On Sunday afternoon, in game three of a triple header, at the Kingspan Stadium, a combined Banbridge/Larne/Malone side played Enniskillen in the Girls Under 18 Cup Final. From first encounters this looked to be the tightest game of the three. Both sides had powerful packs and weren’t frightened to unleash their backs.

On Sunday Banbridge were the visitors to Gibson Park to face Malone in a Women’s Premiership Phase 2 clash. It was grey, overcast and dreich with on/off drizzle for the match. A light breeze blew in Banbridge’s favour in the 1st half. Banbridge pinned Malone back in the opening exchanges. Malone found it difficult to get any continuity nor distance in their clearing kicks.

I caught up with the Women's Premiership match between Malone and Queen's University at Gibson Park on Wednesday evening. It was an entertaining game with both teams having extended periods of possession in a hard fought first half. Queen's finally broke down the resolute Malone defence, 15 minutes in, after a sustained period of possession ended with Sarah Roberts going over in the corner.

MU Barnhill came out on top in Sunday’s match up against Malone, walking away as the Energia All-Ireland Women’s Junior Cup Winners for the third year in a row. Report and images by Chrissie McKee Barnhall started the match on the front foot with Ciara Faulkner scoring the first of her three tries at the 3-minute mark with Abby Healey and Emma Brogan following to bring the score to 15 - 0 in Barnhill’s favour by the 30th minute.

We caught up with the McCrea Cup match between Academy and Malone 2XV at a dark and foggy Roughfort on Saturday afternoon. Academy got off to a great start with scrum half, Conor Spence bursting through to put the first points on the scoresheet with No 10, Michael Wilson adding the conversion to take the score to 7 - 0.

I caught up with the refixed Girls U18 Cup match between a combined Banbridge, Larne, Malone and Ophir side against Virginia at Rifle Park on Sunday afternoon. I found out on my arrival that the match had been conceded by Virginia due to playing numbers. However, the combine side shared out some of their players and an entertaining game went ahead.

We caught up with the Ulster Senior Cup Quarter Final match between Malone and Ballynahinch at Gibson Park on Saturday afternoon. Ballynahinch took the play to Malone right from the start and it wasn’t long before their No 11, Ruairi Meharg, went over in the corner to give Hinch a 0 - 5 lead, the strong wind making for an unsuccessful conversion.