10/09/21
Malone 24 – 17 Ballymena
Ballymena came out on the wrong side in a close encounter against a much heavier and more experienced Malone side. Malone opened the scoring but Ballymena hit back with Paddy James crashing over from close range after a well set maul.
The rest of the first half was a fairly even affair until Malone hit a purple patch with two quick tries to leave the half time score 17-5.
Ballymena were caught cold at the start of the second half as Malone scored in the corner and an excellent conversion left the young Ballymena up against it at 24-5.
Ballymena then hit back with a scintillating break through the midfield by Mark Thompson and after some good ball retention by the forward pack, Finlay Walker scored under the posts. This left the score 24-12.
To their credit Ballymena kept asking questions of a tired Malone defence and Peter Munce scored in the corner to leave the score 24-17 with four mins to go.
In the last play of the game Ballymena were denied a draw as the cruel bounce of the ball after a chip through evaded the on running attackers. Though the young team should be rightfully pleased with their efforts and look forward to getting back to winning ways against Donaghadee next week.
Tries: Paddy James Finlay Walker Peter Munce
Conversions: Conor Agnew
1 Logan 2. Forsythe 3. Mark 4 Waulahan 5. Bovill 6. Mort 7. Alexander 8. James 9 Henry 10. Walker 11. Munce 12. Agnew 13 Thompson 14. Wharry 15. Lewis
16. Stevenson 17. Ritson A
