Match Reports

Match Report | Leinster 21-22 Ulster

1st January 2024

Ulster climbed to fourth in the BKT URC table after a physical battle in the rain against Leinster. The home side have a strong record at their ground and the win was Ulster's third ever win in 22 matches at the venue.

Dan McFarland's men attacked right from the off, being aggressive in their attack.With the wind and rain causing havoc throughout, it was clear from the start that the wet ball would cause issues in possession, with the ball squirting out at times in the opening exchanges.

Ulster made the first breakthrough of the contest, in-form flanker, Nick Timoney, showing great acceleration and power to break after a expert chip through from Billy Burns.

Timoney held onto the ball despite the onrushing defence and powered over. John Cooney added the extras with a fine kick.

Stunned by the quick start, Ulster didn't let up on the home side. Ulster wrestled possession back from the home side and attacked through patient passing in the Leinster half. Billy Burns showed his kicking prowess once more, sending through a well-executed grubber kick over to Jacob Stockdale, who found himself in acres of space. Stockdale gathered the ball off the ground well and despite the efforts of the Leinster defence, it wasn't enough to stop the prolific winger from finishing in style. Cooney's conversion went wide of the posts.

The home side got back into the contest through their veteran prop, Cian Healy, powering over from a maul. Young fly-half, Sam Prendergast converted the try to give the home crowd something to shout about.

The home side were clearly on the front foot and they scored their second try of the half after a chip from Gibson-Park pinged off the crossbar into the hands of Prendergast, who fired the ball out wide for the run of Russell on the Leinster left wing. Prendergast's conversion meant the home side had edged ahead of the rain soaked contest.

Before the end of the half, Ulster made a clinical counter-attack. Burns was at the heart of the play again, his cross-field kick was inch perfect, and flanker, Nick Timoney, had found himself as the free man. out on the left wing. That try made it five tries in three matches for the powerful back-rower.

Cooney's kick was excellent and Ulster went into half-time with the lead.

Half-Time: 14-19

The second half got off to a dogged start as the weather conditions got even worse. Some excellent defensive kicking from Jacob Stockdale eased the pressure on the Ulster defence at times, with Leinster targeting the high ball to attack with, as they had the wind behind them.

Ulster had chances to pile on the pressure in the home 22, but costly errors at the lineout gave up possession at times. In an Ulster attack, Burns' kick found replacement Lowry on the wing who tried to run free but the move came to nothing and was pulled back for a penalty to Ulster.

Cooney nailed the kick and added three vital points.

Leinster's home crowd started to roar their team back into things and a charge down from McCarthy on Cooney's box kick had the home side in the ascendency. Leinster hooker, Dan Sheehan, landed the blow after a driving maul from a lineout. Replacement Harry Byrne converted from a tricky angle to leave it at a one-point fight.

Ulster would be on the back-foot and made a stubborn display at the back to keep out the URC leaders.

Centre, Luke Marshall, read a pinged pass from Gibson-Park to ease pressure and Ulster won a penalty deep in their 22 after Mike Lowry received the ball under pressure in the dying minutes.

A scrum infringement left Leinster with the chance to kick for the corner but Byrne missed touch with his kick and Ulster had a win to celebrate for their efforts in the wind and rain.

A confidence boosting win at a tough place to play, as Dan McFarland's men made it their third win in succession in all competitions. Ulster can look ahead to a mouth-watering clash with French giants, Toulouse, in Round 3 of the Champions Cup at Kingspan Stadium.

Be there for Ulster's next European battle!

Next up for Ulster is the crucial Investec Champions Cup clash against Toulouse at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday 13 January. Tickets are selling fast - find the last remaining tickets at ulster.rugby/matchtickets.

Teams

Ulster:

(1-8) Kitshoff (Warwick), Herring (Stewart), O'Toole (Wilson), Treadwell, Henderson (O'Connor), Rea, Reffell (Dave Ewers), Timoney.

(15-9) Addison, Baloucoune (Lowry), Marshall, McCloskey, Stockdale, Burns (Doak), Cooney.

Replacements: Stewart, Warwick, Wilson, O'Connor, Ewers, Doak, Lowry, Postlethwaite.

Leinster: Frawley, T O'Brien, Turner, Henshaw, Russell, Prendergast, Gibson-Park, Healy, Sheehan, Clarkson, Jenkins, McCarthy, Baird, Connors, Doris.

Replacements: Barron, Boyle, Ala'alatoa, R Moloney, Conan, McGrath, Byrne, van der Flier.