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DOMESTIC RUGBY COMPETITIONS
Competitions Overview
One hundred and thirty nine teams entered Ulster
Branch adult male competitions, one fewer than last
season. This included two new team entries in Virginia
2 and PSNI 3. An additional Ulster team, Bangor, had
gained promotion to the Ulster Bank All Ireland League
(UBL).
As well as re-branded league competitions, there was
a trial of new structures for the lowest tier of rugby in
the Regional (formerly Minor) League and changes to
regulations to provide flexibility across competitions,
such as providing for replacements at Conference level.
At a time when we are acutely aware of the need to
be pro-active in supporting Domestic Rugby, several
cup finals were also combined on the same day. This
initiative was undertaken to provide a shop window to
help promote the Domestic Game.
By the season end we had witnessed the highest
number of completed adult fixtures in recent times.
Helped to a significant extent by benign weather
throughout the season we also had the lowest number
of cancelled fixture in over five years. It is worthy of note
that there were no match cancellations in Championship
One, Conference One or Championship Two. The
number of postponements was dramatically down from
three hundred and two in 2015/16 to one hundred and
forty five this season. As has been the case in previous
seasons, six teams had to withdraw from competition.
While there were undoubtedly some clubs and teams
which continued to have a disproportionate level of
success, it was nevertheless encouraging to see
evidence of competitive leagues and cup fixtures right
down to the closing stages of competitions across
all levels from SONI Premiership One right down to
Regional League Section East Two. The impact of
bonus points across all league competitions also
ensured that there was competition right until the end
of across all leagues in order to avoid relegation or
gain promotion. The competitive nature of the cup
competitions was also demonstrated by the fact that
both the River Rock Towns Cup and Crawford Cup
finals went to extra time.
Ulster Bank All Ireland Competitions
Bucking the trend of recent seasons, the performance
of Ulster clubs in the UBL was extremely encouraging,
with a nett three promotions achieved. While
Ballynahinch and Ballymena had challenging seasons,
in the end they both secured their status in 1B, where
they will be joined by 2A champions Banbridge, who
made no mistakes this time, having just fallen short
after putting themselves in a great position the previous
season. Belfast Harlequins were relegated to 2B.
Armagh won sixteen of its eighteen matches in 2B but
lost out to Greystones, who had won the same number
of games but had secured one more bonus point, in the
title race. However, in the playoff matches, wins against
Wanderers and Old Crescent secured a well-deserved
promotion to 2A. Also promoted via the play-offs were
Rainey OB, following two fine victories against Sligo
and Tullamore. They will join near neighbours City of
Derry and Dungannon in 2B next season. Bangor, after
a tough first year back in the UBL, blighted by injuries
to their squad, managed to retain senior status in 2C.
They will be joined by Omagh, the second Ulster side
to be promoted to the UBL in successive seasons.
Although losing to Malahide in the first match of their
round-robin series, they clinched the runner-up spot
with victories over Ballina and Clonmel, before travelling
to Boyne, where they secured promotion with a very
impressive 29-9 win. Omagh’s achievement is all the
greater considering that they were only promoted from
Qualifying Two in 2014/2015.
In the Ulster Bank All Ireland Senior Cup, Ballynahinch
lost to Division 1A side Old Belvedere, but Ulster teams
continued to make an impact in the All Ireland Junior
Cup, with Clogher Valley making it through to the semi-
final. In a tense match, Clogher were just overhauled
by their hosts Ashbourne, going down by the narrowest
of margins 20-19. Ashbourne then went on to win the
competition.
Domestic League Competitions
Armagh made history by winning the inaugural SONI
Ulster Premiership (formerly Ulster Senior League)
Division One, securing a bonus point victory over
Ballymena to take the title. Malone won Division Two
without losing a match.
In the Kukri Ulster Championship (formerly Qualifying)
Division One there was a tantalising end of season
three-way battle between Omagh, Instonians and
Ballyclare. In the end, Omagh’s 18-6 victory over
Carrickfergus on the last Saturday of the league was
enough to secure the title. Their subsequent promotion
to the UBL means that Instonians, Ballyclare and
Portadown will now be joined by Enniskillen in next
season’s All-Ireland Junior Cup. Coleraine returned to
the top flight by winning Championship Two, with just
one defeat. Ballymoney won twenty one of their twenty
two matches in C3 to claim the title and automatic
promotion to C2. Civil Service, as the top ranked
first XV in the Provincial League were promoted to
Championship 3.
At the other end of the table, Ards, Donaghadee and
Ophir were automatically relegated from C1, 2 and 3
respectively. A nerve-jangling playoff saw Dromore
remain in C1 with a 10-9 victory over CIYMS. UUC
were also relegated from C2 after being defeated in
a playoff with the second placed team in C3, PSNI.
Monaghan retained their place in C3 by defeating
the second ranked first XV in the Provincial league,
Donegal. Despite the results of the promotion/
relegation play-offs, the success of Omagh in qualifying
for the AIL means that CIYMS and UUC will play in C1
and C2 respectively next season.
Ballynahinch won Conference One, to secure the Past
Players Cup, while Coleraine topped Conference Two.
In the Second Fifteen League Ballynahinch Seconds
retained the title, finishing clear of their nearest
challengers Armagh Seconds. The improvement in
the number of fixtures played in the 2nd XV league
is noteworthy with five cancelled compared to the
previous season. Indeed, Ballynahinch Seconds could
justifiably lay claim to being the most successful team
in Ulster club rugby, only being defeated once (by
Ballyclare in a Conference league fixture) and claiming
two league and two cup titles.
IRFU ULSTER BRANCH
ANNUAL REPORT & STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2016/17
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