Ulster A 7 Leinster A 37

Ulster A, sponsored by CD Group, lost their second game of the season, beaten 37 points to 7 by Leinster A at Ballymacarn Park. The visitors scored six tries to Ulster's one as the A side suffered a heavy inter-provincial defeat. Leinster A opened the scoring in the fourth minute. St Mary’s winger, Darragh Fanning was tackled just short of the line, but the ball was recycled quickly and winger Adam Byrne beat two defenders to score in the corner. Inside centre, Tom Daly, was wide with the conversion. Leinster doubled their advantage in the 14th minute. Mark’s Best’s clearance kick was charged down by Leinster outside centre Tom Farrell and he gathered and went over. Daly was again off target. However, despite the scoreline, Ulster had dominance up front and made it pay on 26 minutes after a penalty was awarded for an offside infringement by Leinster lock Gavin Thornbury. Ulster opted for the scrum and a powerful drive resulted in a penalty try. Outhalf and captain, Sam Windsor, made no mistake with the conversion. Ulster were back in the game at 7-10 but despite more good periods of possession, they couldn’t find another way through the Leinster defence. Rory Scholes came closest to a try when he crossed the whitewash, but he was judged to have been ahead of the kicker by referee David Wilkinson and the score was scratched off. Instead, it was Leinster who finished the half the strongest with Leinster outhalf, Joey Carberry, who assumed the kicking duties from Daly and kicked a penalty in the 40th minute. Half Time Ulster 7 Leinster 13 Leinster dominated the second half scoring four unanswered tries, the first of which came ten minutes after the restart. The visitors showed great hands with the ball being swept from left to right out the backline and Darragh Fanning went in under the posts. Ten minutes later, Tom Farrell bagged his second and Leinster’s fourth try of the afternoon. Winger Mick McGrath caught a high ball and he made good ground before the ball was transferred out wide for the winger to score in the corner. Soon after, Carberry spotted a gap and cut through the home defence, before adding the extras for a 7-32 lead, There was still time for a late score by scrumhalf Charlie Rock, who rounded off a miserable afternoon for Ulster A when he picked the ball up from the base of a ruck and ran a try in from 20 metres. A heavy defeat for Alex Codling’s side who have work to do before the start of the British & Irish Cup next month.