John Cooney penalty joy as Ulster seal URC quarter-finals spot with win over Leinster

It’s only the third time in the professional era that Ulster have completed a league double over their Irish rivals but were outscored by three tries to two by an under-strength Leinster, who rested the vast majority of their frontline players ahead of next weekend’s Champions Cup final.

Ulster were nearly gifted a perfect start within three minutes. As Leinster winger Rob Russell fielded a harmless kick in his own 22, he hesitated allowing Mike Lowry to charge down the clearance, the two raced to touch the ball down over the try line but the visitors’ No11 was adjudged to get the first downward pressure.

Lowry was denied again two minutes later as he fielded Will Addison’s crossfield kick but Huge Keenan made a try-saving tackle, however, the Ulster winger carried on and scored but it was disallowed as the referee adjudged he didn’t release after the tackle.

Ulster had 96 per cent territorial dominance in the opening 13 minutes and final turned pressure into points when they kicked a penalty to the corner. From the lineout, the forwards rumbled over with hooker Rob Herring touching down at the back of the maul and Cooney converted.

Leinster scored with the first push into Ulster territory on 22 minutes.

Billy Burns’ attempted clearance in his own 22 was charged down by flanker Will Connors, he fed Charlie Ngatai and the former All Black held off a tackle from the Ulster out half to go under the posts, with Harry Byrne converting.

Ulster wasted a chance to regain the lead two minutes later when Addison made a line break and, despite a three-on-one overlap, the centre went himself and was held up over the line.

Leinster took the lead on 28 minutes as a powerful carry for Jack Conan got the visitors on the front foot, Keenan hit the line at pace then broke a couple of tackles before putting Cormac Foley free and the scrum half went over unopposed with Byrne adding the extras.

Ulster responded with Cooney knocking over a simple penalty from in front of the posts four minutes later to reduce Leinster’s half-time lead to 14-10.

Cooney was on target with another penalty four minutes after the restart.

Leinster got their third try on 53 minutes as the forwards battered the Ulster line for a number of phases before tighthead prop Michael Ala’alatoa bludgeoned his way over from close range with Byrne converting.

Ulster got back into the game on 57 minutes when Leinster were in their 22 and Byrne, through a pass to the winger Jacob Stockdale, intercepted and raced the length of the pitch to touch down with Cooney converting.

Cooney proved the match-winner as he held his nerve to land a last-minute penalty from just inside the Leinster half.

ULSTER: E.McIlroy, M.Lowry, W.Addison, S.McCloskey, J.Stockdale, B.Burns, J.Cooney, E.O’Sullivan, R.Herring, T.O’Toole, K.Treadwell, A.O’Connor, C.Izuchukwu, D.McCann, N.Timoney.

Replacements: T.Stewart for Herring 48 mins, A.Warwick for O’Sullivan 55 mins, S.Wilson for O’Toole 64 mins, H.Sheridan for Treadwell 68 mins, M.Rea for Izuchukwu 61 mins, N.Doak for Burns 73 mins, S.Moore for McIlroy 55 mins, J.Postlethwaite for McCloskey 73 mins

LEINSTER: H.Keenan, T.O’Brien, J.O’Brien, C.Ngatai, R.Russell, H.Byrne, C.Foley, C.Healy, R.Kelleher, M.Ala’alatoa; J.Ryan, B.Deeny, M.Deegan, W.Connors, J.Conan.

Replacements: J.McKee for Kelleher 60 mins, M.Milne for Healy 60 mins, T.Clarkson for Ala’alatoa 60 mins, R.Molony for Deeny 56 mins, S.Penny for Connors 65 mins, L.McGrath for O’Brien 36 mins, S.Prendergast for Byrne 73 mins, B.Brownlee for Ngatai 26 mins.

Referee: A Piardi (Italy).