Ulster Rugby - Annual Report 2017-18

CLUBS COMMITTEE REPORT 2017-2018 Competitions Overview The new season started with one hundred and thirty seven teams entered in Ulster Branch adult male competitions, two fewer than the previous year. This included two new teams, Banbridge 5th XV and Ballyshannon. For the first time two more new teams, Enniskillen 4th XV and Strabane 3rd XV, entered the Regional league after Christmas. Following a trial of new structures for the lowest tier of rugby (the Regional League), last year, a review was undertaken. As there was a broadly positive feedback from Clubs, it was agreed that the Regional League format be continued for the 2017/2018 season. Some practical learning points were incorporated to reflect input from Clubs on the Regional League trial. Additionally, the initiative introduced last year to combine male domestic cup finals on the same day had proved popular and successful, so was continued for this season. By the end of the season we had, for the first time, more teams playing in Ulster Rugby competitions than we had at the start of the competitive programme. This was partly attributable to the two new teams entering the Regional League but was also a consequence of only one withdrawal during the season. The lower overall number of fixtures played was directly attributable to late arrival of adverse weather making the re-arrangement of postponed games challenging. Despite the very significant increase in the number of postponed fixtures due to this adverse weather, we had the lowest number of cancelled fixtures in over six years, further building on the significant reduction from last year. It is worthy of note that there were no match cancellations in either Championship One or Championship Two. Compared to last year there appeared to be a greater spread of success across all adult competitions. For instance of the twelve domestic male finals played, eleven were won by different Clubs. As with last year, the impact of bonus points across all league competitions ensured that most matches remained competitive right until the end, with Clubs vying for promotion or trying to avoid relegation. Ulster Bank All Ireland Competitions Overall the performance of Ulster Clubs in the UBL was mixed. Malone secured promotion to 1B by winning sixteen of their eighteen league fixtures. Both Ballynahinch and Banbridge lost out in their quest for promotion to 1A at the play-off stage. City of Armagh, having been promoted to 2A the previous season, defeated Nenagh Ormond in a play-off to secure promotion to 1B. This means that there will be five Ulster teams in 1B next season – Ballymena, Ballynahinch, Banbridge, City of Armagh and Malone. In 2B Rainey just failed to secure promotion after being defeated by Navan in a play-off. Finally, in an Ulster derby, Belfast Harlequins defeated Omagh to retain their place in 2B. For Belfast Harlequins the victory meant that they avoided relegation in successive years. Given that Omagh had only secured promotion to UBL 2C last year, the securing of a play-off place was particularly encouraging. In the round robin competition, Instonians

represented Ulster and had two away matches to the Leinster and Munster champions. After an encouraging draw away to Asbourne, Instonians lost their final two games, against Ballina at Shaws Bridge and away to Bandon. For the first time in several years no Ulster teams reached the semi-finals of the All-Ireland Junior Cup. Domestic League Competitions In the SONI Ulster Premiership Division One, City of Armagh’s defeat of Malone in a finale played at Gibson Park on 1st May meant they had retained the Stevenson Shield without losing a match. At the other end of the table, City of Derry were relegated. Their place will be taken by Queen’s University, who will play in the first division next season by virtue of also having won all of their games to secure the Division Two title. In the Ulster Championship Division One there was an exciting end of season two-way battle between Instonians and Ballyclare, both of whom had lost out in a three-way tussle with Omagh the previous season. In the end, Instonians’ victory over neighbours Cooke at Shaws Bridge on the last scheduled Saturday of the league was enough to secure the title. They will be joined in next season’s All-Ireland Junior Cup by Ballyclare, CIYMS and Carrick. Grosvenor gained promotion to the top flight by winning Championship Two, winning all eighteen fixtures. Lurgan won Championship Three after a neck and neck battle with Donaghadee, the title being decided at Donaldson Park on the last Saturday of the league programme in a tense 6-6 draw. Ophir, as the only remaining first XV in the Provincial League were promoted to Championship Three. At the other end of the tables, Clogher Valley, PSNI and Donegal Town were automatically relegated from Championships One, Two and Three respectively. A play-off saw Portadown remain in Championship One with a 36-17 victory over Randalstown, while UUC retained their place in Championship Two after defeating Donaghadee in their play-off. City of Armagh Seconds won Conference One to secure the Past Players Cup, while Grosvenor topped Conference Two. In the Second Fifteen League Armagh Seconds pipped last year’s winners, Ballynahinch Seconds, to win that title as well. In Division One of the Provincial League, Ballynahinch Thirds, runners-up last season, won sixteen of their seventeen fixtures to secure the title. The winner of Provincial Two, by no less than thirteen points, was Rainey Old Boys Seconds, who had been relegated from Division One the previous season. City of Armagh Thirds, who had only been promoted the previous season, comfortably won Division Three. Dungannon Thirds easily won Division Three, while Ballyclare Fourths overcame Instonians Thirds in a close race for the Division Five title. UUC Seconds won Division Six by a margin of nineteen league points. The continuation of the Regional League format meant that there were two different league structures before and after Christmas. Before Christmas, Enniskillen Thirds, Grosvenor Seconds and City of Armagh Fourths won the three Regional League sections. At the end of this first phase, all thirty one teams confirmed their entry for the programme commencing in the new year.

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18

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