Leinster kicked off proceedings, immediately setting their attacking intent, working through a series of phases to enter the Ulster 22. However, the home side’s defence stood firm, forcing an early penalty. An excellent tackle from Ulster’s Jack Boal epitomised the early defensive resolve.
The opening minutes were somewhat scrappy. In the 5th minute, strong attacking play from Leinster’s Hugo McLaughlin and Andrew Osborne threatened the Ulster line, but fly-half Owen O’Kane did brilliantly to ground the ball and prevent a try.
The visitors' pressure eventually told in the 6th minute. Following another attacking wave, Leinster scrum-half Cormac Foley darted over the whitewash for the game's opening try. Caspar Gabriel successfully converted, putting Leinster 0-7 ahead.
Ulster responded with vigour. A powerful maul in the 8th minute drove them to within inches of the Leinster try line, only for the visitors' defence to hold strong and win a relieving penalty.
The home side continued to press. A strong lineout in the 13th minute saw the ball moved wide to Bevan Prinsloo, who made good ground. A pinpoint kick from Lukas Kenny then cleverly turned Leinster and put Ulster deep into their 22. However, a penalty against Ulster allowed Leinster to clear their lines and move play back upfield.
Leinster’s Stephen Smyth nearly extended their lead down the wing in the 15th minute, but superb defensive work from McCormick and Matthew Dalton denied him. The respite was short-lived, as Leinster managed to breach the Ulster defence in the 16th minute, with Liam Molony crashing over. Gabriel was again accurate with the conversion, making it 0-14.
Undeterred, Ulster displayed their hunger for a score, with Bevan Prinsloo, Tom Brigg, and Joe Mawhinney all prominent in carrying the fight. Their efforts were rewarded in the 24th minute. A 5-metre lineout was well taken by Charlie Irvine, leading to a powerful maul that gained crucial metres. After some well-worked phases across the field, the impressive Lukas Kenny found a gap and dived over for Ulster’s first try. Owen O’Kane’s successful conversion narrowed the deficit to 7-14.
Ulster looked to continue this strong attack, with McCormick producing a great ball and Kenny again showing his electric pace. However, a Leinster penalty halted an Ulster scoring opportunity. The visitors then demonstrated their clinical edge, with Hugh Cooney and Charlie Tector orchestrating play well in midfield. A Leinster maul right on the Ulster try line in the 30th minute was bravely repelled, with Conor McKee’s excellent clearance kick pushing play back to halfway.
But Leinster were relentless. Andrew Osborne made a dangerous break down the wing, and in the 31st minute, captain Charlie Tector crossed for their third try. Gabriel maintained his perfect kicking record to make it 7-21.
Half Time: Ulster 'A' 7 - 21 Leinster 'A'
Ulster burst out of the blocks in the second half. Skipper James McCormick, leading by example, scored for the Ulstermen in the opening minutes of the period, burrowing over after a period of sustained pressure. O’Kane once again added the extras, significantly closing the gap to 14-21 and giving the home crowd renewed hope.
The Ulstermen continued their strong start to the half, with Sean Reffell, Bevan Prinsloo, and McCormick himself putting in big performances and carrying the fight to Leinster.
However, Leinster weathered the storm and reasserted their authority. In the 51st minute, Mahon Ronan extended their lead after a dominant attacking spell. Crucially, this try secured the bonus point Leinster needed to guarantee the Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship title. Gabriel’s conversion pushed the score to 14-28.
Ulster refused to lie down. A great break in the line by Irvine in the 60th minute promised much, but unfortunately, the ball was turned over. Leinster then further extended their advantage in the 64th minute when their captain, Tector, crossed for his second try of the afternoon, which he also converted, taking the score to 14-35.
Despite the scoreline and with the championship decided, Ulster continued to battle with immense pride. Their perseverance paid off in the dying moments of the game when, in the 80th minute, Fraser Cunningham broke through the Leinster defence and crashed over for a thoroughly deserved try. Owen O’Kane’s successful conversion was the final act of the match, bringing the final score to 21-35.
Teams
Ulster
1\. Jack Boal, 2. James McCormick (C), 3. Joe Mawhinney, 4. Matthew Dalton, 5. Charlie Irvine, 6. Marcus Rea, 7. Sean Reffell, 8. Tom Brigg, 9. Conor McKee, 10. Owen O’Kane, 11. Rory Telfer, 12. Bevan Prinsloo, 13. Wilhelm De Klerk, 14. Lukas Kenny, 15. Ethan Graham
Replacements:
16\. Henry Walker, 17. Niall Carville, 18. Blake McClean, 19. Reuben Crothers, 20. Bryn Ward, 21. Clark Logan, 23. Fraser Cunningham, 24. Josh Stevens, 25. Conor Rankin
Leinster
1\. Paddy McCarthy, 2. Stephen Smyth, 3. Alex Mullan, 4. Billy Corrigan, 5. Mahon Ronan, 6. Alex Soroka, 7. Liam Molony, 8. John Vinson, 9. Cormac Foley, 10. Caspar Gabriel, 11. Charlie Molony, 12. Charlie Tector ©, 13. Hugh Cooney, 14, Andrew Osborne, 15, Hugo McLaughlin
Replacements:
16\. John McKee, 17. Andrew Sparrow, 18. Gerry Cahir, 19. Donnacha McGuire, 20. Josh Erikson, 21. Tadhg Brophy, 22. Ciaran Mangan, 23. Connor Fahy, 24. Ruben Moloney
Scorers
Ulster
L. Kenny, J. McCormick, F. Cunningham 1 try each, O. O’Kane 3 cons.
Leinster
C. Foley, L. Molony, M. Ronan 1 try each, C. Tector 2 tries 1 con, C. Gabriel 4 cons.