ALL IRELAND RUGBY: Malone suffer home defeat to UCC

Malone have dropped out of the Division 2A playoff zone after suffering disappointing home defeat against UCC.

Jarrett Truscott side are fifth a point behind fourth placed Nenagh with three games remaining.

Malone got the perfect start with a try after five minutes, Josh Pentland made a break on the half way line out pacing the defence and carrying into the 22 before popping the ball to centre Adam Liddell to go under the posts and Mark O’Connor converted.

The students got back in the game on 18 minutes, from a scrum on the 22 they moved the ball infield through the hands before winger Kevin O’Keefe came onto a crash ball in midfield and out stripped the defence to dot down and he converted his own try.

Malone had lock James McAlister yellow carded on 28 minutes for a dangerous tackle but despite their numerical disadvantage the home side took the lead four minutes later with a penalty after the students strayed offside.

Both sides wasted try scoring opportunities late in the half and Malone went into the interval with a 10-7 lead.

UCC tied the scores again on 60 minutes when they won a penalty in front of the Malone posts and O’Keefe slotted it over.

Malone were punished three minutes later for trying to run the ball out of defence and conceded a penalty on their own 22 for holing on allowing O’Keefe to nudge the Cork side in front.

The scores were level again on 72 minutes when O’Connor landed a penalty from just outside the visitors 22 when they were caught offside.

The students regained the lead three minutes later when following a sustained period of pressure out half Tim Clifford landed a long range drop goal.

Malone had a late chance to salvage something from the game as they worked the ball through a number of phases but eventually knocked on.

Malone: M O’Connor, M Barker, A Liddell, M Cartmill, J McMurty, J Pentland, S Kelly; B Halliday, T King, P Eadie, C Tipping, J McAlister, R Millar, N Alcorn, R Todd

Replacements: D Cave, L Barlow C Davis, N Brown, R Campbell

UCC: D Dennhey, k Keefe, K Slater, P Kierarn, T Kierarn, T Clifford, C O’Regan, C Slowey, B Burns, R O’Donavan, B Mitchell, R Morrow, C Benny, C Geeanghan.P Durham