Students put halt to Malone’s winning run
MALONE’S bid to stretch their winning run to seven games in Division 2A came crashing down last night in their Ulster derby with Queen’s University at Gibson Park as the students put in a huge shift to deservedly triumph.
Tries from David Whitten and Jonny Stewart paved the way for Neil Doak’s squad as they racked up a third straight win and denied Malone a losing bonus, though the home side turned down two late shots at goal which could have yielded a point.
Richie McMaster opened the scoring on 30 minutes for the students with a penalty but three minutes before half-time Malone finally made an attack stick and Josh Pentland’s off-load put Nathan Browne in at the corner.
Rory Campbell missed the conversion but the home side were ahead 5-3 which is how the lacklustre opening half ended.
Three minutes into the new half, Queen’s winger Mark Keane broke through and though Jonny Milliken was hauled down, Queen’s recycled and Whitten scored near the posts and allowed McMaster to convert.
Malone narrowed it to 10-8 when Campbell kicked a penalty but six minutes later a McMaster penalty pushed the visitors ahead by 13-8.
The Gibson Park side came back again with a Campbell penalty on 57 minutes but two minutes later Jack Milliken’s break saw Stewart cross with McMaster converting.
Malone tried to respond but Scott Finlay dropped a Pentland cross-kick, though the penalty advantage saw them turn down a clear chance to kick at goal.
They did likewise shortly afterwards but Queen’s held on. BALLYNAHINCH proved much too strong for Ballymena in a brutal Division 1B clash in the rain and mud at Eaton Park last night.
The bonus-point 27-0 victory brings them up to second place in the table, however Banbridge could move level should they clinch a bonus-point triumph of their own against Old Belvedere this afternoon.
Aaron Hall put the visitors ahead after only five minutes with a fine individual effort. He took a good line and crossed the whitewash, with Johnny McPhillips adding the conversion.
Although the visitors had the better of the play, Ballymena defended well and the only other score in the first period came when a visiting maul resulted in Jonny Simpson coming up with the ball.
A McPhillips penalty after the interval made it 15-0 and then, following a number of phases, No.8 Conan Boomer crashed over for Hinch’s second try.
McPhillips continued his fine form with the boot and added the difficult conversion to put his side into a 22-0 lead.
Hinch ace Zac McCall had been yellow-carded at the end of the first half and he infringed again towards the close of the game, so the visitors were permanently down to 14 players.
Nevertheless, they were still hungry for the bonus point and upped their attacks against Ballymena, who never threatened the visitors’ line all evening.
Hinch’s reward came when the ball was taken to the short side for Aaron Cairns to link with full-back Conor Kelly, who allowed winger David Busby to dash in to claim the five points.