safe Down High made a number of changes to give some of their squad players more game experience. These replacements did extremely well and Down High continued to both attack and defend well. Despite this Regent did manage a consolatory unconverted try 1 minute from full time to leave the final score at 8-19 in favour of the lads in green.

The final whistle was greeted with elation from the Down High players and support as they now relish the opportunity to play at the Kingspan Stadium in the final of this historic competition. Down High last played in this final in 1982. This game will be played on Thursday 19th March. Details and updates will be available at www.downhighrugby.com and on twitter @downhighrugby


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