LEINSTER 54 ULSTER 42

An experimental Ulster side showed unbelievable heart tonight at the RDS, securing a four-try bonus point at the home of the Guinness Pro14 champions in a 14-try clash where no fewer than four Academy and sub-Academy players made their senior debuts. First-half tries from Angus Kernohan and Matt Faddes, followed by scores in a much stronger second period from Craig Gilroy, Greg Jones (two) and Jonny Stewart, plus six conversions from Bill Johnston, sent Ulster back to Belfast with an impressive tally of 42 points. A strong Leinster selection chalked up eight tries of their own, and while a comeback victory was never a real possibility, Head Coach Dan McFarland will be pleased by the never-say-die attitude of his team in the final quarter, with Ethan McIlroy, Stewart Moore, Azur Allison and Jack Regan all acquitting themselves admirably after making their debuts from the bench. A much-changed Ulster line-up retained only one player from the starting XV that bagged a bonus point at Harlequins last weekend – Faddes, who ran out tonight at outside centre. The otherwise brand new backline featured Rob Lyttle at full-back, Gilroy and Kernohan on the wings, Angus Curtis alongside Faddes in midfield, and the halfback pairing of Johnston and David Shanahan. The youthful Ulster pack scrummed down with a front row of props Andrew Warwick and Tom O’Toole either side of hooker Adam McBurney, an engine room of the O’Connor brothers – David making his first start for the province and Alan his 100^th – and a back row of flankers Matthew Rea and Nick Timoney, and Number Eight Jones. Leinster wasted little time setting out their stall, Number Eight Max Deegan dotting down within three minutes of the whistle after good work from wing Cian Kelleher and relentless phase work from his fellow forwards. Harry Byrne’s conversion dispatched, Ulster mounted a dangerous attack of their own straight from the restart, Rea coming close in the first instance and the Leinster defence infringing three times before a smart switch from Faddes off the back of a rolling maul created the space for Kernohan to run in for the score. Johnston added the extras, but the parity was short-lived, with Kelleher’s strength under the tackle impressive as he made valuable metres down the left wing before the forwards took over, and flanker Scott Penny applied the finishing touch. Ulster’s task became greater still on 18 minutes when referee George Clancy sent Faddes to the sinbin for a high tackle on his opposite number Tommy O’Brien - a marginal call given that the Leinsterman slipped just a second before the contact came in – and the ruthless men in blue took full advantage of their extra man, Penny grabbing his second score four minutes later. An injury to Lyttle brought McIlroy on for a real baptism of fire at this stage, and before Faddes could even retake the field, the hosts closed out their bonus point, with Robbie Henshaw sliding over wide on the right after Byrne’s inch-perfect crossfield chip dropped right into his lap. Back in the mix, Faddes soon made his presence felt when he picked up a spill from Jamison Gibson-Park well inside Ulster territory and outstripped all his chasers for a fine solo try, again converted by Johnston. Not to be upstaged on their own turf, however, Leinster still had time before the break for try number five, Fergus McFadden this time forcing his way over, and Byrne missing his first conversion of the night. Half-Time Score Leinster 33 Ulster 14 It was more of the same from the irrepressible Leinstermen shortly after the restart, Rob Kearney sliding in at the corner on 44 minutes despite the best efforts of Rea, Johnston and Shanahan to stop him in his tracks. Then quick thinking from McFadden brought try number seven just before the 50-minute mark, the winger picking out Henshaw with a rapid penalty from the hand, and the centre supplying the impressive Kelleher on his wing for a strong run-in. A serious-looking knee injury brought Curtis’ game to an end moments later, bringing Allison on for his debut, and with Moore also making his senior bow in place of Faddes, the average age of the Ulster side dropped further still. It was an older head that contributed the next score, however, with Gilroy capitalising on a loose pass from Byrne on the Ulster 10-metre line to run in a fine intercept try. Deegan grabbed his second of the night on 62 minutes, and the free-scoring nature of the game soon continued with Jones the author of the bonus-point try three minutes later, picking up from Shanahan after more good territory gained by Kernohan. Regan completed the full complement of debutants when he replaced Alan O’Connor with 10 minutes to play, and much to Ulster’s credit, try number five came moments later, Jones again the scorer off a powerful driving maul. Remarkably, Ulster closed out the game the more confident side, and with lock Josh Murphy yellow-carded for offside with a minute to go, the visitors helped themselves to their sixth try in the final play of the game, replacement scrum-half Stewart picking up from the back of a five-metre scrum and forcing his way past much bigger men to dot down under the posts. Full-Time Score Leinster 54 Ulster 42 Leinster (15 – 9) Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Tommy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Cian Kelleher; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (1 – 8) Peter Dooley, Seán Cronin, Andrew Porter, Scott Fardy (c), Josh Murphy, Will Connors, Scott Penny, Max Deegan Replacements (16 – 23) Bryan Byrne, Cian Healy, Roman Salonoa, Oisín Dowling, Josh van der Flier, Hugh O’Sullivan, Ciarán Frawley, Conor O’Brien Ulster (15 – 9) Rob Lyttle; Craig Gilroy, Matt Faddes, Angus Curtis, Angus Kernohan; Bill Johnston, David Shanahan (1 – 8) Andrew Warwick, Adam McBurney, Tom O’Toole, David O’Connor, Alan O’Connor (c), Matthew Rea, Nick Timoney, Greg Jones Replacements (16 – 23) John Andrew, Kyle McCall, Ross Kane, Jack Regan, Azur Allison, Jonny Stewart, Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy