Malone put in a Braveheart performance in Cashel to claim their 3rd UBL victory

Malone were looking to make it three wins out of three against Munster sides when they returned to County Tipperary to play Cashel. Cork opponents Highfield were very physical in the teams 21 - 14 win at Gibson Park last weekend. Head coach Paddy Armstrong had prepared his Malone players for another physical on the edge contest.

Spafield is not a place for the 'feint hearted' with the home supporters 'vociferous' and 'raucous' in getting behind their team.

Malone were dealt a blow in the opening minutes when Hooker Dave Cave was trapped in a scrum and was forced to leave the pitch with a nasty hamstring injury to be replaced by Scott Finlay. Despite this disruption the Gibson Park team took the lead with centre Michael Cartmill scoring a try converted by Rory Campbell to lead 7 - 0. Unfortunately the Malone team was all over the place in the opening 20 minutes losing line outs, scrums and conceding several penalties.

It was that man 'Campbell' who increased his teams lead to 12 - 0 with another try. This time it was Ulster Academy prop Peter Cooper who had to leave the pitch with a 'HIA' injury to be replaced by Ben Halliday.

Cashel used the second quarter to reduce the Malone lead to 12 - 8 at halftime through a penalty and try.

Early in the second half Malone lost their third player to injury when scrum half Shane Kelly was forced to leave the pitch with a knee injury to be replaced by Connor Spence. The game continued to live on the edge with the Malone team having to defend against the physical approach of the home team urged on by their noisy supporters.

On 50 mins the visitors increased their lead to 15 - 8 with another Rory Campbell penalty.

Disaster then struck for the East Belfast team when they had two players, Jack Owens and Ben Halliday yellow carded with in minutes of each other. Cashel wasted no time reducing the Malone lead to 15 - 13 when they scored their second try. Campbell had a further opportunity to increase his teams lead only to see a penalty pushed wide.

The game continued to be played at a ferocious pace with the Malone team defending for their lives. They were forced to concede a 79 minute penalty which Cashel converted to take the lead for the first time in the game 16 - 15. With the home supporters urging the referee to blow the final whistle the official indicated there was still time to be played. The Malone players responded through the forwards and backs to take play down to the Cashel 22. The home side went offside conceding a penalty. With five minutes of injury time played up stepped Rory Campbell to strike the ball between the posts to restore the Malone advantage to 18 - 16. With no time left the referee blew his whistle to end an absorbing match. At one stage this game looked as if the match was slipping away from the visitors. When it mattered most Captain Ross Todd showed his leadership qualities in the final 20 minutes to steer his team to victory.

New additions from the Ulster Academy Joe Dunleavy and Matthew Dalton impressed once again. When Malone number 8 Ryan Clarke was taken off with an injury both Academy graduates stepped up and showed their qualities along with Ross Todd to stem the frontal assault led by the Cashel forwards.

Three wins from three has Malone level on points with leaders City of Armagh. Next up for Paddy Armstrong and his players is their fourth and final fixture in this block of four games against Galway visitors Galwegians at Gibson Park before the team has a three week break before the UBL resumes on the 28th October.

Malone team: 1. Chris Griffiths, 2. Dave Cave, 3. Peter Cooper, 4. Josh Davidson, 5. Michael Shiels, 6. Joe Dunleavy, 7. Ross Todd (Captain), 8. Ryan Clarke, 9. Shane Kelly, 10. Callum Smith, 11. David McMaster, 12. Nathan Brown, 13. Michael Cartmill, 14. Rory Campbell, 15. Jack Owens, 16. Scott Finlay, 17. Ben Halliday, 18. Matthew Dalton, 19 Connor Spence, 20 Josh Pentland.