FESTIVE CHEER AT GIBSON PARK
Malone  16  BANBRIDGE 1STs 27
December 27, 2008

Banbridge maintained their current good form to notch up three wins in a row with a five try bonus point victory over Malone at Gibson Park on Saturday. The win is their second of the Ulster League campaign, adding to last Saturday’s success over Instonians.

Jeff Thompson, lining out in the centre, opened the scoring for Bann in the first half, finishing off an initial break from scrum-half Craig Mulholland. The try was unconverted.

Malone replied with a penalty to reduce the lead to only two points, and then took the lead with a try of their own through Jonny Amos, taking advantage of an extra man with Bann hooker David Weir having been consigned to the sin bin. Weir was shown the yellow card following an altercation near the Bann line, but he made amends on his return scoring before half time to restore Bann’s lead at 8-10. Captain Colin Bickerstaff also spent ten minutes on the sideline before half time when he was adjudged to have been guilty of negative play when he failed to release the ball whilst on the ground.

The game was littered with handling errors and penalties from both sides, but Banbridge forged ahead in the second half to register a satisfying win over the AIL Division 2 side with another try from Weir, further touchdowns from Jonny Martin and Ashley Finlay and a conversion from Mulholland.

Weir’s second score came after the pack had worked their way close to the Malone line following a series of short drives from 30 metres out. The hooker picked up from the base of a ruck and barged his way over the line with the support of No. 8 Bickerstaff.

Ashley Finlay, in his third start for Banbridge, finished off a backline move after Stephen Cowan had made the initial break through the Malone defence, racing into the corner to extend Bann’s lead further.

And Jonny Martin’s return to First XV action following a long lay-off with injury was amply rewarded with the fifth try of the day. The big second row did well to gather a difficult pass above his head, and ‘bulled’ his way over from 10 metres out despite the attention of a number of Malone defenders.

Malone managed a second try through Bruce Duff, but it was not enough to earn the Belfast side a losing bonus point.

The Ulster League programme comes to a close with Portadown’s visit to Rifle Park on Saturday. While the outcome may be academic in terms of the provincial competition, Bann coach Andre Bester will be keen to see his side pick up another win as they look forward to the remainder of their All-Ireland League season.

The visitors came out on top on their own patch a couple of weeks ago, but since then have lost at Midleton while Bann were overcoming the challenge of Suttonians. Craig Mulholland impressed in the win over Malone and will surely come into the reckoning for selection, while the return of Jonny Martin gives Bester more options as he ponders his line-up.

Saturday’s action kicks off at 2.30pm.