Ulster go into the international break seventh in the United Rugby Championship after blowing a 19-point half-time lead at Cardiff for a shock defeat by 21-19.

Ulster looked to be cruising to a third consecutive bonus point victory in the league after scoring three tries in the opening 23 minutes at the Arms Park – but Richie Murphy’s side failed to score for the remainder of the game and the Welsh side staged a stunning comeback with three converted tries after the break.

It’s a third defeat in six games for Ulster, with all the loses coming on the road.

Nick Timoney got over the line on 11 minutes but the TMO adjudged the Ulster flanker didn’t ground the ball.

placeholder image — Ulster head coach Richie Murphy. (Photo by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker)

However, Ulster were playing with a penalty advantage and when Cardiff infringed again on their own try line from the next phase of play prop Kieron Assiratti was yellow carded.

From the penalty, Ulster again opted for the tap penalty, the forwards battered the Cardiff line before Cormac Izuchuwku celebrated his Ireland call-up during the week by smashing over from close range, with Nathan Doak adding the conversion.

Ulster unlocked the Cardiff defence again on 17 minutes, Doak make a sniping break before offloading to Stuart McCloskey on the wing. He was stopped in the 22 but the ball was quickly recycled and skipper Iain Henderson put centre Jude Postlewaite clear to race over, with Doak knocking over the conversion.

Postlewaite got his second try on 23 minutes and, again, it was too easy for Ulster to expose the home defence. The ball was moved wide to the wing, McCloskey put in a clever chip over the defence and his midfield partner won the foot race to touch down. Doak failed to convert.

There was no further scoring in the first half, so Ulster went into the interval with a 19-0 lead.

Ulster were reduced to 14 men on 47 minutes as Dave McCann deliberately knocked the ball out of Cardiff scrum half Aled Davies’ hands from an offside position.

The home side made their numerical advantage count immediately, they just moved the ball wide and winger Iwan Stephens produced a speculation finish with a swan dive to dot down before going into touch then Callum Sheedy converted.

Ulster were denied their bonus point try on 60 minutes as Harry Sheridan picked up from a run and sprinted over the line but was held up.

Cardiff punished Ulster’s indiscipline on 64 minutes as the home team nudged a penalty into the corner. The hosts secured the lineout but the ball went loose, replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes picked up and sprinted over from close range with Sheedy adding the extras.

Cardiff took the lead three minutes later. Mike Lowry failed to deal with a kick into the Ulster 22, conceding a penalty. The Blues kicked to the corner, the forwards set up a driving maul with Thomas Young crashing over and Sheedy’s conversion proved the decisive.

Doak missed the chance to win it for Ulster on 75 minutes as his penalty from his own half fell short.

CARDIFF: C Winnett; M Grady, R Lee-Lo, B Thomas, I Stephens; C Sheedy, A Davies; E Byrne, E Lloyd, K Assiratti; J McNally, T Williams; B Donnell, D Thomas, A Lawrence.

Replacements: D Hughes for Lloyd 51 mins, C Domachowski for Byrne 51 mins, R Litterick for Assiratti 50 mins, Rory Thornton for Wiilams 69 mins, J Botham for Donnell 50 mins, T Young for Thomas 50 mins, J Mulder, R Jennings for Thomas 59 mins

ULSTER: E McIlroy; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, M Lowry; A Morgan, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, J McCormick, T O’Toole; I Henderson (captain), K Treadwell; C Izuchuwku, N Timoney, D McCann.

Replacements: J Andrew for McCormick 78 mins, A Warwick for O’Sullivan 59 mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 52 mins, H Sheridan for Henderson 24 mins, Marcus Rea for Sheridan 70 mins, J Cooney for Morgan 69 mins, B Carson for McCloskey 66 mins, B Moxham

Referee: S Grove-white (SRU).