RUGBY: Malone defeat Ballynahinch to lift Women's Ulster Junior Cup

MALONE 31 BALLYNAHINCH 3
Malone lift the Ulster Women's Junior CupMalone lift the Ulster Women's Junior Cup
Malone lift the Ulster Women's Junior Cup

Malone won the Women’s Junior Cup final with a clinical display against Ballynahinch at Kingspan Stadium.

The Gibson Park side scored five tries while limiting Hinch to a solidarity penalty.

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Malone took command early in the game with two tries in the opening eight minutes, winger Brogain NiChiarrain finished of a slick handling move on three minutes.

Ella Durkan converted and she scored an great individual try five minutes later running in from outside the 22 jinxing past a couple of defenders and added the conversion.

Malone’s third try came on 21 minutes after a sustained period of pressure in the Hinch 22 flanker Eimear Hagan picked a nice line to come onto a crash ball and used her speed to dash over unopposed but Durkan failed to convert.

Hinch opened their account with their first visit to the Malone 22 when out half Alexa Grudgings landed a penalty.

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Hagan got her second try a minute before half time, from a scrum on the 22 Malone moved the ball inside with Zarah Ryan making a sniping break, the ball was worked through a few phases before the flanker barged over and Durkan’s conversion gave the Gibson Park club a 26-3 lead at the interval.

Hooker Neve Jones showed great strength holding off a number of defenders to rumble over for Malone’s fifth try six minutes after the restart.

Hinch thought they had a try when the pack rumbled over the line but it was adjudged held up.

Grudgings missed a penalty from the 22 after Hinch’s best period of pressure in the game.

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Hinch forced a series of penalties in the Malone 22 and the forwards were held up over the line again.

Hinch finished the game encamped in their opponents half but couldn’t turn pressure into points against a well drilled Malone defence.