‘Quins Climb Off The Bottom With Derby Win

Harlequins completed a league double over their Belfast rivals Malone with a 32-12 victory in the big derby at Deramore.

Adam Larkin’s men outscored the Gibson Park side by five tries to two to move off the bottom of the table up to seventh and are locked on 20 points with Malone although Jacque Benade’s side stay sixth on points difference.

Quins made the prefect starting with a try after two minutes, they kicked a penalty to the corner from the line out they drove for a few phases before tight head prop Charlie Sargison barged over and Michael Heaney converted.

Loose head prop Mark McGrath got the home side’s second try on 13 minutes, again it came after a penalty was kicked to touch, from the lineout Neil McComb punched a hole in the Malone defence and he spun the ball to the blindside for McGrath to crush over.

Malone had Ravens hooker Paul Jackson sin binned on 33 minutes but Heaney’s resulting long range penalty fell short.

Quins got their third try on 37 minutes when centre Mark Glover to advantage of a fortuitous bounce to gather and race under the posts with Heaney converting.

Malone got their first try on 39 minutes, Connor Joyce took a quick tap penalty from five metres, he was stopped short but the ball was spun wide by Josh Bingham to Josh Pentland and he pirouetted out of a tackle to touch down and Neil Burns converted.

Quins wrapped on their bonus point with the last play of the first half.

Full back Rory Scholes made a break, Quins worked the ball down the blindside and McComb went over in the corner to give the home side a 24-7 lead at the interval.

Quins had flanker Ollie Loughead yellow carded on 55 minutes and Malone took immediate advantage from a quick tap penalty the moved the ball through the hands and winger Rory Campbell went over.

The home team responded with their fifth try three later, centre Mark Wylie made a break through midfield, the ball was quickly recycled and moved to the wing and Peter Dunlop touched down.

Heaney missed the conversion and a penalty after Malone dragged down a maul.

The Ulster scrum half completed the scoring with a late penalty.

Referee: Mark Connolly (IRFU)