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DOMESTIC RUGBY
COMPETITIONS
Before looking at the competition outcomes in the
2015-16 season, it is important to note the excellent
performances of two Ulster Clubs:
Bangor R.F.C.
Bangor Rugby Club’s First Fifteen, in 2015 – 2016,
achieved something which is unique in Ulster Rugby.
Just before Christmas they won the Millar McCall
Wylie Junior Cup. In the space of five days at the end
of March they added the Powerade Towns Cup and
the Kukri Qualifying One League Title. Then, during
April, they went on to win the Conference One League,
closely followed by the Ulster Bank All Ireland Round
Robin Series. No Qualifying Club has experienced that
level of success before, and for Bangor to have done
so during the most weather-disrupted season for ten
years, causing a glut of reorganised late season fixtures,
simply adds to their achievement. Their success in
the Round Robins, given that they had to play the
champions of both Munster and Leinster away from
home, was especially noteworthy and we wish them well
in the Ulster Bank All Ireland League next season.
Carrickfergus R.F.C.
Only the success of Bangor, as outlined above,
prevented Carrickfergus from being the Club of the
Year. Carrick Firsts won both Qualifying and Conference
Two leagues, their Seconds and Thirds were both
promoted from Junior Two and Junior Five respectively,
while their Fourths finished as runners-up in Minor East
before going on to win the Butler Shield. The fact that
all four of their sides were so successful suggests that
they possess the strength in depth to be competitive in
Qualifying One next season.
Competition Structures
The new competition structures, implemented at the
start of this season, following the recommendations of
the Rugby Committee Working Party, have proved to
be generally successful. The two section Soni Ulster
Championship League was badly affected by both the
weather and the scheduling due to the World Cup and
may benefit from a little more tweaking. It did however
achieve its goal of reducing the number of matches
played by our A.I.L. teams.
The reintroduction of a revised Conference League
has, after a few initial teething problems, been the most
satisfactory to date. The top six A.I.L. Second Fifteens
were provided with an appropriate level of competition
in the first half of the season, before embarking on their
own League after Christmas.
The most satisfying changes of all were those made to
the Kukri Qualifying League. The top twelve teams from
Sections Three and Four were amalgamated to form an
enlarged Section Three, the remaining teams going into
the Junior League. With promotion/relegation changed
to two up two down (the second place decided by
means of a play-off), the interest in all three Qualifying
Sections was maintained right to the end of the season.
Perhaps the most significant improvement came in
Qualifying Three in which only two matches were
cancelled, a huge improvement on last season when
nineteen games were called off.
The Junior Leagues, which for the first time included
some of the weaker A.I.L. Second Fifteens also worked
well. However, the lower sections, as well as the Minor
League, were again blighted by team withdrawals
and cancellations. While it is to be welcomed that
the number of unfulfilled matches was lower than last
season, it is still disappointing to report that over two
hundred matches were cancelled. The C.M.C. will
continue to implement procedures to reduce this to
more acceptable levels.
Ulster Bank All Ireland Competitions
Once again the overall performance of Ulster clubs in
the A.I.L. was disappointing. Ballynahinch, our sole
representative in 1A, were relegated after losing their
play-off match on the last day of the season. Also
relegated were Belfast Harlequins from 1B and Rainey
Old Boys, from 2B. Both Banbridge and City of Derry
put themselves in great positions to gain promotion, but
neither quite managed to get over the line. This means
that for next season, only two Ulster sides will play in
A.I.L. 1B and we will have no representatives in the top
division of the league.
The one really positive achievement by an Ulster club
in an All Ireland context was that of Bangor, whose
success in the Round Robin Series will increase Ulster’s
representation in the All Ireland League to eleven teams,
a welcome reverse following the demise of Ards and
Instonians over the last couple of seasons.
In the Ulster Bank All Ireland Cup, Ballynahinch put up
a very creditable performance away to Galwegians, just
coming out on the wrong end of a 35-31 scoreline.
For the second successive season three Ulster teams,
Instonians, Clogher Valley and Bangor, made it through
to the semi-finals of the All Ireland Junior Cup. In a
highly entertaining final played in dreadful weather
conditions in Ashbourne, Instonians lost to Enniscorthy
by 23-7 to become the third different Ulster side to fall at
the final hurdle in successive seasons.
Domestic League Competitions
Ballymena won the Stevenson Shield having won
three and drawn their other match in the Soni Ulster
Championship League Section One, while Banbridge
were the victors in Section Two.
As related above, Bangor won Kukri Qualifying One
losing only two of their eighteen matches. Carrick
gained promotion to the top flight by winning Qualifying
Two, also with two losses, but perhaps the league
performance of the season came from Limavady who
played and won all twenty two of their games, securing
one hundred and seven out of a possible one hundred
and ten league points and finishing an amazing
twenty seven points clear of the field. The other teams
promoted were Enniskillen (to Q1), U.U.C. (to Q2) plus
Virginia and County Cavan (both to Q3).
At the other end of the table, C.I.Y.M.S., Ballymoney
and Civil Service were relegated from Q1, 2 and 3
respectively. Enniskillen, Donaghadee and Strabane,
having lost their play-off matches, were reprieved thanks
to Bangor’s success in the Round Robins.
Bangor also won Conference One, to secure the Past
Players Cup, while Carrick topped Conference Two.
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