Leinster (19) 41
Tries: T O’Brien, Clarkson, penalty try, Ringrose, Sheehan 3 Cons: Frawley, Prendergast
Ulster (10) 17
Tries: Izuchukwu, McCann Cons: Murphy 2 Pen: Murphy
Ulster’s hopes of reaching the top eight and the play-offs in the United Rugby Championship suffered a blow with a 41-17 defeat by runaway leaders Leinster.
Jack Murphy kicked an early penalty for Ulster but Tommy O’Brien and Thomas Clarkson touched down for the hosts.
Cormac Izuchukwu’s superb converted try brought Ulster back into the game but Leinster were awarded a penalty try to lead 19-10 at the break.
Garry Ringrose scored for Leinster’s bonus-point try two minutes after the restart and replacement Dan Sheehan added a fifth score despite some Ulster pressure.
Sheehan completed his hat-trick either side of David McCann’s consolation score to round out a convincing win.
Leinster remain top of the URC table while Ulster are 10th, two places outside the play-off spots, with three rounds of regular season fixtures remaining.
Despite losing key centre Stuart McClockey in the warm-up, Ulster made a bright start and, after some early pressure, took the lead when Jack Murphy knocked over a simple penalty as Leinster conceded their first points in their last 197 minutes of rugby.
However, the hosts responded in style when Tommy O’Brien received the ball out wide.
The wing chipped forward and won the foot race against Nathan Doak to score, but Ciaran Frawley sent the conversion wide.
Richie Murphy had elected to go for a six-two split on the bench and that move seemed to backfire when, after losing McCloskey in the warm-up and Stewart Moore for a head injury assessment in the early stages, Michel Lowry was stretchered off after being injured in the build-up to O’Brien’s try.
After a lengthy stoppage, Leinster picked up where they left off and Clarkson burrowed over the line.
However, Ulster responded well and Izuchukwu’s charging run led to the returning second row crossing and Murphy added the extras to bring Ulster to within two points.
But Leinster had the final say of the half when McCann was adjudged to have brought down a rolling maul, and referee awarded a penalty try and sent the Ulster back row to the sin bin.
With a man advantage, Leinster secured their bonus-point just two minute after the restart.
Jamie Osborne squirmed through two Ulster tackles and fed the ball wide to Ireland centre Ringrose, who was able to cross unchallenged.
Ulster pressed for a response when McCann returned to the field and, shortly after, Leinster had Diarmuid Mangan sent to the bin after repeated infringements near their own try line.
However, the fierce home defence held firm and the home support had something to cheer at the other end as O’Brien beat Cooney from Frawley’s chip through, and the wing had great awareness to kick the ball out wide and Sheehan gathered to score.
The Ireland hooker squeezed through a gap to grab his second and Leinster’s sixth try, and replacement Sam Prendergast added the conversion.
McCann scored with six minutes to play as Ulster but Sheehan crashed over in the corner to complete his hat-trick.
While Leinster’s place in the play-offs are not in doubt, Ulster will need to pick up positive results against the Sharks, Munster and Edinburgh if they are to break into the play-offs.
Leinster: Osborne; T O’Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, J O’Brien; Frawley, McGrath (capt); Boyle, G McCarthy, Clarkson; J McCarthy, Mangan; Soroka, Penny, Culhane.
Replacements: Sheehan, Porter, Furlong, Snyman, Deegan, Gunne, Prendergast, Turner.
Ulster: Lowry; Ward, Postlethwaite, Moore, Stockdale; Murphy, Doak; Warwick, Herring, O’Toole; O’Connor (capt), Izuchukwu; McNabney, Timoney, McCann.
Replacements: Stewart, Reid, Wilson, Dalton, Treadwell, Cooney, de Klerk, Matty Rea.
