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30th March 2019
07:48pm GMT
(Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile)[/caption]
John Cooney converted to make it 7-0 after six minutes but Leinster answered right back when Ross Byrne burst past Robert Baloucoune to sscore near the right-hand corner. 7-5 to Ulster and a crazy opening 10 minutes.
Byrne missed the conversion to his own score and then pulled a penalty attempt wide but, after another sublime aerial tackle from Jacob Stockdale and a strong Ulster drive, John Cooney put the men in red 10-5 ahead. Byrne did make it a two-point game, though, after 30 minutes when Marcell Coetzee was pinged at the breakdown.
For all of Ulster's brio and crowd-rousing moments, it was Leinster that hit the front after 34 minutes when Byrne pinged over his second penalty of the game from 36 metres out. That lead lasted only three minutes as, inspired by Cooney and Michael Lowry, the Ulster No.9 chipped over a penalty from right in front of the posts.
HALF-TIME: Leinster 11-13 Ulster
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(Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile)[/caption]
The second half began with Ulster nearly in for another try after Ringrose had a second clearing kick charged down. Minutes later and Ulster were left ruing a bigger chance that went abegging.
Jacob Stockdale looked to have scored a Champions Cup try for the ages, leaving four Leinster players in his wake, but Dave Kearney kept chasing him and the Ulster winger spilled the ball just as he was bending to dot down. It was a moment that looked worse with each replay on the big screen.
Jack Conan then evaded Ulster prop Eric O'Sullivan and made a fantastic line break from a ruck, finding Adam Byrne on his right shoulder. Byrne outpaced two Ulster defenders chasing back to score and Ross Byrne added the tricky extras.
There was a lengthy hold-up, just after Ulster won a penalty on the Leinster 22, when sub Dan Leavy received treatment on the pitch before being placed on a stretcher and applauded off the field. It was cruel luck for the flanker, who has been plagued by injuries for the past nine months.
Ulster ensured there were further Leinser headaches, minutes after play resumed, when Luke Marshall backed himself (with a spare man off his right shoulder) and grounded the ball. Cooney missed a relatively simple conversion and it was 18-18 with 15 minutes to go.
It was Leinster to edge ahead next when Byrne told captain Rhys Ruddock he would have a dart from the sideline when Roman Poite awarded the Blues a penalty. The outhalf pinged it over before limping back to his own half - cramp setting in. It was his last action as Rob Kearney soon took his place for the end-game.
Ulster simply could not get the ball back for the final four minutes and it was Leinster that got the acclaim at the final whistle. They await the winners of Racing 92 and Toulouse in the last four.
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