Ulster Rugby v Leinster

MIXED START TO BRITISH & IRISH CUP CAMPAIGN FOR ULSTER A

ROUND 1: ULSTER A 24 - SCARLETS PREMIERSHIP SELECT 18 Banbridge RFC was the venue for the opening round fixture against Scarlets Premiership Select, as Ulster A scored 24 unanswered points to secure a comeback victory on Saturday 14th October. The Ulster men started the game with some good early possession but it was the visitors who struck first with a well taken try by winger Tom Prydie on the break after 10 minutes. Two minutes later the Scarlets added another try, this time it was impressive number 8 Jack Condy who benefitted from a lineout maul inside the Ulster 22. Having skewed his two previous conversion attempts, Scarlets out-half Rhys Jones fired his side into a 0-13 lead on 20 minutes with a 30 metre penalty in front of the posts. That score seemed to spark Ulster into life and just two minutes later, following smart offloads by forwards Joe Dunleavy and Ross Kane, Man of the Match Aaron Cairns rounded the last defender to touch down. Within four minutes Ulster crossed the whitewash again when Dunleavy bustled over from close range. Johnny McPhillips converted both tries to put Ulster into a lead that they would not relinquish. Six minutes before the break McPhillips fired over a penalty from the 10m line to give his side a 17-13 lead at half-time. There was very little in the way of scoring chances in the third quarter of the game, as Scarlets replacement Jack Maynard missed a penalty opportunity on 57 minutes. On 62 minutes Ulster A full-back Jack Owens got the crucial score of the game, bursting through the Scarlets rearguard to touch down near the posts - the extra 2 from McPhillips making it 24-13. As the clock ticked towards 80 minutes, Scarlets piled on the pressure in search of a losing bonus point and their endeavor was rewarded when lock Josh Helps got over in the right corner. ULSTER A SCORERS: SCARLETS PREMIERSHIP SELECT SCORERS: Tries: Aaron Cairns, Joe Dunleavy, Jack Owens. Tries: Tom Prydie, Jack Condy, Josh Helps. Cons: Johnny McPhillips (3) Pens: Rhys Jones (1). Pens: Johnny McPhillips (1) Ulster A, sponsored by CD Group, have got their 2017/18 British & Irish Cup campaign off to a mixed start, recording one win and one loss in the opening two rounds. ROUND 2: CORNISH PIRATES 23 - ULSTER A 14 Ulster A were unable to follow up with a second round win on Sunday afternoon, as they fell to defeat at the hands of early pace-setters Cornish Pirates in Mennaye Field. The opening 40 minutes was a scrappy affair, with the only points of the half coming just before the break via a Will Cargill penalty for the home side. Seven minutes into the second half, flanker Tom Cowan-Dickie put the Pirates further ahead when he charged over for a try, which Cargill converted. Ulster A responded four minutes later with a well taken try by Craig Gilroy, with Peter Nelson adding the extra 2 to make it 10-7. Cowan-Dickie got over for his second try mid way through the second half, with Cargill’s conversion and another penalty opening a 20-7 lead for the Pirates. Ulster A continued to battle hard and replacement Greg Jones crossed the whitewash in the 77th minute, converted once again by Nelson. With just one minute left on the clock Cargill slotted another penalty to seal the win and deny the Ulster men a losing bonus point. CORNISH PIRATES SCORERS: ULSTER A SCORERS: Tries: Thomas Cowan Dickie (2). Tries: Craig Gilroy, Greg Jones. Cons: Will Cargill (2) Cons: Peter Nelson (2). Pens: Will Cargill (3).

ULSTER A TEAM NEWS

42

www. ULSTERRUGBY .com