IT’S AGONY FOR ULSTER
Gloucester’s injury-time try ends Champions Cup hopes for visitors
THIS WAS the one that got away for Ulster, a defeat snatched from the jaws of victory deep into injury time that is likely to scupper their European Champions Cup hopes for another year.
It is a pity because there had been much to admire in the performances by Dan McFarland’s men against the mighty Toulouse in Ravenhill last weekend and Gloucester in Kingsholm yesterday but the visitors needed victory to maintain a realistic interest in qualifying for the knockout stages under the revised format.
And it looked like John Cooney, playing with a verve that surely demands Ireland recognition (although there are no guarantees given the way he has been treated at national level thus far), had inspired that win only for Gloucester to respond magnificently and produce their best performance under head coach George Skivington, six days after they were routed 55-10 by Lyon.
It was a display that put Danny Cipriani’s departure from the club well and truly behind them, the triumph sealed courtesy of a try by substitute fly-half George Barton five minutes into stoppage time.
Gloucester conceded 17 points while their Wales wing Louis ReesZammit spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin, and it looked like proving costly until Barton came up trumps. Ulster saw touchdowns by Cooney, full-back Michael Lowry and their former Gloucester fly-half Billy Burns, in addition to a penalty try, while Cooney added three conversions and two penalties.
Gloucester had two penalty tries, with Barton, Rees-Zammit and centre Mark Atkinson touching down, while fly-half Lloyd Evans kicked three conversions and a penalty.
Gloucester showed no sign of any hangover from their drubbing in Lyon, and they went ahead in the seventh minute through a cleverlycrafted try.
Centre Chris Harris made initial ground, then full-back Kyle Moyle cut a superb attacking angle before Rees-Zammit applied a quality finish on his return to club colours following Wales’ Autumn Nations Cup campaign.
Evans converted from the touchline, but it proved a short-lived advantage as Ulster drew level from their first attack. Impressive phase-play tested Gloucester’s defence before Burns skipped through a huge gap, with Cooney converting.
Evans restored Gloucester’s advantage through a short-range penalty, before Ulster paid a hefty price for collapsing successive mauls close to their line.
Referee Alex Ruiz sin-binned hooker Rob Herring for the first one, then lock Alan O’Connor received a yellow card after he pulled down the next one, with Gloucester awarded a penalty try and Ulster down to 13 men.
But Cooney kicked a penalty to cut the gap, with Gloucester snuffing out some dangerous attacks to take a 17-10 lead into the interval.
Gloucester extended their lead on the resumption through Atkinson’s powerful charge, with Evans converting.
Ulster needed a response, and it arrived eight minutes later when their backs carved open Gloucester’s defence and Lowry applied an outstanding finish. Cooney’s conversion cut the gap to seven.
It got even better for Ulster approaching the hour-mark when they gained a penalty try following a deliberate knock-on by ReesZammit.
It meant the Gloucester wing was sin-binned and Ulster gained seven points following lengthy debate between Ruiz and television match official Rowan Kitt. Cooney then scored a try that he converted, before a second penalty try for Gloucester was awarded after substitute Ethan McIlroy deliberately knocked on and became his team’s third player to be binned. Then Barton struck.