Leinster A 14 Ulster A 29

Ulster got their first ‘A’ Inter-Pro game of the 2020-21 season off to a superb start after defeating Leinster 14-29 at the RDS Arena on Friday evening. The visitors started strongly boasting the lion’s share of possession. Ulster soon opened the score in the 16th minute with Craig Gilroy offloading to fly-half, Bill Johnston who went in under the posts, and converted his own try. The visitors coped well with Leinster pressure, and it wasn’t until the stroke of half-time when Leinster responded through a Max Deegan try, converted by Harry Byrne to level the scores. Half-time score: Leinster A 7 Ulster A 7  The home side didn’t take long in the second half to take the lead, with prop Peter Dooley collecting a Jack Dunne offload to crash over the whitewash in the 42nd minute. Byrne added the conversion. That turned out to be the last time Leinster would get on the scoreboard. Ulster were almost in to re-take the lead in the 51st minute, after a slick David Shanahan pass led to a Bill Johnston break, only to be stopped just short by Andrew Smith. Ulster went wide but a forward pass gave Leinster a scrum and some breathing space. Ulster took the lead off the back of a lineout maul ten minutes later, with captain Adam McBurney going over for the visitors. Johnston’s tricky conversion attempt was just off-target. A moment of individual brilliance for Ulster’s third try came from Matt Faddes – who had moved from centre to full-back early in the game after Ethan McIlroy had to make an early exit – when he chased his own kick to dive on the ball over the line. Johnston made no mistake with the extras. Leinster were almost in for a score when camped on the Ulster line, save for a superb turnover by Marcus Rea, which effectively shut Leinster out of the game. Bill Johnston added to his impressive tally in the 80th minute with a monster 52-metre penalty to stretch the lead. Ulster bagged their fourth try with the clock well in the red, when Craig Gilroy picked out a Leinster pass to intercept from halfway and run in for the score. Full-time score: Leinster A 14 Ulster A 29