On Saturday afternoon Ballymena travelled to Gibson Park, to face Malone in an Ulster Premiership Division One Group B fixture.
Malone started the brighter, coming away with an Adam Keating penalty goal after only 2 minutes. In Ballymena’s first meaningful attack Rhys Ervine forced his way over under the posts. Tristan Ferguson’s conversion gave Ballymena a 7-3 lead after 9 minutes.
Daryl Maxwell scored for Malone to move them to 8-7, after 17 minutes, only for Ervine to reply for Ballymena after 22 minutes to put them on 12-8. A Ferguson penalty after 25 minutes gave Ballymena a 15-8 lead.
From a rolling maul Ben Halliday touched down for, on 30 minutes, before a Keating penalty goal after 39 minutes gave Malone a slender 16-15 halftime lead.
Malone moved up a gear, after the break. Halliday rumbled over, after 50 minutes and Keating’s conversion put Malone 23-15 ahead.
Ferguson’s 60th minute penalty goal, which would prove to be their only second half score, brought Ballymena back to 18-23.
Andy Bryans’ 64th minute try, far out on the left, followed by another Keating penalty goal, put Malone 31-18 up.
Malone had the last say, when Matthew Neill, squeezed over beside the posts, after 75 minutes, for Matty Rae to convert, to give Malone a comprehensive bonus point victory.
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