Cooney kicks up a storm for Ulster

missed the conversion.

Their lead lasted four minutes as Ulster then managed to respond with a converted try when Stuart McCloskey took a tap penalty and made ground before supplying lock Kieran Treadwell.

The ball hit the second row’s knee and he fell on the ball and rolled over the line to score a rather unusual-looking try which Cooney converted after the TMO had been consulted.

The Blues came back again and six minutes later the scores were level after Cardiff again won a penalty inside Ulster’s 22.

This time Evans converted and the Blues led 12-10.

The second half’s most notable event prior to Seb Davies’ 54th-minute binning for an illegal hit on Ross Kane was a scrap involving McCloskey and Lloyd Williams which developed into a melee.

Ulster put their penalty into the corner and, after several pick and goes near the Blues line, Dillon Lewis was penalised for going off his feet and Cooney slotted the 56th-minute penalty to nudge the home side back into the lead at 13-12.

Then, on 66 minutes, Ulster earned a penalty after pinching a lineout and Cooney landed it to put his side four points in front. JOHN COONEY marked his return from international duty by kicking 11 points in Ulster’s 16-12 PRO14 victory over Cardiff Blues at the Kingspan Stadium.

And after just two minutes, Ulster were ahead thanks to a Cooney penalty.

But the Blues, with former Ulster player Nick Williams prominent, came straight back into the game and took the lead after nine minutes with a wellworked try.

After a period of pressure Matthew Morgan made the left corner but Jarrod Evans