Banbridge Academy U12 Rugby team claimed their first piece of silverware last week, winning the Down High School tournament against twelve of the provinces top schools.

The Academy boys were grouped with hosts Down High and a very strong side from Bangor Grammar. The Academy started strongly beating Down High by 3-0 (tries) with the scores coming from Elijah Dempsey (2) and Ryan Hanna.  In the second game, they beat Bangor Grammar 3-1 with scores from Ryan Hanna, Peter Lewis and Andrew Jackson.

This placed the team in the semi-final with Group B winners, Wallace High School. The Academy took the lead with a score from Ryan Hanna, but Wallace struck back with two tries before Banbridge earned the draw with a well worked score, again from Ryan Hanna. Banbridge progressed to the final by virtue of having scored first.

The final was a closely fought contest against Friends’ School who had triumphed over Sullivan Upper in the other semi- final. Bann struck first through Hanna, but Friends’ responded immediately to tie the scores.  In the second half, Hanna scored two further tries before Friends’ scored at the death to leave the score 3-2 in favour of the Banbridge Academy U12 team.

The squad included: Ryan Hanna & Andrew Jackson (co-captains), Michael Porter, Peter Lewis, Sam Dorman, Alfie Donaldson, Noah Bell, Nazie James Mulligan, Thomas Evans, Zac Foster, Jonathan Reid, Jonathan Howard, Elijah Dempsey, Eoighan Comiskey, Benjamin Quigley, Jamie McGaw, Callum Little & Adam Jones.