Wallace reach Schools’ Cup quarter finals

Wallace High School 1st XV player Callum Irvine in action against Belfast High School in the Danske Bank Schools' Cup last Saturday.

Wallace met Belfast HS in the 3rd Round of Cup last Saturday morning, winning 20-13.

Conditions at Belfast HS were very windy and at times wet but both teams tried to play relatively expansive game plans.

Belfast HS played with the wind in the first half and went 3-0 up after Wallace were penalised at the breakdown.

Straight away from the kick off Wallace scrum half Jonny Stewart scampered away for the opening score following a charge down kick.

Wallace enjoyed the lions share of possession as the forward pack generated quick ruck ball which the backs used and it was not long before Philip Hylands and Jacob Stockdale punched holes in the Belfast HS back line.

Twice within a five minute period Wallace came up just short of the try line as Belfast HS fought to keep their line intact.

A further penalty put Belfast HS into the lead and following a poor line out by Wallace they added a try on the stroke of half time as the Wallace defence fell off tackles.

This left the half time score 13-5 to Belfast High School.

The initial ten minutes of the second half were evenly contested before Wallace started to make their presence felt up front with Callum Irvine, Ben Pentland and Josh Collingwood to the fore.

Indeed it was Collingwood who opened the scoring in the second half as he powered through the defence to score in the corner.

Jacob Stockdale added a further try shortly after which Ryan Moore converted.

Moore added a long range penalty to put Wallace into a 20-13 lead.

In the final five minutes of normal time Belfast HS tried in vain to get over the Wallace try line but some excellent defence kept them at bay. This match was an excellent advert for schoolboy rugby, played in a good spirit and both teams should take much credit for their performances.

Wallace now proceed to the quarter final stage on Saturday February 22 when they travel to Campbell College KO 11.00am.

• The quarter final draw was made at Ballyclare HS by Peter Beattie, Senior Business Manager at Danske Bank and Stephen Black, Headmasters’ Representative on the Ulster Schools’ Committee, and the full draw is as follows:

RBAI v Methodist College

Coleraine AI v Ballyclare HS

Down HS v Sullivan Upper

Campbell College v Wallace HS.