On Thursday 13 October 2016, Sports Academy George, a sports charity from George, South Africa visited Sullivan Upper to play our senior netball team. Sports Academy uses sport as a tool to connect with and raise up the next generation of role models in the townships of George. After a successful visit last year to play a Sullivan select football team we had the pleasure of hosting Sport Academy for a second time. The day began with a visit to Sullivan Prep Department who had raised £950 in aid of the netball tour, which is a fully fundraised event for the charity. After words of thanks and a short assembly, Prep 6 & 7 had a coaching session with the Sports Academy girls before they headed up to the senior school to take another lively assembly where pupils listened to the purpose of the charity and joined in with the girls as they sang and danced. The girls from Sports Academy then attended an interactive Physics lesson with Mr Miller, had lunch with their opposition and took part in a Basketball lesson with Mr Craig before warming up for a strongly contested match which finished 24 – 21 to Sports Academy and was described by their coaching staff as being their toughest game on tour. We wish Sports Academy a safe return as they finish their tour and thank all those involved especially charity committees at both prep and senior school. The link with Sports Academy will be further enhanced when our Senior Rugby tour visit the charity during their tour to South Africa in July 2017.

Well done to all rugby teams on Saturday against Wallace: U13 won – 54-10, U14 won – 49-10, Medallion XV lost – 66-0, 2nd XV lost – 12 – 7, 1st XV won 3 – 0 Special mention to the 1st XV who beat Wallace for the first time in 5 years. Well done to all involved.

In the penultimate game of the group stages Sullivan travelled to a very wet Banbridge to play Banbridge 2nd XI. Sullivan started strongly and soon took the lead, this was quickly followed by a second and third goal. Banbridge scored just before half time from a penalty corner. Halftime Sullivan 3 – 1 Banbridge 2nd XI The second half was much of the same with Sullivan controlling the game with four more goals and conceding none. Final score Sullivan 7 (M Crookshanks 3, C Mitchell, M Morris, T Robson and H Morris ) Banbridge 2nd XI 1 The final group match is against Campbell College.

Saturday saw Sullivan play Cookstown High School. In a match where Sullivan were not performing at their best they took the lead through M Morris. Cookstown responded with some pressure and eventually equalised. Just before half time Sullivan took a 2-1 lead. The second half was more of the same but even though they weren\’t at their best Sullivan pushed on scoring three more goals to with Cookstown only scoring one in reply. Final Score – Sullivan 5 [M Crookshanks (2), M Morris (2) and H Morris] – Cookstown 2 Sullivan continue to top their group with four wins out of four. The next match is away to Banbridge 2nd XI.

The second match in the group stage of the McCullough Cup was at Deramore against Methody. Sullivan controlled the play with Methody only troubling goalkeeper, Thomas McCord, on a few occasions. Sullivan took the lead through. The second half was much the same as the first with Sullivan in control. Final Score Sullivan 4 (M Crookshanks (2), M Morris & H Morris) – Methody 0 The third group match was against Wallace High who Sullivan defeated in the final last year. This match was always thought of as the team who would win should top the group. The match was played in front of quite a few spectators from both schools. Both schools had Ulster players and Irish internationals amounts their squad. The first half was a very tense affair with neither team committed to pushing forward, rather concentrating on a defence game. With very few chances the first half ended nil all. The start pf the second half saw Wallace take and early lead. With hindsight this did the game a favour. Sullivan then had to push forward and as a result created more opportunities from open play and penalty corners. It was the penalty corners that made the difference with Matthew Morris scoring a deflection from a Matthew Crookshanks shot and then Fergus Gibson scoring from another corner. This was a great win. Sullivan 2 (M Morris & F Gibson) – Wallace High 1 (B Nelson)

Congratulations to the following sailors from Sullivan Upper School competing at the RYANI Youth Championships on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 September 2016 at Strangford Lough Yacht Club Roisa O’Neill and Iona O’Neill – 1st RS Feva Adam Lockhart and Harry Baird – 10th 420 Sam Rutherford – 26th Laser Radial James Moore – 29th Laser Radial Mary Smartt – 18th Topper Despite challenging weather conditions, it was a successful weekend for RYANI at Strangford Lough Yacht Club, with a record number of 160 sailors taking to the water for the Youth Championships. Larne Grammar was crowned winner of the prestigious Schools Cup and County Antrim Yacht Club claimed the Club Trophy.

This is a team event, run using the Olympic format where in each bout, all 3 fencers in both teams fence each other in sequence up to 45 points. Sullivan entered the women’s foil competition and was the only school club in the whole tournament, all the others being either senior or university clubs. The SU team had a shaky start to the competition with a narrow loss to Dublin University, initially falling well behind, but then gradually gathering confidence to come back to lose by only 3 points. After that it was winning all the way, with convincing victories against top Irish clubs such as University College Dublin and Pembroke (a senior independent club from Dublin) to take the overall women’s foil competition win. My congratulations to Emily, Erin and Ella for a great result and a brilliant start to Sullivan Fencing Club’s new fencing year.

The U13 boys have started the season with two wins. A 6-0 win over BRA and then a 5-3 win over Grosvenor.

Sullivan’s first match in the group stage of the McCullough Cup was to travel to Grosvenor Grammar School. Sullivan started the game and scored in a matter of seconds with only three players touching the ball. This was thought to be the opening of the flood gates, but Grosvenor defending and Sullivan missing the target meant that this had to wait. Soon it started. Half-time Sullivan 6 – Grosvenor The second half was much of the same with attack after attack and the Sullivan goal-keeper only having to re-act to the odd attack. Final score Sullivan 12 – 0 Grosvenor Scorers – M Crookshanks (2), I Hart (2), F Gibson, F Kerr, E Patterson , C Mitchell, S Erskine, M Willis, M Morris and P Crookshanks This week the team are off to Dublin to play a match against St Andrews College. Next match in the McCullough Cup is Saturday 24 September 2016 away to Deramore to play Methody.

Congratulations to Charlie Roberts (14F) who won gold at the British Open in the age 16/17, brown/black belt category in Kumite (fighting) and bronze in Kata.

Thiepval Memorial As a group, we were selected to represent the whole of the UK Scout Association and to take part in the series of memorial services held at Theipval marking the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. As part of this service, selected groups from various organisations, were allowed to lay wreaths at the monument’s altar in honour of the fallen. Our Explorer Belt group was the only Scouting group granted permission to take part in this momentous occasion. I was chosen not only to be a part of the 3 person Scout Colour Party but to be the Scout to lay the only wreath to be laid to represent the UK Scouting Association. It was an incredible event and a great honour to be a part of it. The whole way up the steps to the alter was flanked by my Explorer Belt colleagues. It was an amazing experience. The 3 July 2016 held a special significance to my family. In 1916 on that day my Great Grandfather was found alive, lying in the mud, two days after being shot by a sniper on the first day of the battle. He had lain there presumed dead. Being at the Somme on the Centenary of not only the Battle but also of my Great Grandfather being found, moved me and filled me with pride and gratitude. I felt so honoured to take my Great Grandfather’s medals back to where he earned them and in being chosen to lay the wreath at the altar on such a momentous occasion. It’s an experience I know I will never forget. David R Cunningham (Year 14)

Congratulations to Rachel White (Year 9) who competed in the Errigal International Youth  cycling tour in Donegal in July where she was a member of the under 12 Ulster team who went onto win the team prize for that age group.  Individually she achieved 3 silvers in her category missing the pink poka-dot jersey for girls by 1 second.  This event has cyclists from all over the world attending and is one of the biggest youth cycling events in the UK.