Banbridge Academy will be Ulster’s sole representatives in Friday’s Crowne Plaza all- Ireland schoolboys championship semi-finals in Belfast. Academy’s Eddie Rowe scored twice in the last six minutes to put the Co Down school though ahead of Wesley with a 2-1 win.
Bann though face a daunting task as they now face holders St Andrews in the last four with the latter’s Dublin rivals High School taking on Waterford side Newtown in the other tie. Newtown reached the semi-final for the first time as they beat Friends School Lisburn 2-0.
Isaac Johnson netted both times, meaning that all seven goals from the Waterford school came from the same family with older brother Ben netting four and Isaac’s twin Sam got the other. That success added to earlier wins over Limerick’s Villiers and RBAI saw them top Group D.
They were joined by High School in the final four, the Dublin side reaching this phase for the second year in a row as they hope to win the Tasmanian Shield for the first time. Banbridge Academy and St Andrew’s have shared the trophy for the last eight years and the winners of their semi will be the favoured outfits. Jamie Pullen’s penalty stroke put Andrew’s through with a 3-2 win over main Group B rivals Wallace HS.
All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships – Thursday results and final standings
Group A: Kilkenny 3 (M Neill 2, E McClure) Bangor 1 (H Dow); Wesley 1 (A Galbraith) Banbridge 2 (E Rowe 2)
Standings: 1 Banbridge Academy 9pts (+6) 2. Wesley 6pts (+4) 3. Kilkenny 0pts (-4) 4. Bangor 0pts (-6).
Group B: High School 2 (H Lynch, E Breen) Sullivan Upper 2 (P Rose, S Anderson); Newpark 5 (E Rankin 2, T Hudson-Fowler, L Adams, M Fahy) Regent House 1
Standings: 1. High School 7pts (+3) 2. Sullivan Upper 7pts (+2) 3. Newpark 3pts (+2) 4. Regent House 0pts (-7)
Group C: St Andrew’s 3 (S McCann 2, J Pullen) Wallace HS 2 (T Chambers 2); RBAI 0 Ashton 1 (E O’Dea)
Standings: 1. St Andrew’s 9pts (+9) 2. Wallace 4pts (+4) 3. Ashton 4pts (-1) 4. RBAI 0pts (-12)
Group D: Friends 0 Newtown 2 (I Johnson 2); MCB 3 (M Campton 2, P Jack) Villiers 5 (Q Eacrett 2, C Ryan, S Lilburn, C Sparling)
Standings: 1. Newtown 9pts (+4) Friends 6pts (+5) 3. Villiers 3pts (-3) 4. MCB 0pts (-6)
