[tag=image]data:image/jpeg;base64,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[/tag][tag=content]They gave it a superb go and maybe deserved more for their efforts, but Ulster ultimately came up short in their RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final against Leinster at the RDS, losing 13-9 and ending their 2013/14 season on a sour note.
Despite dominating the first half, two Paddy Jackson penalties were all that Ulster could muster and they only led 6-0 at the break, even with a man advantage when Gordon D’Arcy was sin binned.
Leinster came back stronger in the second half and a 72nd minute try from Ian Madigan along with two penalties from Jimmy Gopperth sealed the win for the hosts and ensured they will play Glasgow at the RDS on the 31st May in the Grand Final.
The result means Brian O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen will sign off at the end of the season with one more attempt to win a trophy, but for Johann Muller it is the end of a trophyless campaign with Ulster.
In the end Ulster simply were not clinical enough and failed to capitalise on the chances they got while Leinster in the second period took their opportunity when it was presented to them.
The game itself was by no means a classic with errors and poor discipline being more prevalent than realistic scoring chances, and it took six minutes for Paddy Jackson to put Ulster ahead with a straightforward penalty after Ruan Pienaar missed with an earlier effort.
Leinster were dominating the forward collisions and the scrum but they were not having enough of the ball to make it count, whereas Ulster were finding it difficult to punch any holes in the blue defensive line.
For the most the game was played in the middle of the field with no team seizing the initiative as both teams missed touch from several penalties, denying them good field position.
Then in the 33rd minute it looked like there could be a momentum swinging decision as referee Leighton Hodges gave Leinster centre Gordon D’Arcy a yellow card for a late hit on Tommy Bowe as he was clearing the ball.
Any advantage that the decision did give Ulster was not evident though as they only managed three points in the sin bin period, another penalty from Jackson on the stroke of half time.
Whatever Matt O’Connor did at half time in the Leinster dressing room, it worked wonders as he saw his side come right back into the game and begin to have more of the ball and look more threatening with it.
There was a cause for concern though as Brian O’Driscoll was left flat out on the floor after an attempted challenge, but fortunately for the Ireland stalwart (and the worried fans) he sat up a few moments later and left the pitch to rapturous applause from both sets of spectators.
Despite their impressive start though, Ulster furthered their lead through another Jackson penalty and were seemingly cruising at 9-0.
That belief was short lived as they were brought back down to earth with a bang by two Jimmy Gopperth penalties and the crowd began to get behind their players, sensing that something was coming.
And it did with just nine minutes left on the clock as another Leinster foray into the Ulster 22 finally yielded the only try of the game from O’Driscoll’s replacement Ian Madigan ran a superb line off Gopperth.
Gopperth fed the fly-half who brushed off the combined tackle of Ulster centres Darren Cave and Jared Payne and then shrugged off the covering Craig Gilroy to dot down for the game winning try.
The try was a hammer blow for Ulster who had controlled the vast majority of the game yet now found themselves with just eight minutes left to salvage their season.
And they so very nearly did as Pienaar turned down two kickable penalties to go into the corner, and one of those assaults nearly saw Jared Payne slip in and steal the game at the death, only for the Kiwi to spill the ball at the line.
The jubilation from the home fans proved just how close the Ulstermen had run their southern counterparts, but in the end it was yet another defeat for Mark Anscombe’s men at the hands of their rivals, and this one will be one of the hardest to take.
The scorers
For Leinster
Try: Madigan
Con: Gopperth
Pens: Gopperth (2)
For Ulster
Pens: Jackson (3)
LEINSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden (Zane Kirchner 66), Brian O’Driscoll (Ian Madigan 49), Gordon D’Arcy, Dave Kearney (Luke McGrath 68), Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; (1-8) Cian Healy (Jack McGrath 64), Sean Cronin (Aaron Dundon 78), Martin Moore (Mike Ross 55), Devin Toner, Quinn Roux (Leo Cullen 52), Rhys Ruddock (Sean O’Brien 55), Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip.
Sin bin: Gordon D’Arcy (33)
ULSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Craig Gilroy, Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Darren Cave (Luke Marshall 55), Andrew Trimble, Paddy Jackson (James McKinney 55), Ruan Pienaar; (1-8) Callum Black, Rory Best, Ricky Lutton (Andrew Warwick 60), Johann Muller (Dan Tuohy 57), Iain Henderson, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry (Sean Doyle 68), Roger Wilson.
Subs not used: Rob Herring, Adam Macklin, Paul Marshall.
Man of the Match: Ian Madigan (Leinster)
Attendance: 18,256
Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU)[/tag]
Match Report: Leinster Rugby 13-9 Ulster Rugby
Moderator: Moderators