Dungannon managed to salvage something from a season that promised so much when they won the Ulster Senior Cup against a very spirited Malone side at Ravenhill last night.

The Tyrone club opened with all guns blazing, but it was Malone that got the first points on the board with a Jeffrey Park penalty from the halfway line after 10 minutes.

Five minutes later it was all square when Dungannon out-half Ashley Blair slotted over his second penalty attempt. The same player was on target with a beautifully executed drop goal five minutes later.

But Malone were taking the battle to Dungannon and on 28 minutes Park stepped up gain to make it 6-6. Malone's penchant for going over the top at rucks cost them dearly in the 37th minute when Blair kicked his second penalty.

Michael Niblock, however, sent Malone into the break on a high note when he carved through the Dungannon defence to score a fine try. Park slotted over the conversion for a 13-9 lead.

As in last week's semi-final, Willie Anderson must have had stern words with his Dungannon side during the interval because they went on the attack straight from the kickoff and rounded off some exuberant rugby when winger Roger Cowan scythed through the cover to touch down under the posts, leaving Blair to convert. Five minutes into the half Blair landed his third penalty when Malone were caught offside.

On 60 minutes, Park closed the gap with another penalty. This served to spur Malone to even greater efforts but Dungannon hung on to their three-point lead.