Mike Orchin-McKeever delighted as Ballyclare begin with 'most pleasing' win in testing conditions

Mike Orchin-McKeever’s side won the Senior League Division Two last season at the first attempt after their promotion from junior rugby, but the league has now been made defunct.

Rainey and Belfast Harlequins join Ballyclare and Malone in a group of four teams playing each other once with the top two contesting a final.

In atrocious weather conditions more akin to a winter’s day than late August , t was the proverbial game of two halves at Gibson Park with Ballyclare leading 15-3 at the break.

Orchin-McKeever was happy with the opening day performance from his team.

“Delighted to get an away win and that was something that we had focused on based on last season was performances away from home,” stated the Ballyclare coach. “For the first run out of the season I wasn’t expecting a gale force wind at the end of August.

“A good strong Malone side was a good test for us, so to get the victory was the most pleasing thing, but the manner of the game management was excellent. We have put a lot of work into all areas of our game.”

The weather played havoc with any game plan from the coach.

“The conditions were definitely advantage to us in the first half and Malone in the second half and it was basically who could sustain that the best playing into it,” he added. “The penalty try against us was a fair call, but it was more the phases that we went through and being disciplined was really pleasing.”

Ballyclare face Quins on Saturday and finish off against Rainey before starting their AIL Division 2C conquest.

“There will be a few more boys available for selection against Quins and that will add a bit more of a challenge to how we rotate the squad then same again for Rainey and then get ready for another season of All Ireland League,” he said. “You are always focusing to try and get better in everything you do and you are always focusing on a performance point of view and trying to get wins.

"The longevity of the season is determined on how strong your squad is so the more opportunity you can give them, the better they will be for you mid-season, end of season.

“The balance between winning, performing and getting better, we’ll just focus on getting better each week.”

Centre Matthew McDowell landed a third minute penalty for Ballyclare.

Out-half Alex Darragh profited from a spilled ball in the Malone defence to gather and slide over in the corner for the game’s opening try – McDowell’s conversion struck the upright.

Out-half Matthew Rae registered Malone’s first points with a 15th minute penalty.

Darragh got his second try on 26 minutes as he intercepted a pass deep in his own half and raced under the posts, making McDowell’s conversion a formality to gave Ballyclare a 12-point advantage at the interval.

Malone were awarded a penalty try five minutes after the restart following a powerful driving maul.

McDowell added another penalty on 58 minutes before Malone used the maul to good effect again, scoring a converted try with the final play of the game.

Elsewhere, Rainey beat Harlequins 19-5 at Deramore.

In Senior Cup Group A, Ballynahinch beat Queen’s 62-0 while Dungannon lost 26-5 at home to Banbridge.

In Group B, Clogher Valley beat Ballymena 35-15 and Instonians won their Friday clash with Armagh 35-12.