ULSTER’S POWER GRAB
RORY BEST inspired Ulster to a hard-fought win over Munster last night. Best entered the action as a second-half substitute and Ireland’s captain made two key interventions in the two-try blast which killed off the spirited visitors.
Two Castres players should have been sent off against Munster last weekend, according to disciplinary officials this week. Scant consolation for Johann van Graan’s men, who went down 13-12 in France.
The disciplinary drama followed them up to Belfast with Robert Baloucoune taking out Darren Sweetnam in the air from the kick-off. The young Ulster wing could consider himself very lucky to just cop a yellow card for his reckless tackle.
That incident proved the catalyst for a feisty opening quarter. Referee Sean Gallagher had to intervene on several occasions as the red mist came down between the opposition packs.
The hosts will be happy how they negotiated that opening 10 minutes down to 14 men, conceding just three points when Will Addison rushed off the line and strayed offside. JJ Hanrahan fired the penalty between the sticks as Baloucoune returned to the action.
Ulster scrum-half John Cooney left the field for a HIA in the 24th minute — a worry for club and country — as Dave Shanahan entered the fray.
These pre-Christmas clashes are often seen as precursors to the real business in the New Year, but this was a full-blooded contest. Neither side was giving an inch at the breakdown with Ulster lock Ian Nagle — who spent five seasons at his native Munster — particularly fired-up in the forward exchanges.
After 30 minutes of claustrophobic action in Belfast, Addison finally found some space with a weaving 30-metre break. The move broke down but the newly-capped Ireland centre’s attack laid the foundation for hooker Rob Herring to rumble over from an Ulster lineout drive a few minutes later. Bill Burns — taking over the kicking duties from the stricken Cooney — converted from the touchline to make it 7-3 approaching half-time.
Hanrahan’s second penalty of the night trimmed Ulster’s lead to a solitary point in the 52nd-minute after the hosts were caught offside once more. Head coach Dan McFarland then sent on Best to inject some life into his Ulster side.
Munster sent on some cavalry of their own as Dave Kilcoyne and Tommy O’Donnell — Crossing over: Ulster’s Dave Shanahan scores his side’s third try at Ravenhill back from a long-term leg injury — took the field in pace of Jeremy Loughman and Conor Oliver.
A sublime offload from Best sparked Ulster’s best attack of the evening. A flowing attack involving replacements Shanahan and James Hume ending with Baloucoune racing under the posts for a superb try. Burns again converted as Ulster surged out to a 14-6 lead on the hour mark.
Replacement Bill Johnston kept Munster in touch with a 66th-minute penalty.
It was all one-traffic after that as Shanahan raced over in the corner thanks to another deft Best offload.
Johnston’s penalty in the dying seconds secured a losing bonus point, but the night belonged to the Ulster men. ULSTER: L Ludik (J Hume 52); H Speight, W Addison, S McCloskey, R Baloucoune; B Burns, J Cooney (D Shanahan 25); E O’Sullivan (K McCall 55), R Herring (R Best 52), M Moore (R Kane 56); I Nagle, K Treadwell; S Reidy (N Timoney 60), J Murphy, M Coetzee Scorers – Tries: Herring, Baloucoune, Shanhan Cons: Burns (2)
MUNSTER: M Haley (B Johnston5 57); D Sweetnam, S Arnold, J Taute, A Wootton; JJ Hanrahan (S Daly 63), A Mathewson (N Cronin 55); J Loughman (D Kilcoyne 56), K O’Byrne (M Sherry 69), S Archer (, C Parker 67); J Kleyn (G Coombes 67), D O’Shea; F Wycherley, C Oliver (T O’Donnell 55), A Botha Scorers – Pens: Hanrahan (2), Johnston (2) Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)