Queen's see off Belfast rivals Malone at the Dub

And the students came good in the second half to score three tries to earn them a bonus point.

Malone dominated the early exchanges and should have scored when Michael Barker make a break down the right wing after being released by out-half Nathan Brown, but the Queen’s cover defence were able to get across and keep him out.

The visitors were punished for not taking their chances on 18 minutes when Queen’s took the lead against the run of play.

Malone were caught napping as the students took a quick lineout.

Conor McKee made a line break in midfield before popping the ball to Nick Timoney for the flanker to run in unopposed under the posts and Jack Milligan converted.

Milligan increased the students lead with a drop goal on 23 minutes after strong carrying from Timoney and Zac McCall.

The student’s out-half nudged the home further in front with a penalty on 28 minutes after Malone went off their feet at a ruck.

Centre Josh Pentland opened Malone’s account three minutes later with a penalty after a high tackle in midfield.

From the restart Malone infringed at the breakdown and Milligan landed a long range penalty.

Malone had captain Neil Alcorn sin binned for killing the ball on his own line a and Milligan knocked over the resulting penalty to give the students a 16-3 lead at the break.

The students got their second try on 50 minutes, they took a quick 22 drop out. Malone hesitated in defence before Michael Cartmill threw a pass but Johnny Milliken intercepted and raced under the posts from the halfway line and Milligan converted.

Former Queen’s scrum half Connor Spence got Malone back in the game with a try four minutes later. Callum Smith converted.

Milligan was off target with a penalty on 61 minutes but from the drop-out Nigel Simpson broke two tackles before freeing Timoney.

He moved the ball to McKee and the centre released Jonny Stewart to go under the posts with the out half converting.

The students wrapped up their bonus point with two minutes remaining, From a line out Zac McCall controlled the ball at the back of a driving maul.

They then marched close to the line before Stewart broke off to dot down and Milligan converted and that ended the scoring in this entertaining encounter.

C Kelly, J Milliken, P Farrell, C McKee, M Gordon, J Milligan, J Fullerton, A Lupari, Z McCall, B Cunningham, A Thompson, D Whitten, N Simpson, N Timoney, R Clarke,

Replacements: A Watts, S Herdman, A Burke, A Wright, J Stewart

Malone: A Bryans, M Barker, A Liddell, J Pentland, M Cartmill, N Brown, S Kelly, D Fitzpatrick, D Kerr, P Eadie, J McAllister, C Tipping, B McDonnell, N Alcorn, P Lucas

Replacements: D Cave, L Barlow, J Ferguson, C Spence, C Smith