Wilbur Leacock hoping Malone can gain upper hand in relegation battle

The sides that finish ninth and tenth will go into a two-legged play-off to determined who is relegated.

Navan are bottom, four points adrift of Malone with Banbridge a place and a point ahead of their Ulster rivals.

Malone and Banbridge face difficult assignments this afternoon against sides in contention for the promotion playoffs.

Malone host fourth place Naas at Gibson Park. Wilbur Leacock’s side picked up a valuable try bonus point last weekend in the defeat to Old Belvedere, but the coach knows Malone probably need two wins to survive.

“To get something out of the game (Belvo) was key, we started the game pretty well I thought but we just couldn’t convert pressure into points and that is probably the story of our season,” commented Leacock.

“We ended up conceding a try which they hadn’t worked for and you go in at half time 13-3 down.

“Our discipline in a 15-minute period really cost us in the first half, the most disappointing thing was we didn’t take our points in the first half.

“We’re at home again, we need a big performance and hopefully we can get something out of the game to keep us live for the last weekend.”

“Naas are coming into it trying to get into the playoffs as they are fourth at the minute, if they can get a win they will be in the play-offs so both teams need something out of the game.

“We need something to take us out of the bottom two and they need a win to secure a place in the top four.

“If we could get this win this weekend or a win next weekend then definitely were alive, we just have to try and win a game of rugby and it has been a while since we done that.

“We just have to try and take on chances and grind out the win.”

Leacock has been encouraged by some of Malone’s attacking play.