Belfast Harlequins welcomed Malahide to Deramore Park on Saturday afternoon for their opening match in this season’s AIL 2B league campaign.
This opening match saw both teams hyped up from the start. It didn’t take long for the home team to earn a penalty in front of Malahide’s post which was dispatched by No 10, Charlie Beattie to give Quins a 3 – 0 lead.
Keeping up the pressure, Quins drove at the visitors and soon increased their lead to 10 – 0 when No 5, Ross Bingham, crashed over beside the posts and ended up being awarded a penalty try for some infringement by the visitors.
Play flowed back and forth until Malahides No 7, Dave Feenan, broke away to score under the posts, the conversion slotted over by Dave O’Halloran to pull it back to 10 – 7.
Malahide increased their score when winger, Dan Hayes ran in at the far corner for a fine try. No conversion but a penalty by O’Halloran to put them in front 10 – 15.
It wasn’t over yet though and Kieran Tomlinson got a try back for Quins shortly after to put the home side ahead 17 – 15 at the break after Beattie added the conversion.
The second half continued where the first left off with both teams attacking hard.
The visiting scrum seemed to have more success, earning numerous penalties, and they had an effort from Hayes ruled out before their No 11, Mark O’Brien went over in the opposite corner. O’Halloran was successful with the conversion to put Malahide back in front 17 – 22.
Not long after that they increased the lead with Hayes crossing for a try at the same spot his earlier effort was disallowed, to push it out to 17 – 27.
Quins then started to pressurise the visitors with attack after attack and it didn’t take long for No 7, Eddie Gorrod to break through near the posts, Beattie adding the extra points to close the gap to 24 – 27.
A penalty for indiscipline cost the visitors their lead when Beattie drew the scores level and it looked as though the meeting would end up as a draw but more indiscipline and a bit of back chat took Quins within kicking range for one last score. Up stepped young Beattie and he didn’t disappoint, ably shooting home to give Quins a 30 – 27 win!
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