Quins victorious in Belfast derby.
Belfast Harlequins rallied from 15-3 down at half time to score 22 unanswered points after the break to beat Malone in a feisty derby at Gibson Park.
Malone 15 – 25 Belfast HarlequinsBy Conor Keown
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The game changed on the stoke of half time as Malone scrum half Shane Kelly went over for the home side’s third try which would have the home side a 22-3 lead but the score was disallowed and Kelly was sin binned for doing the Daddy Winker shuffle on an opponents leg.
Quins had the first chance of the game but out half Liam Cambridge dragged his penalty wide.
Ulster out half James McKinney opened the scoring for Malone with a 12th minute penalty after Quins were guilty of not rolling away from the tackle.
McKinney then scored the first try of the game in the 28th minute. Quins had a kick charged down, they had a second chance to clear their lines but the ball ricocheted of McKinney’s shin and he won the race to touch down under the posts. He added the conversion to give the home side a ten point lead.
Liam Cambridge got Quins on the scoreboard with a 34th minute penalty.
Two minutes later Malone were attacking the Quins half and got their second try when the Malone coach’s son Rudolph Benade went over. Jay Malcolm made a break down the right flank, the ball was quickly recycled, McKinney shipped the ball out to prop Ross Kane who lobed the ball to MCB chum Benade to finish in the corner. McKinney missed the conversation.
Malone were clear for third try just before half time. Kelly picked up from a ruck dummied the defence and went over but it was called back for foul play and he was binned leaving Malone with a 15-3 lead at the interval.
Quins struck an early second half blow when they broke out of defence creating an overlap by working the ball through the hands and winger Ewan Strang showed his pace to finish off in the corner.
Cambridge missed the conversion but was successful with a penalty on 49 minutes after a high tackle in midfield.
With the home sides discipline now faltering, Quins out half cut Malone’s lead to a point with another penalty on 55 minutes.
Quins took the lead for the first time in the 61th minute with a try from full back Mark Kettyle. The impressive young Strang led a break out of defence carrying the ball deep into Malone territory. He held the last Malone defender before popping the ball to Kettyle to go over unopposed. Cambridge missed the conversion.
Cambridge created another scoring opportunity when he fielded the ball in his own 22 and set of on a run. He got to Malone’s 10 metre line and chipped, but McKinney was there to cover and cleared to touch.
Malone also had another scoring chance when Barker broke and hacked on, but the experienced Kettyle got back to cover.
Quins increased their lead to seven points with Cambridge’s fourth penalty in front of the posts after Malone were caught off side.
Cambridge kicked his fifth successful penalty in injury time to deny Malone a valuable losing point.
