On Friday evening Cardiff were the visitors to the Kingspan Stadium for a United Rugby Championship fixture against 6th placed Ulster.
Both sides made early errors, but it was Cardiff who struck first when Theo Cabango when through a yawning gap in the Ulster defence to score. Tinus De Beer‘s conversion had Cardiff out to 7-0 after 12 minutes.
It took until the 27th minute for Ulster to register a score. Nathan Doak‘s penalty goal reduced the deficit to 3-7. A Doak 35th minute penalty goal saw Ulster go into the changing rooms at halftime 6-7 down.
On 48 minutes Cabango out paced the Ulster Defence to dot down, under the posts. De Beer’s conversion gave Cardiff a 14-6 lead.
Ulster finally got over the Cardiff line. From a maul David McCann forced his way over, after 59 minutes. John Cooney‘s conversion reduced the deficit to 13-14.
Ulster led the game for the first time, 16-14, following Cooney’s 66th minute penalty goal.
Only a despairing last gasp tackle by Cormac Izuchukwu prevented Thomas Young‘s score in the right corner.
A 71st minute De Beer penalty goal put Cardiff back in the lead 17-16.
There was drama in the closing moments. Cabango appeared to have scored in the left corner, only for the TMO to draw the referee’s notice to a deliberate knock on by Cardiff, in their own 22. Cooney ran the clock down preparing for his shot at goal, then slotted the penalty goal to give Ulster a 19-17 win.
Listening to the supporters behind me all agreed that Ulster had played their ‘Get out of Jail’ card!
Despite the win Ulster drop to 10th place in the URC Table.
