Ulster slump to PRO14 defeat against Leinster

Despite making 15 changes from the side that beat Munster the previous weekend Leinster showed more fluidity and continuity in the first half and were able to mount an unassailable 13-0 at the break.

Ulster did make a fight of it in the second half but they will travel to Murrayfield on Saturday evening for the semi final against Edinburgh on the back of two defeats and have lost their last five games away from the Kingspan Stadium.

A miserable night for Dan McFarland was compounded by injuries to Ireland internationals Jacob Stockdale and Jordi Murphy.

It was the worst possible start from Ulster, they failed to claim the kick-off, and after a couple of phases captain Sam Carter gave away a penalty at the break down and Leinster went to the corner.

From the lineout Ciaran Frawley put a grubber kick in, Ulster winger Matt Faddes failed to deal with it, Leinster’s forwards patiently went through a series of pick and goes on the Ulster line before captain Ed Byrne powered over without half Ross Byrne converting.

Carter gave away another penalty allowing Leinster to kick for territory. From the line-out Kieran Treadwell deliberately knocked the ball on, allowing Ross Byrne to slot over a penalty on 15 minutes.

Carter gave away a third penalty away allowing Ross Byrne to extend Leinster’s lead to 13-0 after 20 minutes.

Ulster wasted a great opportunity to get back in the game, they turned down a kickable penalty in the Leinster 22 to go to the corner, however Ross Molony stole Rob Herring throw.

No points were scored in the second quarter of the first half allowing Leo Cullen’s side to go into the interval with a 13-point advantage.

Ed Byrne forced Ulster into conceding a penalty at the scrum on 43 minutes which Ross Byrne slotted over.

Ulster got their first points on the board in the 53rd minute, Leinster gave a penalty away in their own 22.

Madigan went to the corner from the lineout the forwards powered hooker Rob Herring over with John Cooney adding the conversion.

Cooney reduced Leinster’s lead to six points on 67 minutes with a penalty after Rory O’Loughlin was caught offside in midfield.

Leinster’s replacement Scott Penny put the game beyond doubt with his side’s second try on 72 minutes.

Harry Byrne spotted space on the Ulster right wing, the replacement out-half put in a perfectly weighted kick for Penny, the flanker was able to gather the ball on the bounce and evade Louie Ludik’s tackle to touch down for an unconverted try.

Ulster thought they gave themselves a lifeline when John Cooney intercepted his opposite number Rowan Osborne’s pass.

The Ulster scrum-half darted over from his own 10-metre line but the try was disallowed for offside.

To rub salt into Ulster’s wound Leinster scored from the resulting penalty which they kicked to touch.

From the lineout the forwards had a number of probing runs before Harry Byrne came on to a crash ball to barge over from close range and the out-half converted his try.

Ulster: J Stockdale, M Faddes, J Hume, S McCloskey, R Lyttle, I Madigan, J Cooney, E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; S Carter, K Treadwell, M Rea, J Murphy, M Coetzee.

Replacements: J Andrew for Herring 62 mins , K McCall for O’Sullivan 64 mins, M Moore for O’Toole 54 mins, D O’Connor for Rea 54 mins, N Timoney for Murphy for 62 mins , D Shanahan for McCloskey 72 mins, B Johnston for Madigan 63 mins, Ludik for Stockdale 54 mins.

Leinster: R Kearney; H Keenan, R O’Loughlin, C Frawley, C Kelleher; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park, E Byrne, S Cronin, M Bent, D Toner, R Molony, J Murphy, W Connors, M Deegan.

Replacements: J Tracy for Cronin 51 mins, M Milne for E Byrne 63 mins, T Clarkson for Bent 56 mins, R Ruddock for Murphy 56 mins, S Penny for Connors 70 mins, R Osborne for Gibson-Park 70 mins, H Byrne for Ross Byrne 64 mins, J O’Brien for Frawley 73 mins.

Referee: G Clancy (IRFU).