We caught up with the early season friendly between the Royal School Armagh and Omagh Academy Medallion Squads at College Hill on Tuesday afternoon. Action from the Medallion Friendly between Royal School Armagh and Omagh Academy at College Hill on Tuesday 9th September 2025 It was a typical hard fought contest between these two rivals and a second half try from Omagh's Logan Crawsbury was the difference between the teams as Omagh recorded a 0 - 5 win. Match Gallery

We caught up with the second half of the Championship 2 clash at Roughfort between Academy and Lisburn on Saturday afternoon. By the time we caught up with this one Academy were leading 15 - 13 at half time, Lisburn burrowing over for a score at the end of the half.

We caught up with first half of the Regional East clash between Academy and Cooke 3rd XV's on Saturday afternoon at Roughfort. I was quite surprised to hear the final score of 76 - 10 in this one as the first half was fairly competitive. Academy had a definite edge but Cooke also had their moments.

Larne Grammar and Dromore also held a Senior Squad hit out at Lower Cairncastle Road on Saturday morning. The game was also played over three 20 minute periods with Larne leading 7 - 0 thanks to a Ralph Wilson try in the first period. Ralph Wilson scored Larne's first try against Dromore It was a tight game with much of the action focused on a strong defensive display from Larne with brothers Reuben and Corbin Marsden notable in their efforts to slow down the Dromore play and create a few turnovers.

We caught up with the first period of the Medallion Squad Friendly between Larne Grammar and Dromore High early Saturday morning at Lower Cairncastle Road. The game was played over three 20 minute periods with both schools keen to test out their full squads. We caught up with the first 20 minutes of the game.

Local photographer Amy Robinson picked up the inaugural schools challenge match between Portadown College and CUS Dublin at Killicomaine Road on Saturday morning. The Dublin side traveled up for a morning of rugby and then on for some team building locally in Portadown. The return fixture will take place later this year in Dublin.

We caught up with this season's, opening week, Championship 2 fixture between Carrickfergus and Academy at Tom Simms Memorial Park on a damp Saturday afternoon. The constant drizzle and sometimes heavy rain together with a gusting wind ensured a scrappy start to the opening league fixture. Carrick's Ryan McGonigle powers to the line for the opening score. Carrick got their act together the quickest and David Carse came close to opening the scoring only to knock on as he trued to gather a loose ball.

After getting held up by a few band parades on the way I eventually made it to Coleraine for the Senior squad hit out between Coleraine Grammar and Belfast Royal Academy on a damp Saturday morning. Unfortunately I was unable to get scorer details from either school before I had to leave for my next match so it's a brief report.

We caught up with the Schools Senior Friendly between The Royal School Armagh and English touring side Clifton College on Thursday Afternoon at College Hill. Ireland's leading girls hockey team over the last three seasons don't look to be letting up this year as they unveiled Ulster and Ireland U18 legend Evie Girvan in the line up ahead of this game.

We caught up with the Junior Schools Friendly between Royal School Armagh and, touring english Side, Clifton College on thursday afternoon at College Hill. Clifton applied the early pressure in this game but a break out by armagh found Sophie Jones in space in the D and she cooly dispatched her chance to give Armagh a 1 - 0 lead after 4 minutes.

I caught up with the finals day of the Portadown Ladies Hockey Club U15 Girls Invitational Tournament at Edenvilla Park on Sunday. Ten teams were involved. The teams were split into two groups of five and they played out their group round robin matches over Friday and Saturday to give the final group standings as shown below.

We caught up with the U18 interprovincial Championship match between Ulster and Munster at Newforge Sports Centre on Saturday afternoon. I was looking forward to this game but it was another disappointing smash em, bash em on a humid afternoon with Ulster coming off second best. bobby O'Callaghan sprints clear for Munster's opening try Munster opened the scoring at the end of the first quarter as winger Bobby O’Callaghan sprinted clear from deep after an interception.

We, eventually, caught up with the Irish U18 clubs Interprovincial Series match between Ulster and Munster on the artificial pitch at Newforge on Saturday afternoon. I missed the start of this one as I was sat at the bottom end of the grass pitch watching the end of the mighty Larne Ladies hockey match against Pegasus as I waited for the teams to come out as no one told me they were using two pitches for the rugby!

We caught up with this Irish Schools U18 Interprovincial match between Ulster and Munster at Newforge Sports Center on Saturday afternoon. Munster got off to the best of starts with an interception try from Najim Jagena, converted by Daniel Murphy, for a 0 - 7 lead. Najim Jagena enjoyed his try for munster after 2 minutes of play. Ulster replied 9 minutes later after a period of pressure in the Munster 22 ended when James Wells spotted a gap to sneak over close to the posts for James McMillan to convert.

Ulster Hockey U18 Boys entertained, English State Schools select side, Hockey Mentors at Jordanstown Sports Village on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for a three match series. It was a good work out for the boys side ahead of the Interprovincial Championship which will take place at Lisnagarvey Hockey Club on the 29th - 31st August. We caught up with Monday and Wednesday matches.

Ulster Hockey U18 Girls entertained, English State Schools select side, Hockey Mentors at Belfast High School on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for a three match series. It was a good work out for the girls side ahead of the Interprovincial Championship which will take place in Cork on the 5th - 7th September. We caught up with Monday and Wednesday matches.

Ulster Hockey U16 Boys entertained, English State Schools select side, Hockey Mentors at Jordanstown Sports Village on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for a three match series. It was a good work out for the boys side ahead of the Interprovincial Championship which will take place at Lisnagarvey Hockey Club on the 29th - 31st August. We caught up with Monday and Wednesday matches.

Ulster Hockey U16 Girls entertained, English State Schools select side, Hockey Mentors at Belfast High School on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for a three match series. It was a good work out for the girls side ahead of the Interprovincial Championship which will take place in Cork on the 5th - 7th September. We caught up with Monday and Wednesday matches.

The final Interprovincial Championship game at Ravenhill on Sunday afternoon featured Ulster U19 against Leinster U19. Ulser opened the scoring in this one with an eighth minute penalty from captain Owen O'Kane for a 3 - 0 lead. Ronan Kelly slides over for Leinster. Leinster hit back 8 minutes later as scrum half Alex Crawley spun over from close range for the try to be awarded.

The second Interprovincial Championship Match at Ravenhill on Saturday featured Ulster Schools U18 against Leinster Schools U18. Leinster took he early lead in this one as hooker Brion Donagh caught the Ulster defence napping, at the front of a lineout, to bundle over in the corner for the opening score and a 0 - 5 lead.

We caught up with the Boys U18 and U19 Interprovincial Championship Matches against their Leinster counterparts at Ravenhill on a sunny Sunday afternoon, First up we had Ulster U18 Clubs against Leinster U18 Clubs. Ulster had the best of starts with a try after four minutes as Elias Agbonkpolor burrowed over from close range. Jonnie Kennedy added the extras to give Ulster a 7 - 0 lead.

I caught up with the Chester Cup match between Larne and Randalstown on Saturday afternoon at the Glynn. The Larne pitch looked in excellent conditions for the annual challenge match which traditionally starts my club rugby coverage for the season but, it was a bit warm for too much running around and the match was played over four 20 minute quarters to ensure adequate refreshment.

Of course the big hockey match over the weekend was the challenge game between Ulster U16 Parents and Relatives against the UK Lions Parents and Relatives which was played on Sunday at Lisnagarvey Hockey Club between the U16 morning and afternoon sessions.

Ulster Hockey welcomed UK Lions to Lisnagarvey Hockey club over the weekend for a five game series between the Girls U16 sides. Ulster's U16 side, loaded with quite a few All Ireland Schools Champions from the last two years, proved too much from the UK Lions side with the home team winning all five matches. However, the energetic Lions side made the Ulster girls work hard for their wins.

Ulster Hockey welcomed UK Lions to Lisnagarvey Hockey club over the weekend for an eight game series between the Boys U16 sides. With Ulster using the series to try out combinations, ahead of the Interprovincial Championship at the end of the month, it was the Lions side that dominated proceedings, in the Friday and Saturday matchups, with six wins from six over the first two days.