Schools: Ballyclare High 52 Belfast Royal Academy 17

Ballyclare High School and Belfast Royal Academy served up an entertaining match at the High School grounds on Saturday morning with Ballyclare running out 52 – 17 winners.

The match was very competitive for the first 50 minutes with Ballyclare pulling away over the last twenty to put some icing on the score line.

In fact it was BRA who set the early pace with Aaron Gooderham crossing for the opening score about ten minutes in, Ryan Jameson adding the conversion.

Ballyclare hit back five minutes later with out half Mark Jackson crossing and converting to take the score to 7 all. Five minutes later the High School were in front after a strong run down the left by Matthew Spence who crossed in the corner for an unconverted try.

With the play switching from end to end it was BRA’s turn to respond and the Academy duly obliged with Jack McKee sneaking over in the corner to take the score to 12 – all.

However the home team managed to find the line once more before the break with Adam Barron crossing and Jackson converting to give Ballyclare a 19 – 12 lead as the sides changed ends.

BRA were quick out of the blocks at the start of the second half with Ulster Schools player Elliott Donaldson crossing out wide for an unconverted try, but from then on it was pretty much one way traffic as Ballyclare cut loose.

Robert Reid and Scott Martin both crossed before Spence, and Jackson went over for the second time each. Andrew Petrie completed the scoring late on.  Jackson finished the game with two tries and 6 conversions to give a final score of Ballyclare High 52 Belfast Royal Academy 17.

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