Ulster 32 Cardiff Blues 13
Friday 25 February 7.05pm
The Ravenhill crowd was in ecstasy within the first minutes when it looked as if Nevin Spence had crossed for a try, only for referee James Jones to call them back for crossing. However, the decision managed to incense the Ulster faithful who became even more vocal.
It was a lively start from both sides and again Dan Fish was kicking well into the corner gaining good ground for the Blues. Humphreys missed with a long-range penalty effort from his own half but from the drop out twenty-two restart, set up the first try of the night. The Ulster outside half chipped ahead and gathered his kick, before drawing the fullback and passing to Gilroy to touch down under the posts.
Humphreys was more successful with another effort from his own half and the Blues were trailing 10 nil but soon responded. Gavin Evans did well to break into the Ulster twenty two before passing to Sweeney. Knowing he had a defender on him Sweeney passed on to Fish to score under the posts and Sweeney converted.
It was end to end stuff, with Fau Filsie rampaging through the midfield into the Ulster twenty two before they in turn counter attacked. Eventually the score came. Ulster built up steadily and from five metres out dangerman, Ruan Pienaar, threw a dummy and crossed to score with Humphreys again converting the effort.
Ulster were penalised for not releasing and Sweeney converted to narrow the half time deficit to seven points.
Half time Ulster 17 Cardiff Blues 7
Ulster started the second half brightly with the crowd again getting behind them. They attacked from their own half down the left, with D’Arcy doing well, before they recycled and moved the ball right where Trimble dived over in the corner for the try despite a last ditch tackle from Tom James. Humphreys was wide with the touchline conversion.
Sweeney slotted a penalty following Ulster being penalised in the scrum but Humphreys got one back to restore the 12 point lead.
Ulster were down to 14 men following Paddy McAllister being sent to the bin for killing the ball after a Rhys Downes break, but the Blues failed to press home the advantage after opting to kick for a lineout five metres out.
It was Ulster’s night and despite being a man down they kicked their way down to the Blues twenty two and Fish carried the ball over the touchline. Ulster won the lineout and drove, before they eventually spread the ball out right for Marshall to score and Humphreys to convert, to seal a bonus point victory for the Ulstermen that saw the Bleus slip down to fourth place in the League.
15 Dan Fish 14 Richard Mustoe 13 Gavin Evans 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Tom James (79off) 10 Ceri Sweeney (72off) 9 Rhys Downes (65off)
8 Xavier Rush 7 Martyn Williams (75off) 6 Andries Pretorius 5 Paul Tito (c) (65off) 4 Deiniol Jones 3 Scott Andrews (70off) 2 T Rhys Thomas (70off) 1 Taufa’ao Filise (77off)
16 Gareth Williams (70on) 17 Nathan Trevett (77on) 18 Sam Hobbs (70on) 19 Ben White (75on) 20 Ma’ama Molitika (65on) 21 Tom Slater (65on) 22 Gareth Davies (72on) 23 James Loxton (79on)
15 Adam D'Arcy 14 Andrew Trimble 13 Nevin Spence 12 Luke Marshall 11 Craig Gilroy 10 Ian Humphreys 9 Ruan Pienaar
1 Bryan Young 2 Andi Kyriacou 3 Declan Fitzpatrick 4 Johann Muller (C) 5 Tim Barker 6 Chris Henry 7 Willie Faloon, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg
16 Nigel Brady 17 Paddy McAllister 18 Jerry Cronin 19 Ryan Caldwell 20 TJ Anderson 21 Paul Marshall 22 Ian Whitten 23 Tommy Seymour
Cardiff Blues
Tries Fish x 1
Pen Sweeney x 2
Con Sweeney x 1
D/G
Ulster
Tries Gilroy x 1 Pienaar x 1 Trimble x 1 Marshall x 1
Pen Humphreys x 2
Con Humphreys x 3
D/G
Yellow Card: Paddy McAllister
Attendance: 8,383
Referee: James Jones