Quinn helps Ballynahinch to victory at UCD

A 14-point haul from Chris Quinn was crucial at the Belfield Bowl as Ballynahinch continued their excellent start to the Division 1B campaign with a hard-fought 24-13 win over UCD.

Like the hosts, Ballynahinch had also enjoyed victories in their opening two encounters. They made a bright start to this encounter, eventually taking the lead 12 minutes in with a penalty from winger Quinn.

The students, who had recorded bonus-point triumphs over both Belfast Harlequins and Bruff in their previous fixtures, were finding themselves camped inside their own half.

But they soon settled into the proceedings, and Sam Coghlan Murray touched down in the right corner after 21 minutes following an excellent offload by centre Alex Kelly.

James Thornton was on hand to apply the bonuses, and he was also on target with a penalty eight minutes later from a distance of 40 metres.

This moved UCD into a seven-point lead, but this was wiped out almost immediately by a try and conversion combo from Quinn, who broke free on the right wing to ensure that parity was restored in time for the interval.

‘Hinch were unfortunate not to add to their tally after a period of extended pressure towards the UCD line, and they continued to take the game to ’College after the restart.

This persistence eventually paid off for them after 56 minutes of play when referee Dave O'Flynn awarded a penalty try following a series of scrums towards the UCD line.

Quinn made no mistake with a routine conversion, completing a 14-point turnaround for the Ulstermen.

In a stop-start second half, Thornton did reduce the deficit with a penalty on 74 minutes, but a well-worked try for ‘Hinch from second row Chris Napier just three minutes later proved to be the decisive moment - despite the best endeavours on UCD late on.

Belfast Harlequins broke their duck for the season as they saw off Blackrock College 27-19 at Deramore Park for their first triumph of the campaign.

Ulster scrum half Michael Heaney converted tries from Stuart Olding, Mark Best and Richard Macklin as struggling ‘Rock fell to their third successive defeat.

Dublin University are two points off top spot in the division after they stretched away from Ballymena in the second half of their meeting at College Park.

A penalty from scrum half Scott Gibson saw Ballymena hang in at the break, trailing by just 7-3. But Trinity pushed clear after the resumption, finishing with three tries from Warren Larkin, Ariel Robles and Niyi Adeolukan in a 25-11 success.

Bruff were well and truly blitzed by a Malone team that shows no signs of dropping the early pace that they have set at the summit in Division 1B.

Adding Ulster back rower Robbie Diack to the mix, the Cregagh Red Sox smashed Bruff by 46-3 with winger Michael Barker running in a hat-trick of tries.

Diack and Chris Leathem (2) also touched down for the league leaders at Gibson Park with Ulster out-half Niall O’Connor nailing seven kicks for a 16-point contribution.

Bruff only had a first half penalty from Brian Carroll to show for their efforts over the 80 minutes. Malone’s third bonus point win on the trot has them two points clear of second-placed Trinity, and they already boast a +123 scoring difference.