Trinity Complete Stunning Comeback Against Malone

It was a dramatic, nail-biting victory for the Trinity students, bringing their incredible unbeaten run in Ulster Bank League fixtures – between the current season and the last – to 17 matches.

Visitors Malone had made an excellent start to the contest, with winger Lorcan McGillan finding the target with a 35-metre penalty after just two minutes of play.

The Belfast outfit were really taking the game to the hosts in the early exchanges, and they deservedly crossed over the Trinity whitewash five minutes later through out-half Josh Pentland, who opted to run a penalty on the right-hand side.

McGillan was on hand to kick the conversion, but Trinity eventually got off the mark with Cathal Marsh's 12th-minute penalty from a tight angle on the left.

Malone were not ready to drop their intensity levels just yet though, and following a misplaced pass out of defence by Trinity, the outstanding McGillan touched down in the right corner for a try that he also converted.

Pacy Trinity left winger Niyi Adeolukan got through for his side's opening try of the afternoon with four minutes remaining in the opening period, which was converted by Marsh.

But this was cancelled out on the stroke of half-time by another seven-point salvo from McGillan following a fine move across the Trinity line.

This gave Jacques Benade's charges a 24-10 interval lead, meaning that Trinity were facing the very real possibility of a first league defeat in all of 13 months.

However, the home side did receive a lifeline just six minutes after restart when replacement Pierce Dargan was put through for his side's second try by a neat offload from centre Paddy Lavelle.

Trinity number 10 Marsh was wide with the subsequent conversion, attempt but he made amends in the 56th minute with a routine penalty, reducing the Malone cushion to six points.

Another three-pointer from Marsh 12 minutes later cut even further into the visitors' advantage, as Trinity sensed that there was now a chance that they could get something out of this contest.

Having played some sparkling rugby before the break, Malone were now struggling to break down a far more compact Trinity defence, and they were hit with a real sucker punch seven minutes from time.

In-form flanker Brian du Toit broke free for a try on the left flank, set up brilliantly by an incisive pass from Trinity scrum half Michael McLoughlin.

This, and an expert conversion by Marsh, proved to be the decisive scores of the tie, as Trinity held out for four precious points, in spite of 12 minutes of stoppage time at College Park.

Referee: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU)