Malone are beginning to look settled at the top of division two. The league leaders, undefeated this season in the AIL campaign with six wins and a draw from their seven matches played, once again produced a performance worthy of their current position against Portadown, while Old Belvedere put in a confident display with a 27-9 win over bottom-placed Ballynahinch to secure second spot on the table.
Dungannon, meanwhile, sit mid-table with only five games played so far. But the latent potential of the Ulster team was outlined at Old Crescent where, without Ireland out-half David Humphreys and centre Johnny Bell, they held off a determined home effort at Rosbrien for a close 22-28 win.
It was a drop goal from Ricky McIlmoyle to put Portadown in front which ignited Malone's fire at Gibson Park. But with Neil Patterson and Lauren Stewart running in the tries for Malone and Gareth Fry, a half-time replacement for the injured Patterson, adding a penalty and a sweet drop goal, the large crowd was left well warmed.
Although Ballynahinch are struggling this season, they faced Old Belvedere without their star flanker Andy Ward, who is being rested before Ireland's game against Wales next weekend.
Not surprisingly, the Dublin club dominated the match with out-half Donal Martin playing a pivotal role, claiming a try, two penalties and three conversions. Other tries from scrum-half Simon Keogh and front row Tim Mannix stifled any hopes of a Ballynahinch revival as Phillip Nelson added two second-half penalties to his efforts of the first period.
Dungannon simply won their game at Rosbrien with tight five power, Justin Fitzpatrick in particular showing ability in the scrum. Playing to a rigid game plan using the pack Dungannon sensibly, if unattractively, ground out their win.
Old Crescent led by 10 points in the opening exchanges but Dungannon responded immediately with 22 points in as many minutes. Brian Begley kept the Limerick side in the game grabbing 17 points, while Dungannon shared their scores around, Alastair Hood, Charlie Simpson and Stephen Bell, all claiming tries. Ashley Blair, deputising for Humphreys, landed three penalties and two conversions from the boot.
Despite the defeat, Old Crescent still linger in fourth position on nine points with European Student Champions UCC breathing down their necks. Fittingly it was at Lansdowne Road that UCC ran out narrow 13-15 winners over Wanderers, with captain Aidan O'Shea landing a crucial injury-time drop goal from over 30 metres.
While Wanderers had most of the scoring opportunities and possession, the students stuck to their task, with out-half Brian O'Mahony landing four penalties to add to O'Shea's match-winning punt.
As usual, O'Mahony's counterpart Eric Olazabal contributed to Wanderers' scoring with two penalties and a conversion after hooker Bevan Cantrell went over for an early home try.
At the bottom of the table Old Wesley, Skerries, Dolphin, Greystones and Sunday's Well are hardly brimming with confidence. Old Wesley's 14-17 home defeat to City of Derry and Greystones 34-39 defeat at DLSP keeps them firmly rooted in the danger zone - Old Wesley having played two games more than any other team. Dolphin, also nervously lodging at the wrong end of the table, had a convincing win over Sunday's Well, who have now lost five games in a row.
Out-half John O'Mahony led the scoring for Dolphin against their close rivals at Musgrave, carving out three penalties, a try and two conversions in the 26-6 victory.
Skerries, meanwhile, clawed back a little ground but need a lot more to prevent them from falling. A 9-9 draw against Bective Rangers at Holmpatrick jangled nerves as the home side relied on an injury time kick from Clive Lawless, his third of the game, to pull them out of the fire.
A win would have put Bective in joint fourth position in what is shaping up to be an extremely tight table. Skerries, however, have won only two of their eight matches, the draw putting them in a group on five points, just a rung above Ballynahinch.
