Ulster caught cold by early try-double from Cronin

ULSTER slipped down the Conference B standings as Sean Cronin’s first-half double helped Leinster to a bonus point derby win at the RDS.

Conor O’Brien and Andrew Porter also breached the try-line as the champions sealed the bonus by half-time, while the brilliant Jamison Gibson-Park also crossed.

“Thankfully we got a few good scores in the first-half, but at half-time we knew we had to work hard against a quality side like Ulster,” said try scorer O’Brien.

Ahead of next week’s key Champions Cup games both sides gave their extended squad a run, but despite this Leinster still bossed the physical stakes and made the most of a porous Ulster defensive line.

From the start the home side rolled through the phases and their first try came after six minutes when Cronin barged through two tacklers.

Seven minutes later the Ireland hooker doubled his tally after some excellent offloading play found him at speed and he again crossed through two Ulster tacklers. Ciaran Frawley converted both for a 14-0 lead.

An offside infringement allowed Ulster to visit the Leinster 22 and their first try came off a driving lineout, Adam McBurney the scorer. But Leinster didn’t wait long to hit back after Johnny McPhillips converted.

Straight from the restart Leinster regained possession when Rob Kearney gathered Frawley’s short kick, and one phase later Conor O’Brien danced over following more generous Ulster defending. Frawley couldn’t convert but Leinster led 19-7 after 20 minutes.

Michael Lowry was forced from the field after 17 minutes due to a head injury, and a McBurney sat out a chunk of the first-half with a blood injury, and the loss of the talented duo was tough on Ulster.

With time up in first half Leinster kicked to the corner and while the maul was stalled, they were patient and Porter drove over to seal the bonus point.

Frawley had a try ruled out for a knock-on as Leinster kept the pressure on and Gibson-Park scored off the back of a powerful scrum, and Leinster closed out the win with a late penalty try.