Sullivan Upper will now host Belfast Royal Academy in the Schools’ Cup quarter-finals after they overcame Banbridge Academy in the first round of 16 clash to be played out at Ravenhill.
Played in appalling conditions, both sides produced a decent contest with Sullivan leading 12-3 at half-time before pulling away in the latter part of the game.
Banbridge, were unlucky not to score in the opening period of the new half and deserved more than a solitary penalty but Sullivan’s four tries, two either side of the halfway point, saw them through with something to spare.
Sullivan got the scoreboard moving before the 10-minute mark when a kick from scrum half Oliver Keown was snaffled by Harry Thallon who charged up field and supplied winger Brett Russell.
He put on the gas for the corner but was caught and threw an inside pass which was picked up by out half Hamish Johnston who made the line but was then unable to land the difficult conversion made even harder by the conditions.
Banbridge, who had made the brighter start, came back though and out half Andrew Jackson landed an excellent penalty to narrow the lead.
But Sullivan stuck to the task and after being camped in Banbridge’s 22 for a period – the Academy defending well – centre Max Readman put in a huge drive for the line and a couple of phases later lock Thallon dived over near the posts.
Johnston converted to make it 12-3 to the Holywood school which is how the opening half ended.
Banbridge came close to scoring when their hooker Calum Little was held up, but Sullivan again responded with some territory and possession allowing winger Louis Baird was put clear though Johnston missed the extras.
The game ended with Sullivan encamped on the Academy’s try line and, from a tap and go, flanker Jacob McKeown wriggled through some tired defenders. Johnston’s conversion was the game’s final act.
In the other last eight games, holders RBAI are at Wallace High School while Royal School Armagh are at home to Regent House.
The only other outstanding tie to be determined is who takes on Rainey Endowed following Saturday’s drawn game between Dalriada and Ballymena Academy.
These games are to be played on or before Saturday February 8.
Banbridge Academy: S Leslie, N-J Mulligan, P Lewis, A Jonuss, E Houston, A Jackson, M Ireland, A Anderson, C Little, A Jones, M Mawson, J Howard, N Bell, N Haughey, R Hanna (capt)
Subs: L Wills, W Kennedy, C McMurray, C Patton, G Porter, J Reid, T Wan, S Moore.
Sullivan Upper: H Calvert, B Russell, J Nelson, M Readman, L Baird, H Johnston, O Keown, M McGinty, M Marks, N Noble, J Law, H Thallon, J McKeown, S Harper, J Scott (capt).
Subs: F McGrath, A O’Doherty, J Dempster, F McGuigan, C Fox, T Bradford, J Watts, R McMullan.