Medallion Shield


The Medallion Shield is an annual rugby union competition involving schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The competition is open to all schools within Ulster, but only schools from within Northern Ireland currently enter, with no entries from schools situated in the three Ulster counties within the Republic of Ireland.
The competition has been contested continuously since its inception in 1910 and, in that time, fourteen different schools have secured at least a shared win of the shield. Teams entering the Medallion Shield are composed of boys who are under 15 years of age at the start of the school year. Entry in 2012-13 stood at 38 schools.
Methodist College Belfast has won 36 outright, most recently being the 2019 season.
The 2020 season consisted of a final between favourites Campbell College and Royal Belfast Academical Institution with Campbell College winning 20-15.

Foundation and growth

It was reported in 1909 that discussions had taken place between Belfast Royal Academy, Campbell College, Methodist College and Royal Belfast Academical Institution about setting up a rugby junior competition for pupils with an age qualification given as under fifteen years of age on 1 November. The success of the Leinster Schools Junior Cup which had started that year had prompted these discussions. Henry McIntosh, the Headmaster of Methodist College and respected rugby coach, was the main driving force behind the idea.
In 1910 Methodist College and Royal Belfast Academical Institution proceeded with the competition and for the first five years only these two schools competed. The third school to join was Royal School Dungannon in 1915. Bangor Grammar School entered for the first time in 1916, with Ballymena Academy and Coleraine Academical Institution following in 1917.
In 1977 the organising committee of Belfast Royal Academy, Methodist College Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Royal School Dungannon ceded control of the competition to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

Trophy

Initially without a trophy, a medal was presented to the winning captain at the conclusion of the second final in 1911. The original Medallion Shield was presented by the Governors of Methodist College with the medal mounted on the shield. When the original shield was filled with the names of winners, the Governors also provided a replacement shield. The original shield is on exhibit and can be viewed at the Methodist College Heritage Centre.

Venue of finals

All finals since 1973 had been played at Ravenhill. In 2014 the final was staged at the Queen's University Arena because of the ongoing development work at Ravenhill. Prior to 1973, the most commonly used venues were the North of Ireland grounds on the Ormeau Road in Belfast and the former Royal Belfast Academical Institution grounds at Orangefield, Belfast.

Future international players

Over the years a selection of players who went on to win international caps appeared in the Medallion Shield final. One future international appeared in the first ever final in 1910 with James B O'Neill a member of the victorious Methodist College team. He would win one cap for Ireland in 1920.
Further examples of future international players include:
Until 2004 the Medallion Shield was competed for through an open draw, and since then a seeding system has been employed to determine the point at which a school enters the competition.
A Medallion Plate competition for first round losers was introduced in 1986.
The competition took on a new format in 2005 with further minor changes made since. Each team is assigned to a seeding group which determines the stage at which that team joins the competition. Each stage is run on a single tie knock-out basis, with replays for drawn games when necessary.
The structure since the 2009-10 season is as follows:
In 2014-15 the top eight seeded teams were Ballymena Academy, Ballyclare High School, Campbell College, Dalriada School, Methodist College Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Sullivan Upper School and Wallace High School.

2014-15 season

The 2015 Medallion Shield final was won by beating Wallace High School. Ballymena Academy defeated Down High School in the Plate final. Coleraine Academical Institution won against Grosvenor Grammar School in the Bowl final. Omagh Academy beat Strabane Academy in the Trophy final.

Performance by school

SchoolTitlesShared titlesRunners-upTotal finalsLast titleLast final
Methodist College Belfast37319582018-192018-19
Royal Belfast Academical Institution343165320162020
Coleraine Academical Institution8112212000†2000
Belfast Royal Academy42101619791994
Campbell College414920202020
Royal School Dungannon30101319941994
Regent House, Newtownards305819982008
Bangor Grammar School304719851986
Ballymena Academy226102017-182018-19
Sullivan Upper School200220112011
Rainey Endowed School102319771993
Ballyclare High School100119901990
The Royal School, Armagh100120172017
Annadale Grammar School‡03141967†1967
Wallace High School01452010†2016
Belfast Boys' Model School0011N/A1964
Belfast High School0011N/A1980
Foyle College0011N/A1939
Larne Grammar School0011N/A1955
Limavady Grammar School0011N/A2011
Friends' School Lisburn0011N/A2017

† denotes a shared win
‡ Annadale Grammar School became Wellington College in a merger in 1990.

Finals

1910s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1910NIFC OrmeauMethodist College110Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1911NIFC OrmeauRoyal Belfast Academical Institution320Methodist College
1912NIFC OrmeauRoyal Belfast Academical Institution65Methodist College
1913NIFC OrmeauRoyal Belfast Academical Institution153Methodist College
1914NIFC OrmeauMethodist College109Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1915NIFC OrmeauRoyal Belfast Academical Institution255Methodist College
1916NIFC OrmeauRoyal Belfast Academical Institution420Methodist College
1917NIFC OrmeauRoyal Belfast Academical Institution270Royal School Dungannon
1918Royal School Dungannon163Methodist College
1919Royal School Dungannon80Methodist College

1920s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1920Royal Belfast Academical Institution290Royal School Dungannon
1921Royal Belfast Academical Institution423Royal School Dungannon
1922Royal Belfast Academical Institution260Methodist College
1923Royal Belfast Academical Institution160Royal School Dungannon
1924Methodist College30Royal School Dungannon
1925Royal Belfast Academical Institution200Royal School Dungannon
1926Royal Belfast Academical Institution140Methodist College
1927Methodist College30Ballymena Academy
1928Methodist College250Bangor Grammar School
1929Methodist College123Royal School Dungannon

1930s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1930Royal Belfast Academical Institution320Bangor Grammar School
1931Royal Belfast Academical Institution120Methodist College
1932Methodist College153Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1933Royal Belfast Academical Institution280Royal School Dungannon
1934Methodist College
1935Coleraine Academical Institution100Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1936Bangor Grammar School53Methodist College
1937Coleraine Academical Institution
1938Coleraine Academical Institution270Royal School Dungannon
1939Royal Belfast Academical Institution110Foyle College

1940s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1940Methodist College90Coleraine Academical Institution
1941Methodist College80Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1942RBAI OrangefieldRoyal Belfast Academical Institution60Coleraine Academical Institution
1943Royal Belfast Academical Institution253Coleraine Academical Institution
1944BallymenaColeraine Academical Institution60Methodist College Belfast
1945Methodist College60Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1946Methodist College90Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1947RBAI OrangefieldMethodist College63Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1948Methodist College83Coleraine Academical Institution
1949Methodist College63Coleraine Academical Institution

1950s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1950Coleraine Academical Institution30Methodist College
1951Ballymena Academy &
Royal Belfast Academical Institution		33TROPHY SHAREDReplay - Game 1: 0-0
1952Royal Belfast Academical Institution30Methodist College
1953Royal Belfast Academical InstitutionMethodist College
1954Annadale Grammar School &
Methodist College		TROPHY SHARED
1955Royal Belfast Academical Institution143Larne Grammar School
1956Royal Belfast Academical Institution30Belfast Royal AcademyReplay - Game 1: 3-3
1957Methodist College30Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1958Royal Belfast Academical Institution140Belfast Royal Academy
1959Royal Belfast Academical Institution53Coleraine Academical Institution

1960s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1960Annadale Grammar School &
Royal Belfast Academical Institution		00TROPHY SHARED
1961Royal Belfast Academical Institution60Annadale Grammar School
1962Methodist College80Belfast Royal Academy
1963Coleraine Academical Institution80Ballymena Academy
1964Methodist College30Belfast Boys' Model School
1965Belfast Royal Academy90Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1966Bangor Grammar School53Rainey Endowed School
1967Annadale Grammar School &
Belfast Royal Academy		00TROPHY SHARED
1968Belfast Royal Academy93Coleraine Academical Institution
1969Ballymena Academy &
Belfast Royal Academy		55TROPHY SHARED

1970s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1970BallyclareBallymena Academy96Methodist College
1971Methodist College83Regent House, Newtownards
1972Methodist College &
Royal Belfast Academical Institution		1414TROPHY SHARED
1973RavenhillMethodist College63Belfast Royal Academy
1974RavenhillMethodist College164Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1975Hyde Park MalluskColeraine Academical Institution74Regent House, Newtownards
1976Regent House, Newtownards63Bangor Grammar School
1977Rainey Endowed School106Methodist College
1978Belfast Royal Academy73Coleraine Academical Institution
1979RavenhillBelfast Royal Academy94Royal Belfast Academical Institution

1980s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1980RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution150Belfast High School
1981RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution86Belfast Royal Academy
1982RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution143Campbell College
1983RavenhillMethodist College108Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1984RavenhillCampbell College64Belfast Royal Academy
1985RavenhillBangor Grammar School116Campbell College
1986RavenhillMethodist College74Bangor Grammar School
1987RavenhillRegent House, Newtownards113Belfast Royal Academy
1988RavenhillMethodist College30Coleraine Academical Institution
1989RavenhillColeraine Academical Institution103Belfast Royal Academy

1990s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
1990RavenhillBallyclare High School84Coleraine Academical Institution
1991RavenhillMethodist College200Royal School Dungannon
1992RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution303Belfast Royal Academy
1993RavenhillCampbell College1510Rainey Endowed School
1994RavenhillRoyal School Dungannon1713Belfast Royal Academy
1995RavenhillMethodist College2111Campbell College
1996RavenhillMethodist College126Royal Belfast Academical Institution
1997RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution177Methodist College
1998RavenhillRegent House, Newtownards2115Coleraine Academical Institution
1999RavenhillMethodist College1812Coleraine Academical Institution

2000s

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upNotes
2000RavenhillMethodist College &
Coleraine Academical Institution		1818TROPHY SHARED
2001RavenhillMethodist College1510Ballymena Academy
2002RavenhillSullivan Upper School108Regent House, Newtownards
2003RavenhillMethodist College213Wallace High School, Lisburn
2004RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution116Methodist College
2005RavenhillMethodist College1815Royal Belfast Academical Institution
2006RavenhillMethodist College259Ballymena Academy
2007RavenhillMethodist College1510Regent House, Newtownards
2008RavenhillRoyal Belfast Academical Institution2221Regent House, Newtownards
2009RavenhillMethodist College1210Campbell College

2010s

YearLocationWinnerRunner UpNotes
2010RavenhillCampbell College &
Wallace High School		1010TROPHY SHARED
2011RavenhillSullivan Upper School170Limavady Grammar School
2012RavenhillMethodist College Belfast107Wallace High School
2013RavenhillCampbell College170Wallace High School
2014Queen's UniversityRoyal Belfast Academical Institution1210Ballymena Academy
2015Kingspan StadiumRoyal Belfast Academical Institution135Wallace High School
2016Royal Belfast Academical Institution228Wallace High School
2017Kingspan StadiumThe Royal School, Armagh106Friends' School, Lisburn
2018Kingspan StadiumBallymena Academy108Campbell College
2018-19Kingspan StadiumMethodist College 1712Ballymena Academy

2020s

YearLocationWinnerRunner UpNotes
2020Kingspan StadiumCampbell College2015Royal Belfast Academical Institution

Medallion Plate

1980s