Sport

Leinster's blue wave washes Ulster's PRO12 hopes away

Leinster's Sean Cronin goes over to score his side's third try during Friday's Guinness PRO12 play-off against Ulster at the RDS <br />Picture by Sportsfile&nbsp;
Leinster's Sean Cronin goes over to score his side's third try during Friday's Guinness PRO12 play-off against Ulster at the RDS
Picture by Sportsfile 
Leinster's Sean Cronin goes over to score his side's third try during Friday's Guinness PRO12 play-off against Ulster at the RDS
Picture by Sportsfile 

Guinness PRO12 semi-final: Leinster 30 Ulster 18

A BLISTERING opening quarter laid the platform as Leinster inflicted yet more play-off pain on Ulster on Friday night.

The opening 20 minutes were so overwhelming that there looked no way back for the visitors, but they made a real fist of it until Jamie Heaslip’s early second half try turned it back in Leinster’s favour. Les Kiss’ side were met by crushing wave after crushing wave of Leinster attack in a start laced with all the ferocity that was so notably absent in the Kingspan a few long weeks ago.

The soundbites had suggested Ulster were prepared, but the reality bore something totally different. Luke Fitzgerald winning the first two aerial clashes against Andrew Trimble set the tone for a salvo that would open a 13-0 lead in a little over 15 minutes.

A poor kick from Ruan Pienaar put Ulster under instant pressure but it still needed a touch of brilliance from Leinster captain Isa Nacewa to finish off the early try. The pass was at his feet but he barely broke stride in cutting infield and powering his way to the line.

The excellent Jonathan Sexton added two fine penalties to push the margin out. The visitors were badly in need of something to steady the ship and, even though there was no score, you could trace it to Luke Marshall’s near miss. He looked to be through but a brilliant tap-tackle from Rhys Ruddock denied him. But Ulster spent much of the next 20 minutes inside the Leinster 22’ and by half-time, were back to within two points.

A penalty from Paddy Jackson finally got the visitors on the scoreboard after 27 minutes before Jack McGrath escaped anything beyond a penalty for a neck-high tackle on Marshall. Jared Payne botched a good chance when he tailed wide and fed Gilroy early instead of straightening up, but a penalty came beneath the posts as the pressure built and Jackson made it 13-6.

Callum Black’s work at the breakdown forced a turnover from which Ulster created the first tangible sign of something truly special. The Leinster fans pined for the TMO to intervene and reward Dave Kearney’s effort, but no angle definitively showed Craig Gilroy’s foot in touch, and one did suggest that he’d gotten his foot up in transit. It came from Pienaar’s break in front of the Ulster fans and that try in the corner made it 13-11 at half-time, with Jackson just unable to land the conversion from the touchline.

The nervousness in the RDS was lifted on 48 minutes when Jamie Heaslip thought nothing of the human obstacle in his path as he powered right over the top of the last tackle from Ben Te’o’s brilliant handoff.

Sexton’s conversion left Ulster right back at square one, 20-11 down with just over half an hour to play. It served to spark the home side back into life and the Leinster forwards took up the mantle from there, driving Ulster into a cruel submission.

A driving maul led to a penalty which Sexton converted from straight in front of the posts. Sean Cronin then reaped the dividends when the overlap presented itself, touching down. Sexton kicked to make it 30-11.

All the optimism had been drained from Ulster then, further back than they’d been. Ian Madigan was given a rousing call for his final RDS appearance as a late sub, though it quietened when Craig Gilroy skipped through for a soft score off first phase ball from a scrum.

Leinster held out to secure their place in the final against Connacht or Glasgow, and ensured that the Kingspan trophy room will remain bare for another year.

MATCH STATS


Leinster: I Nacewa; D Kearney, G Ringrose, B Te’o, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; J McGrath, R Strauss, M Ross; D Toner, M Kearney; R Ruddock, J Murphy, J Heaslip; Replacements: S Cronin for Strauss (52), P Dooley for McGrath (68), T Furlong for Ross (52), R Molony for Kearney (66), J Conan for Ruddock (73), L McGrath for Reddan (68), I Madigan for Te’o (68), Z Kirchner for Nacewa (49); Tries: C Gilroy (2); Conversion: P Jackson; Penalties: P Jackson (2)


Ulster: J Payne; A Trimble, L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; C Black, R Best, R Lutton; P Browne, F van der Merwe; I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy; Replacements: R Herring for Best (73), K McCall for Black (46), A Warwick for Lutton (61), R Diack for Browne (66), R Wilson for Reidy (61), P Marshall for Pienaar (75), S Olding for McCloskey (57), D Cave for Marshall (68); Blood replacement: A Warwick for Black (7-11); Tries: I Nacewa, J Heaslip, S Cronin; Conversions: J Sexton (3); Penalties: J Sexton (3)


Referee: I Davies (WRU)