1st Team
Matches
Sat 15 Sep 2018
Ballymena
33
27
Malone - The Cregagh Red Sox
1st Team
Ballymena prevail in Senior Cup Qarter Final

Ballymena prevail in Senior Cup Qarter Final

Stephen Barbour16 Sep 2018 - 17:24
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.malone-rfc.com/tea

Malone lost out Ballymena in their Senior Cup Quarter Final by 33-27.

Report compiled by George Millar

Dramatic opening five minutes to this game at Eaton Park as the home side capitalised on Malone indecision for their winger Jonny McMullan to score two opportunist tries with out half Timmy Small converting one to give Ballymena an early 12 - 0 lead. Out half Callum Smith then converted a well struck penalty to narrow their lead to 12 - 3. Malone centre Nathan Brown was then forced to leave the pitch with a nasty shoulder injury. David Irvine moved into the centre with Shane Kelly coming on to the wing. Spectators were being treated to a thrilling no holds barred contest with both defences proving difficult to break down. With Malone spreading the ball wide the alert Ballymena centre Darrell Montgomery intercepted a pass and sprinted 50 metres to touch down for his sides third try. Small added the points to increase his teams lead to 19 - 3. The visitors gained the initiative coming up to half time with Ballymena having two players - number 8 Connor Smyth and full back Matthew Norris yellow carded. The Malone pressure paid off with full back Gareth Millar squeezing in for an unconverted try to reduce the home sides lead to 19 - 8 on the half time whistle.

In a strong third quarter Malone appeared to have taken a grip on the game scoring three tries through wing Chris Jordan and two efforts from replacement wing Shane Kelly with Callum Smith converting two to give the Cregagh Red Sox side a 27 - 19 lead.

Ballymena raised their game in the final 20 mins with first Timothy Small putting a grubber kick in behind the Malone defence for Glenn Baillie to win the race and touch down with Small converting to narrow the visitors lead to 27 - 26. Within two minutes Ballymena had taken the lead courtesy of a fortuitous try. Number 8 Connor Smyth spilled the ball on the halfway line out of sight of referee Dan Carson and regathered the bouncing ball to sprint 50 metres and touch down for his teams fifth try with Small adding the points to give Ballymena a 33 - 27 lead with 15 minutes left. Again it was backs to the wall defence for the home side as Malone went in search of the winning score. Ballymena once again had two players in prop Nacho Clandero Crespo and replacement scrum half Jack Lewis yellow carded with the Malone line out failing to function as they laid siege to the Ballymena line. Try as they could the Gibson Park side could not break down the hard working home defence who will now progress to the semi finals. This was the first of three meetings between these two sides with Ballymena travelling to Gibson Park next Saturday for their Premiership game before the two teams have a weekend off on the 29th September with the All important opening AIL game between the two teams taking place at Eaton Park on the 6th October.

Match details

Match date

Sat 15 Sep 2018

Kickoff

14:30
Team overview
Further reading