Leinster leave it late to beat Ulster in URC derby

Aviva Stadium for the United Rugby Championship

Leinster 24 (7)

Trys: Byrne, Prendergast, Lowe, Lowe, Lowe, Sheehan

Ulster 20 (17)

In the first of the festive interprovincial derbies in the United Rugby Championship, champions Leinster defeated Ulster by overcoming a 10-point half-time deficit at Aviva Stadium.

Leo Cullen’s side used a strong bench to fend off their eager fans in Dublin, who were once more at their best.

Richie Murphy’s side had a lead after Werner Kok scored twice, and Tom Stewart scored a try, but Leinster’s bench was stretched to the point where their superiority was revealed in the second half.

With five minutes left, replacement hooker Dan Sheehan scored the winning try from a maul, Joshua Kenny and James Lowe, who had brought the hosts back into contact.

Ulster exploited Leinster’s lack of discipline to work the opening score.

A precise cross-field kick from Jack Murphy, who was playing at the time with penalty advantage after a Leinster offside, was drilled over Ciaran Frawley’s head with Kok on hand to capitalize on the fortuitous bounce and score.

Robert Baloucoune appeared to have doubled the lead right away, but a loose Sam Prendergast pass made it easy for the covering Lowe to catch his kick.

Rieko Ioane, who made his first URC appearance with a score, instead gave Leinster the lead 14 minutes before half-time.

After the hosts’ eliciting a spell of genuine patience, Prendergast accidentally threw a miss-pass that the All Black awkwardly juggled before gathering and heading over the line.

Before half-time, Leinster were pressing to increase their lead, but Nathan Doak hacked an offload that Harry Tector compelled into opposition territory. Kok is the one who capitalizes and scores once more.

Ulster’s quick defense was successful despite conceding six penalties in the opening period.

Leinster finally reached the outside with a penalty 15 minutes after the restart, and Kenny scored in the corner.

The arrival of Paddy McCarthy, Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, and Joe McCarthy was a major boost to the Leinster bench’s momentum.

However, James Ryan received a yellow card for a dangerous clearance, which appeared to have stopped Leinster’s progress.

With just a quarter of an hour left, Leinster would win the sin-bin with 14 men thanks to Lowe’s try. However, a Doak penalty gave the penalty.

Referee Andrew Brace ruled that David McCann’s knock-on was deliberate, and Ulster were given a yellow card for it while still holding on to a three-point lead.

The visitors would lose the game if the back row’s transgression occurred in the 71st minute and was too difficult to hold on to win.

The pressure finally came to an end when Sheehan and his fellow forwards drove over the line for the winning try with a penalty knocked into the corner after five minutes of Ulster’s disdiscipline.

Andrew, Crean, Wilson, Hopes, Ward, McKee, Flannery, and McIlroy were the replacements.

McCann receives a yellow card.

Leinster: Frawley, Kenny, Ioane, Tector, Lowe, Prendergast, McGrath, Boyle, G McCarthy, Slimani, Deeny, Ryan, Soroka, Penny, Conan (capt.).

Sheehan, P. McCarthy, Furlong, J. McCarthy, Deegan, Gunne, Byrne, Moloney, and replacements.

Ryan receives a yellow card